Evaluation at Proposed Cricket Centre, University of Worcester, Severn Campus, Hylton Road, Worcester

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken at the proposed Cricket Education Centre, University of Worcester Severn Campus, Hylton Road, Worcester (NGR SO 84121 55041). It was commissioned the University of Worcester. Planning permission has been granted subject to a programme of archaeological works. The Curator considered the works to have the potential to affect heritage assets of archaeological interest, due to its location on the western floodplain of the River Severn, including potential palaeochannels and Roman industrial activity. Five trenches were excavated across the site. Due to extensive modern levelling deposits on the site, the trenches were stepped in the centre to a depth of 2.4m below ground level. Deeper sondages were excavated at the end of each trench to identify the natural alluvial levels. All five of the trenches contained 19th century, post-war levelling deposits and both horizontal and vertical truncations from the previous site developments, with bottle glass inclusions throughout layers in the trenches and later disturbance from the garages which previously occupied the site. In the south-west corner of the Site organic deposits and timbers were recorded above the natural alluvium, but were determined to relate to 19th century and later levelling activity on site. Taken with geotechnical borehole data the modern levelling deposits extend to between c 2.20m - 4.70m depth across the site, directly over the alluvial clays which appear to have been frequently reworked and truncated. No significant archaeological finds, features or deposits were observed, or artefacts recovered. The alluvium had been heavily reworked, truncated and contaminated by modern development of the site, with levelling made ground deposits, garage and industrial activities. It is therefore considered that there is a low potential that the development will impact upon significant archaeological remains.