Land to the West of the A46, Sherbourne, Warwickshire: An Archaeological Evaluation

The Written Scheme of Investigation proposed the excavation of 86 trenches measuring 50m in length and 1.80m in width across the proposed development area. The trenches were placed using a combination of targeted trenching over both areas of anomalies and blank areas noted in the previous geophysical surveys to test the validity of the results. In the areas where no potential features were noted the trenches were been placed on a random grid array. The orientation and spacing of which was designed to best capture linears regardless of orientation and any foci of activity that may be present. Corridors within this sample strategy were required due to a modern gas pipeline and overhead electrical services. The trenching strategy represented a 5% sample of the overall site which was considered sufficient to allow for a full characterisation of the archaeological potential to be made. The results from the archaeological trial trenching demonstrated that despite the potential and a moderate degree of ploughing, the landscape had been underutilised and has remained at or beyond the fringes of human activity throughout history. A small number of undated ditches are thought could relate to the known Iron Age enclosure within the northern area of the development. Should this be the case then it would demonstrate a very minimally managed farming landscape. It is clear that for much of its history this area was wooded to some degree and that utilisation of the site does not seem to have begun in any seriousness until the 15th or 16th centuries when the area became the same arable fields still present. It is clear that in between the late 19th and mid 20th centuries these field boundaries were sporadically removed to allow for larger mechanical agricultural equipment to more efficiently farm the site.