| Abstract: |
Archaeology England conducted an archaeological trenched evaluation on the site of the proposed Ford Oaks Solar and Green Infrastructure Facility, Marsh Green, Exeter, Devon, EX5 2EU (centred on NGR: SY 0407 9346) during May and June 2022. The work comprised the excavation of 12 Evaluation Trenches in two separate locations approximately 800m apart. The location of the evaluation trenches was set out and recorded on British National Grid (NGR) co-ordinates with GPS surveying equipment. The position and size of Trench 9 was adjusted on site at the request of DCHET in order to test the terminus of an ‘L’ shaped linear anomaly recorded during the geophysical survey. Initially, all excavation works comprised the mechanical removal of non-archaeologically significant modern overburden, under constant archaeological supervision, using a toothless ditching bucket. All machining was conducted under archaeological supervision and ceased when the first archaeological horizon or natural substrate was revealed (whichever was encountered first). All archaeological features were recorded in plan, utilising GPS which enabled the production of accurate plan drawings at a scale of 1:20. The final ‘as dug’ areas were recorded accurately with GPS. The excavations at Marsh Green, Exeter comprised the trenched evaluation of twelve 30m Trenches positioned across two separate fields located approximately 800m apart. The excavations have demonstrated that the proposed development, as currently designed, is highly unlikely to impact on any significant impact archaeological sub-surface remains.
The trenched archaeological evaluation at Marsh Green, Exeter, Devon followed on from an earlier geophysical survey which had highlighted the potential for a large number of linear anomalies (Edwards and Trick 2021). The identified anomalies included probable former field boundaries, and three groups interpreted as representing potential cultivation patterns. Two possible ditched enclosures potentially indicating prehistoric activity were also identified within the site, at its northwest and southeast extents, on the higher, more level parts of the site. The development design has subsequently taken
account of the results of those surveys and some areas of geophysical anomalies likely to represent prehistoric enclosures have been removed from the development footprint. The evaluation trenches were therefore located only in areas within the re-designed development footprint. These areas were largely devoid of geophysical anomalies. It is perhaps unsurprising then that no archaeological features were recorded in any of these
trenches given that this negative result corresponds with the results of the geophysical survey. Nevertheless, three trenches (Trenches 1 and 2 in Area 1 and Trench 9 in Area 2) were located over geophysical anomalies thought to represent the location of potential
archaeological features. The east-west aligned linears expected in Trenches 1 and 2 were not present within the trenches. It is considered that these geophysical anomalies are rather the result of magnetic disturbance from the gas main running a few metres to the south. A north-south aligned anomaly recorded in Trench 2 was shown to be an archaeological feature: ditch [2003]. No finds were recovered from the fill of this ditch, so its date
of origin is unknown. Nevertheless, it is associated with a former field boundary recorded on the Rockbeare Tithe Map of 1844 that remained in use until sometime between 1966 and 2003. Its location is still visible as a slight earthwork. An additional east-west aligned linear feature was recorded within Trench 4 and interpreted as a post-medieval stone-filled land drain [4003]. Trench 9 in Area 2 was positioned to try and locate the terminus of an ‘L’-shaped geophysical anomaly. No archaeological features were recorded within this trench. |
