An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Worcestershire Archaeology (WA), during March 2026, on land at Natton House, Fiddington, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire (the Site). The project was commissioned by Nick Cooke of RPS (Tetratech) Consulting Services Ltd (the Consultant) on behalf of Robert Hitchins (the Client) who intend to develop the land for parking. A planning application will be submitted to Tewkesbury Borough Council. A desk-based assessment produced by the Consultant (RPS 2025) indicated that there was potential for prehistoric, Roman and medieval activity on the Site. Accordingly, the Heritage Manager at Gloucestershire County Council (the Curator) requested an archaeological evaluation be undertaken on the Site in order to determine if any finds, features or deposits of archaeological significance are present which could be impacted by the proposed development in accordance with paragraph 207 of the National Planning Policy Framework (MHCLG 2025). The archaeological evaluation comprised the excavation of 12no. 30m trenches and revealed a series of parallel, north-south aligned furrow troughs considered likely to have been the relict remnants of post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation terraces. The furrow alignments corresponded with the results of the geophysical survey, undertaken by Stratascan in 2013, and a LIDAR data plot. No other finds, features or deposits of archaeological significance were identified on the Site. The methods adopted allow a high degree of confidence that the aims of the project have been achieved. Conditions were suitable in all of the trenches to identify the presence or absence of archaeological features. It is considered that the nature, density and distribution of archaeological features provides an accurate characterisation of the development site as a whole. The archaeological evaluation comprised the excavation of 12no. 30m trenches and revealed a series of parallel, north-south aligned furrow troughs considered likely to have been the relict remnants of post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation terraces. The furrow alignments corresponded with the results of the geophysical survey, undertaken by Stratascan in 2013, and a LIDAR data plot. No other finds, features or deposits of archaeological significance were identified on the Site. The methods adopted allow a high degree of confidence that the aims of the project have been achieved. Conditions were suitable in all of the trenches to identify the presence or absence of archaeological features. It is considered that the nature, density and distribution of archaeological features provides an accurate characterisation of the development site as a whole.
G Arnold (Thu,) studied this question.