Data from a Trial Trench Evaluation at Widmore Farm, Oxfordshire, 2020-2022 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., INFRA Archaeology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.5284/1119080. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © High Speed Two Ltd. unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4982
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1119080
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises photographs, GIS, a Harris Matrix, reports, and scanned site records and drawings from an archaeological evaluation by INFRA Archaeology at Widmore Farm, Oxfordshire.
Project Summary
The evaluation forms part of Phase One of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project, which will involve the construction of a new railway approximately 230km (143 miles) in length between London and the West Midlands. Powers for the construction, operation and maintenance of Phase One are conferred by the High-Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act 2017.
The evaluation comprised the excavation of 17 trial trenches within a single land parcel (C25086) in the southern part of the site. The trial trenching formed part of a wider archaeological recording (sitecode 1C20WIDAR) carried out between November 2020 and February 2021.
The aims of the trial trenching were to:
- Confirm the presence/absence, extent, and depth of any surviving archaeological remains within the Site
- Determine the nature, date, condition, state of preservation, complexity and significance of any archaeological remains
- Determine the likely range, quality, and quantity of artefactual and environmental evidence present
- Suggest measures, if appropriate and feasible, for further archaeological investigation to mitigate identified significant impacts
The trial trenching also sought to contribute to the delivery of the following GWSI: HERDS Specific Objectives:
- KC5: Identifying settlement location and developing models for settlement patterns for the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Early Bronze Age
- KC9: Does a lack of visibility of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments reflect genuine area distinctiveness, or is this due to variation in geology or investigative techniques?
- KC10: Provide further understanding of the transition between a mobile pattern of settlement in the Early Bronze Age to the development of fixed settlement and enclosure, in the Middle and Late Bronze Age.
- KC15 (KEY OBJECTIVE): Can we identify regional patterns in the form and location of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age settlement across the route, and are there associated differences in landscape organisation and enclosure?
- KC16: Investigate the degree of continuity that existed between Late Bronze Age and Iron Age communities in terms of population, mobility and subsistence strategies
- KC18: Explore the evidence for increasing social complexity in the archaeological record in the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age, and identify patterns of intra-regional and regional variation
- KC19: The Romano-British period saw the beginning of a more established infrastructure network. Can we investigate the development of these routes, trackways and roads and the influence they had on landscape change?
- KC47: Test and develop geophysical survey methodologies.
Re-Use Value Statement
The trial trenches identified several features both archaeological and natural in origin, however no datable evidence was recovered. Although lacking dating evidence, it is thought possible that these ditches were a continuation of a potential Romano- British trackway encountered within Finmere Quarry to the east (and intentionally targeted as such). Therefore the findings and data provided by this evaluation would be beneficial to any further work and research in the area, and integration with the results from earlier work at Finmere Quarry suggested.
Further work was recommended and has taken place since under the HS2 site code 1C20WIDAR.
