1118141. Cite this using datacite

Title:

HANWELL CASTLE, MAIN STREET, HANWELL, OXFORDSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF ADDENDUM REPORT

Series:

John Moore Heritage Services unpublished report series

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Biblio Note

This report was uploaded to the OASIS system by the named Publisher. The report has not been reviewed by the relevant HER. The report has been transferred into the ADS Library for public access and to facilitate future research.

Licence Type:

ADS Terms of Use and Access

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5284/1118141

Publication Type:

Report (in Series)

Abstract:

The programme included evaluation, excavation, watching brief and building recording stages. The building recording stage focussed on the recording of the fireplace, which was to be removed. Five trenches were excavated by a 360° type tracked excavator fitted with a toothless ditching bucket. The resultant surfaces were cleaned and hand-sampled. The area of the footprint of the development including the area of courtyard was stripped under archaeological supervision, and archaeological features and deposits were hand-excavated. A continuous watching brief was maintained during all the excavations and any other groundworks likely to disturb archaeological remains, including service trenches and a trench for an oil tank. In the evaluation phase, carried out in December 2011, 5 trenches, totalling approximately 36 metres in length were mechanically excavated. Within Trench 1 the earliest feature was a north-south wall with a drain on its western side. The wall perhaps formed part of the previous internal quad. A later 18th century pit was recorded destroying the wall on the south side of the trench. This pit and another layer within the trench contained a high proportion of residual medieval pottery sherds leading to the tentative suggestion that this area was once associated with an earlier medieval great hall, which may have existed beneath the present house or closer to the lake. Within Trench 2 the earliest feature was an east-west wall with a step footing constructed of Cotswold stone with a north-south return. These walls were located at the corner of the projected Tudor castle and could be the surviving remains of a tower or north-south enclosing wall. Between the walls was a deposit containing architectural plaster and other objects such as a fragment of a windowsill of Tudor date, which would suggest demolition deposits from the destruction of the castle are present across this area. To the immediate south of trench 2 the ground level had been raised by demolition deposits (Trench 3). Within trenches 4 & 5 the surviving archaeology included presumed garden features, which may have once formed Tudor walkways or flowerbeds within a carefully designed pleasure garden. A building recording in the South Wing took place in August 2012. The fireplace once formed part of a single-story building in a southern extension to the Tudor Wing. The fireplace is now in a two storey structure with an elaborate chimney stack placed above. It is apparent that the structure contains stone and brickwork with four different mortar types, which suggests that it has been constructed, rebuilt and redesigned on a number of occasions. The timber lintel has a considerable chamfer internally, but also has four dowel holes not relevant in its current position, which is indicative of the piece being reused. The fireplace as it stands is probably a piece of the late 19th century or 20th century rebuild. Between August 2013 and August 2014, an excavation and associated watching brief revealed multiple phases of occupation of the site. The earliest phases of activity on the site are all undated. These phases saw the construction of what are probably a series of enclosures over the spur, with one ditch measuring over 5m in width that could be dated to the Iron Age through to the early medieval period. A phase of occupation pre-dating the construction of the Tudor House was also observed. It is assumed that this period of stone construction represents an 11th century hall and kitchen inside a ringwork. Phase 5 is associated with the 14th century reworking of the church, as part of the new service (water) trench uncovered part of the bastion of this structure. The subsequent phases see the dismantling of the previous structure and the laying of a culvert to take water from the spring under the current south wing.

Author:

G Davies

Publisher:

John Moore Heritage Services

Year of Publication:

2017

Locations:

Parish:	Hanwell
Country:	England
County:	Oxfordshire
District:	Cherwell

Grid Reference: 443630, 243604 (Easting, Northing)

Subjects / Periods:

MEDIEVAL BRICK (Tag)

DRESSED STONE (Object England)

FLOOR TILE (Object England)

WATER PIPE (Monument Type England)

CULVERT (Monument Type England)

EXCAVATION (Event)

BUILDINGS RECORDING AND INVESTIGATION (Event)

MEDIEVAL FLOOR TILE (Tag)

MEDIEVAL SHERD (Tag)

POST MEDIEVAL PIT (Tag)

WALL (Monument Type England)

TERRACE (Monument Type England)

PIT (Monument Type England)

POST MEDIEVAL SHERD (Tag)

WATCHING BRIEF (Event)

CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Object England)

20TH CENTURY GRAVEL PATH (Tag)

POST MEDIEVAL CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Tag)

GRAVEL PATH (Monument Type England)

SHERD (Object England)

POST MEDIEVAL DRESSED STONE (Tag)

20TH CENTURY WATER PIPE (Tag)

BRICK (Object England)

UNCERTAIN WALL (Tag)

MEDIEVAL TERRACE (Tag)

POST MEDIEVAL CULVERT (Tag)

20TH CENTURY (Historic England Periods)

MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

POST MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

UNCERTAIN (Historic England Periods)

Identifiers:

OASIS Id:	johnmoor1-342002
Report id:	3413

Source:

OASIS (OASIS)

Relations:

Created Date:

23 Feb 2024