Data from an Archaeological Recording at North of Field Cottage, Southam, Warwickshire, 2018 (HS2 Phase One)
COPA: Cotswold Oxford Pre-Construct Archaeology, Oxford Archaeology Ltd, High Speed Two Ltd., 2023. https://doi.org/10.5284/1129089. How to cite using this DOI
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4978
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1129089
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
Project Summary
This collection comprises the site records, GIS, animal bone recording data, and the photographic archive for North of Field Cottage, Southam, Warwickshire. The documentary and finds archives will be deposited with Warwickshire Museum. COPA was commissioned by Fusion to undertake archaeological recording on land north of Field Cottage, Southam, Warwickshire. The fieldwork was conducted in two phases: the initial phase took place between 17–18 January 2018, during which Trenches 9 and 10 were excavated. The second phase followed on 16 April 2018 and involved the excavation of Trench 11. This additional phase was necessary due to the relocation of the southernmost proposed mitigation pond beyond the area initially investigated by Trench 9.
The archaeological recording addressed one area of land (CR01083) located c. 500m south-west of Southam, Warwickshire; hereafter described as ‘the Site’. The Site is centred at NGR 440904 260876 and measures 0.69ha. It is bound to the north by an industrial estate, to the east by Kineton Road (the B4451) and to the south and west by agricultural fields surrounding The Old Coach House and The Fields House. The parcel of land is occupied by a single arable field. The land parcel is required for the proposed ecological mitigation works including the construction of mitigation ponds, hibernacula and reptile basking banks as well as woodland planting to the north of the Site and grassland planting over much of the Site. The locations for the archaeological recording have been selected to address construction programme risk to land required for the two proposed mitigation ponds. The initial phase of fieldwork comprised two trenches (Tr9 and Tr10), Trench 9 was 13.5m (l) by 7.7m (w) and Trench 10 was 16.5m (l) by 10m (w). The additional second phase comprised archaeological monitoring of the topsoil strip of the revised pond location (trench 11, measuring 22.5m (l) by 15.8m (w))
Re-Use Value Statement
The results of the archaeological recording indicated the presence of a previously tentatively known Roman site indicating Roman activity close to Southam. The geophysical survey of 1083 and the Site along with the Roman ditch found during the evaluation indicates that this may be a Roman rural site. The geophysical survey also suggested there may be several phases of activity within 1083 as there were both rounded and rectilinear enclosures in this area, and some of the rectilinear features appeared to be of a later date. Potentially there may be later prehistoric activity on the Site or alternatively the features may all be Roman in date. There may be more in situ Roman remains on the Site, given the evaluation sampled 9.01% of the Site. In addition there is a very high probability of archaeological remains in the field south of the Site (parcel 1083) of late prehistoric and or Roman date. If more Roman activity was found on the Site it would be of importance as the wider area within a 1km of the Site has a limited number of known Roman sites.
The ridge and furrow features found on the Site likely date to the late medieval or early post medieval period. The presence of the ridge and furrow on the Site does add to the understanding of the use of the landscape around Southam in the medieval and post- medieval period. The furrows themselves are of lesser importance than the potential Roman activity on the Site.
The soil contour plan exhibits the thickness of topsoil across the Site. The number of data points is very limited with only three trenches so this model cannot be considered to be accurate except for the areas in close proximity to trenches 9-11. The model suggests that the topsoil is thinner around Trench 10 with c. 0.20m thickness and thicker around Trenches 9 and 11 at c. 0.26m thickness. Any further works required for the habitat creation site will not penetrate deeper than c. 0.26m and therefore any further archaeological features within the Site will be preserved in situ.
