SECTION 6.1: WHELFORD BOWMOOR INTRODUCTIONGEOLOGY,TOPOGRAPHY AND LAND USE EXCAVATION METHODOLOGY Background to the excavationsThree archaeological investigations were undertaken at Whelford Bowmoor in the 1980s, prior to proposed gravel extraction by ARC/Kingston minerals (Figure 6.1.2: location of archaeological investigations). Brief salvage work took place in 1983 (WB 83), while trial trenching and selective excavation occurred in 1985 (WB 85). In 1988 an archaeological evaluation took place across an adjoining area to the south (OAU 1988). Together, these enabled the examination of a large area of Roman settlement, previously known only from sporadic surface finds and tenuous cropmark features. Despite the investigations being quite limited in scope, they provided clear evidence for a Romano-British farmstead with associated paddocks, trackways and field systems. Location of siteThe site lies just to the north of Whelford and to the east of Bowmoor in the parish of Kempsford, Glos. (SO 172 996; Figure 6.1.1: Site Location Plan). It is 200 m east of the river Coln which flows south past the site to join the Upper Thames near Lechlade. WB 83 lay at the western edge of the Whelford field, with WB 85 lying further to the east and WB 88 to the south. WB 83 and 85 were subject to gravel extraction subsequent to archaeological investigation, and the whole area now forms part of the eastern Cotswold Water Park. Geology, topography and land useThe area is part of the immediate flood plain of the river Coln, with very slight relief varying between 77m and 78.5m OD. Detailed contouring of WB 83 and 85 showed that they were crossed by a shallow central depression running parallel to, and presumably part of, the immediate sub-surface drainage system of the Coln periphery. The eastern flank of this depression rose to a small, discrete gravel island, and the land on the western flank also rose but any apex to this rise was obliterated by marginal gravel extraction before it could surveyed. Geologically the site rests on part of an extensive first gravel terrace to the Upper Thames in an area in which it is overlain by a narrow band of alluvial clay flanking the river Coln. The whole area had been permanent water-meadow pasture and subject to fairly frequent winter flooding until the early 1980s, when WB 83 and 85 were brought into cultivation after an extended period of fallow use. The effects of the subsequent ploughing could be gauged by contrasting the lack of surface relief in this field with the marked ridge and furrow in the field immediately to the south (WB 88), an area which continued as pasture Archaeological background (Fig. 6.1.1: Site location plan)The archaeological importance of this area was defined initially in terms of its proximity to the extensive Iron Age and Roman complexes at Claydon Pike (SU 190 996) and Thornhill Farm (SU 183 997) lying on the first gravel terrace to the east, principally as an element in the study of the wider archaeological landscape. In the more immediate vicinity, on the western side of the river Coln, less than 100 m from Whelford Bowmoor, is a series of undated enclosures and linear ditches extending over 2 hectares, revealed as cropmarks on aerial photographs (SMR 2425). The nature and proximity of these features suggests that they were contemporary with the Roman settlement. A further 1.5 km to the west lay the extensive middle Iron Age and Roman settlement at Totterdown Lane, Horcott (Pine and Preston 2004). Ten middle Iron Age ring gullies were found, with an enclosure and associated field system. The late Iron Age/early Roman phase of activity comprised a number of circular enclosures and associated ditches. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries the landscape was parcelled into various fields and paddocks around a ‘T’-shaped trackway. Burials and cremations were also found. Further excavations just the west revealed a 2nd to 3rd century field system and seven Roman cremations (Pine and Preston 2004). A hoard of middle or late Iron Age sword-shaped currency bars was also found. In environmental terms the vulnerable location of the Whelford site on the immediate flood plain of the river Coln suggested that examination of the development of its occupation might also provide a sensitive indicator of alluvial pressure on the environment of early settlement in this area of the valley. The river-site location of the Whelford site also suggested the possible survival of environmentally-relevant material in water-logged deposits, although it soon became clear that reduction of the water table to some 4 m below the surface by pumping from the northern landfill area prior to extraction of gravel by ARC over the southern half mitigated against any useful signs of organic preservation. Excavation methodologyWB 83 (Salvage work)During excavations at Claydon Pike the western edge of the Whelford field was stripped of its topsoil prior to gravel extraction. Although an earlier field survey did not suggest much activity a watching brief was kept and salvage recording undertaken. A complex of ditches were recorded with an apparent Roman trackway running NW-SE. Further ditches and gullies ran across this line (stratigraphic relationships were not recovered) but few finds were recovered. No actual excavation was undertaken. WB 85The southern and eastern parts of Whelford field (4.085 ha) were proposed for gravel extraction in 1985. A metal detector survey of the field pin-pointed areas of possible occupation and the incidence of general rubbish scatters. These seemed to correlate with the topography and suggested the presence of a structure on a slight platform on the gravel island in the central southern area of the field. Cropmarks also hinted at an enclosure on the south east side. Initial work was thus aimed at elucidating these areas. A programme of trial-trenching by JCB followed by selective excavation was completed before the topsoil was stripped by ARC prior to gravel extraction. Further salvage work continued when the site was totally exposed but preservation of features and deposits was more variable due to the nature of topsoil removal. WB 88In 1988 an archaeological evaluation was conducted on behalf of ARC on a field to the south of WB 83/85. It was aimed at assessing the density, character and preservation of any archaeological remains, in particular those associated with the Romano-British farmstead to the north. An earthwork survey was followed by machine trenching, initially on a grid pattern, to provide a two percent sample of the site. These were designed to locate linear features and record the spread, if any, of archaeological material. This sample size was increased on the north-east side of the field when archaeological features were encountered. These features were sampled to ascertain date and to assess environmental preservation. Chronology and phasing (Figs 6.1.3: Phase1 and 6.1.4: Phase2)No explicit evidence for pre- or post-Roman occupation or activity on the site was obtained either in terms of structures or scatters of materials, although a series of small earthworks in WB 88 may have formed some kind of medieval water meadow arrangement. Aside from this, activity and settlement on the site appeared to be entirely Roman and to date from the early 2nd to early 3rd centuries AD. Except for the later phase building, it appears to consist of agricultural enclosures, pens and paddocks presumably peripheral to associated areas of settlement. Phasing is based on stratigraphy (although little was recovered) and pottery dating and is thus presented in a generalised form. The site developed in a gradual and amorphous fashion; it is quite possible that this imposed phasing masks continuity of activity on the site. Figures 6.1.3 and 6.1.4 show both those features that could be definitely phased on a chronological and/or stratigraphic basis, along with those unexcavated features that have been assigned a phase on spatial grounds. |