Title: |
Archaeological Investigations at The Old Fire Station, Merstow Green, Evesham, Worcestershire |
Series: |
Worcestershire Archaeology unpublished report series
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Downloads: |
fieldsec1-314319_1.pdf (5 MB)
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Download
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Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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DOI |
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Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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Abstract: |
A series of archaeological investigations were undertaken at the Old Fire Station, Merstow Green, Evesham, Worcestershire. Following an evaluation with four trial trenches across the site, two areas were excavated to investigate the medieval deposits identified. The excavations revealed a sequence of activity from the Iron Age through to the 17th century. This included Middle Iron Age pits and a probable Roman enclosure dated to the 2nd-4th century. A stone lined medieval well was found next to three successive phases of an oven, which were probably used for baking bread on a commercial level or drying grain brought into the town for storage. Further medieval features were indicative of backyard activity associated with a burgage plot: a number of pits of a range of functions, including cess deposition and gravel extraction. The well and ovens were abandoned and backfilled in the 17th century. Environmental evidence demonstrated intentional cultivation of edible plants, indicating either the presence of a kitchen garden or the disposal of waste from one. This analyses also showed that the well became a dumping ground for human and animal faeces, followed by a change in land use from one of varied species cultivation to probable abandonment and colonisation by scrub. The pottery assemblage was mainly of medieval date. Radiocarbon samples from fills within two phases of the oven returned dates of 1160 - 1270 cal AD and 1280 - 1400 cal AD, giving a broad start and end date to the structure. |
Author: |
P Lovett
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Publisher: |
Worcestershire Archaeology
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Other Person/Org: |
Historic England (OASIS Reviewer)
Worcestershire HER (OASIS Reviewer)
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Year of Publication: |
2021
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Locations: |
Site: |
The Former Fire Station site, Merstow Green |
County: |
Worcestershire |
District: |
Wychavon |
Parish: |
EVESHAM |
Country: |
England |
Grid Reference: 403537, 243784 (Easting, Northing)
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Subjects / Periods: |
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Identifiers: |
OASIS Id: |
fieldsec1-314319 |
OBIB: |
2904 |
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Source: |
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Relations: |
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Created Date: |
29 Oct 2021 |