A total of 7 trenches were excavated across the Site (Fig. H2) in locations agreed with the Archaeological Advisor with some limited re-positioning of trenches to avoid tree roots and buried services. Due to significant Health and Safety concerns, and with the agreement of the Archaeological Advisor the remainder of the proposed trial trenches were unable to be excavated due to the proximity of a number of below ground services and overhead electricity cables which were identified within the Site including a high pressure gas-main. A total of 7 trial trenches were excavated an examination of these revealed a relatively undisturbed stratigraphy throughout the investigation area. No pre-modern archaeological remains or artefacts were present. The results of the geophysical survey did not indicate the presence of any significant below ground archaeological remains. A number of unknown sub-surface features were identified which whilst considered to be of low archaeological potential were proposed to be investigated further through targeted trial trenching. The strongest of these was identified in the western corner of the Site (Fig H2) and trenches No's22 and 24 were proposed for investigation. However pre-excavation survey identified this feature as a recently laid drain. The lack of any pre-modern artefactual evidence anywhere within the investigation area would suggest that no significant archaeological remains are present within the Site itself and that the Site has been in agricultural usage since at least the medieval period.
David J Leigh (Fri,) studied this question.