Data from an Archaeological Evaluation at Water Orton, North Warwickshire, 2019 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., Wessex Archaeology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.5284/1124538. 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: 5926
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1124538
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises digital data (images, text, CAD, spreadsheets, GIS, video, scanned and digitised site records) from an archaeological evaluation carried out by Wessex Archaeology at Water Orton, North Warwickshire between March and July 2019.
The project 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.
Project Summary
The evaluation site covers an area of approximately 95.8 hectares. The village of Water Orton lies immediately east and north of the evaluation area and the town of Coleshill is located approximately 1 km to the south-east. 180 archaeological evaluation trenches were excavated between HS2 Chainages 165520‐163440 and 3200‐1745.
The most significant findings were two burnt mounds and associated pits containing probable redeposited burnt mound material in the north‐eastern part of the site, and a small enclosure and associated former field system, discovered in the central part. Based on regional comparators the burnt mounds are likely to date to the Late Bronze Age. The field system in Area 2 is poorly dated but may belong to the Late Iron Age/Romano‐British period, based on five sherds of pottery from its component features. The apparent co‐axial arrangement of the ditches is not at odds with the proposed chronology, with rectilinear field systems of confirmed Romano‐British data known elsewhere in the landscape both locally and at the national level. However, coaxial field systems may date to any period from the Bronze Age onwards. Remains were infrequent across the rest of the site, with approximately three-quarters of the trenches proving to be archaeologically blank.
The earliest dated evidence is three struck flint flakes, which can only be broadly dated as Neolithic/Bronze Age. One derived from one of the burnt mounds, and the others came from a ditch.
The finds assemblage from the site is very small and consists largely of pottery and ceramic building material, with chronological foci in the Romano‐British and post‐medieval/modern periods. Apart from one waterlogged sample from an undated ditch, and assemblages of charcoal from the burnt mounds, the environmental evidence from the trenches is very scant.
