Archaeological excavations in the Arrow Valley, Warwickshire

Archaeological survey combined with a series of excavations, in advance of bypass construction, was undertaken in 1993-94. The project encountered evidence from a range of different site types, spanning the Neolithic to the Anglo-Saxon period and also included a medieval settlement site at Boteler's Castle (published elsewhere). The work has thrown little light on Meso activity but a small assemblage of earlier Neo flintwork can now be added to the growing corpus of such material form the valley. Later Neo activity was found on a hill top site in Salford Priors west of Broom where several pits containing Grooved Ware pottery also produced distinctive flintwork, two polished stone axes and an important charred plant assemblage. This material is interpreted as evidence of a transient lifestyle and ceremonial celebration. Little evidence of EBA activity was recognised, but there was further ceremonial and funerary activity on the same hill-top site during the LBA. In this period a woman of high status was cremated within a mini ring-ditch. Her importance was indicated by the inclusion in the rite of at least two, perhaps three, very rare, bronze cauldrons.\r\n\r\nEvidence for IA activity was limited to a few features in Area F west of Wixford, but quite how these features relate to the pattern of settlement is unclear. Pottery and charred plant remains are detailed (see specialist reports below for page references). \r\n\r\nIn the Early Roman period the valley was extensively settled. A series of three small distinct settlements dating to the mid/late first century AD was excavated in Salford Priors. A mixed farming regime seems to have exploited the growing market facilities of nearby Roman Alcester. Two of these farms disappeared in the second century while the third developed into a large villa complex. A second-century roundhouse was replaced by rectangular buildings including a three bay, post-built structure with an annexe, a large high quality building with a small bath suite, an aisled structure used as a byre, and a stone founded cottage-type building which may have contained a shrine in its later life. This building was built over a corn drier which produced information on crop processing activities. Occupation ended in the fourth century, the bath-house being demolished in the early fourth century and its site put to agriculture. Pottery from Area C3 suggests the buildings there lasted to the mid-late fourth century although the coins attest some activity to the end of the century.\r\n\r\nClear evidence for the date of the demise of the villa estate was not obtained but evidence for Early AS settlement was excavated on the Broom hill top. Three sunken-featured buildings and at least one hall-house produced assemblages of pottery and animal bone (see specialist reports section for details). The final section concerns the evolution of the valley landscape. It describes the changing environment through time beginning with an emphasis on the local plant resource. It suggests that individual land units which possibly dated from the LBA remained relevant through the Roman period, with some of them still in existence in the modern social, geographical and political landscape. These units were based along the river and contained a variety of resources: floodplain pasture, cultivable land on the flat gravel terraces and wooded slopes suitable for grazing and obtaining fuel. Specialist reports are as follows: