Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation Report.

AOC Archaeology Group was commissioned by the RSPB to undertake an archaeological evaluation by trial trenching at the site of a proposed new RSPB Visitor Centre at Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire. Whist the evaluation was in progress, an archaeological watching brief was also undertaken during the excavation of a number of geotechnical test pits at the site. Sixteen trenches were excavated across the proposed development area. These were sited to target geophysical anomalies in areas which would impacted upon by the proposed development. However, tree-cover on the western part of the site limited the overall area available for evaluation. The trenches ranged in size from 10m by 2m up to 50m by 2m. The excavation of ten geotechnical test pits were also archaeologically monitored. Only two archaeological features were encountered: feature 903, which is most likely related to 20th century agriculture or landscaping, and ditch 703, a possible utility ditch backfilled with detritus that is thought to derive from the occupation of a Prisoner of War camp which was sited to the the northeast of the proposed development in the 1940s.The pottery from this ditch is military-issue and bear the dates 1941 and 1943. In addition to these features, a demolition deposit of early 20ths century date was also encountered in Trench 3 (deposit 603), and a possible modern pit in Test Pit E (deposit Test Pit E 02).