Belvoir Solar Farm, Bottesford, Leicestershire. Archaeological Evaluation Report

Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by JBM Solar Projects 10 Ltd to undertake a trial trench evaluation at the site of a proposed solar farm development on land to the west of Muston and south of Bottesford, within the Melton Borough Council area of Leicestershire. The initial scope of works allowed for the excavation of 164 trenches. The majority of these (142) measured 50m x 1.8m in plan and were distributed evenly throughout the arable fields to provide a 1.3% sample of the area. The remaining 22 trenches were 25m x 1.8m and were positioned to target the geophysical survey anomalies previously identified. It was agreed that a contingency for a further 0.75% sample of the total area should be allowed for to target specific areas of activity that were revealed during the investigations. A further 7 trenches were excavated. Five of these measured 20m x1.8m, one measured 10m x 1.8m and one measured 25m x 1.8m. Trench 50 was also extended by a further 50m on a perpendicular alignment. Trenches 57, 58 48, 72 and 74 were moved slightly from their intended locations to prevent blocking the farmer's access along existing tramlines in the crop. The trenches were laid out as shown in Figure 2 using a GPS with sub15mm accuracy. The trenches were excavated using a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless bucket under the direct supervision of an archaeologist with spoil stored adjacent to, but at a safe distance from, the trench edges. The machining was undertaken in even spits of no more than 100mm thickness down to the top of the undisturbed natural geology or the first archaeological horizon depending upon which was encountered first. The exposed surface was sufficiently cleaned to establish the presence/absence of archaeological remains and a sample of each feature or deposit type was hand excavated and recorded. Spoil produced from machine excavation, as well as exposed surfaces, archaeological features and spoil from hand excavation was scanned by a metal detector to enhance finds retrieval. Environmental sampling was undertaken to characterise the modes of preservation and concentration of assemblages of biological material from different periods, areas and context types in order to inform the sampling strategy during any further mitigation works. Bulk soil samples, of 40L or 100% of a deposit if less is available, were collected from a variety of features to assess the paleoenvironmental potential of the site. A full photographic record of all archaeological features, deposits, trenches and the works in general was also generated during the investigations. Upon completion of the works the trenches were backfilled with the arisings in reverse order of excavation. This was only undertaken following approval from Leicestershire County Council Heritage Team. The archaeological remains revealed during this evaluation were almost exclusively limited to an Iron Age settlement identified in the northwest corner of the site. Defined by a number of ditched enclosures, the remains also included a smaller number of postholes and pits. The finds assemblage included a dominant component of Scored Ware, accompanied by fired clay fragments derived from ovens and numerous animal bone fragments from domesticated species. Overall, the area around Trenches 130137 appears to have been a focus of domestic activity during this period, with a lesser focus around Trenches 154 and 155. The remainder of the site was largely devoid of significant archaeological remains and aside from a tentatively dated Roman CBM fragment, a sherd of possible Bronze Age pottery and two small sherds of medieval pottery, the site showed only widespread evidence for agricultural activity from the medieval period onwards.