44 Ashcroft Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The mechanical excavations associated with the construction of the house extension were undertaken by use of a tracked 360� excavator, which was equipped with a toothless grading bucket. The excavations were subject to constant observation by an archaeologist, down to the top of identifiable archaeological remains, or the natural substrates, whichever was encountered first. All potential archaeological features and deposits were subject to appropriate levels of investigation. The groundworks excavations revealed the top of probable Roman stone-rubble and soil deposits at a depth of 0.70m below the Modern ground surface. These were overlain by a dark earth deposit of uncertain date, which was in turn cut into/overlain by late Victorian/early Modern structures and deposits. Finds recovered during the archaeological monitoring included Roman pottery and CBM, including tegula roof tile, probable Roman sandstone roof tile fragments and oyster shell.