Clareford, Warden Road, Ickwell, Bedfordshire: Archaeological Watching Biref

Albion Archaeology was commissioned to undertake archaeological monitoring Central Bedfordshire Council granted planning permission (23/02226/FULL) for a combination of one- and two-storey extensions at Clareford, Warden Road, Ickwell, Bedfordshire, SG18 9EL. The Council's Archaeology Team (CBCAT) recommended that a condition should be attached to the planning consent (Condition 4), requiring that an archaeologist should be present to monitor the groundworks, in accordance with an agreed Written Scheme of Investigation. Albion Archaeology was commissioned to undertake the archaeological monitoring, the results of which are set out in this report. The groundworks were monitored at which time three foundation trenches and a soakaway were excavated by the building contractor. No archaeological remains were identified. The presence of a thick subsoil suggests that the site was used for agriculture prior to its conversion into a garden, while a lack of archaeological artefacts suggests that people were not living here in historic times. The observations showed that archaeological remains were unlikely to survive within the footprint of the new extensions and, therefore, no further archaeological work was required as part of the development.