Former Avlon Works, Avonmouth, South Gloucestershire

The works required the excavation of fifteen evaluation trenches, however, due to a range of on-site constraints it was only possible to excavate six trenches. Some of the trial trenches in the south had to be relocated or could not be excavated at the request of the site's principal contractor at the time. Ecological constraints prevented investigation of two of the three trenches at the former Hook's Farm site. The absence of trench numbers 4, 5, 9 & 12 is accounted for by these having fallen into a proposed second phase of trial trenching close to the extant gatehouse building. All amendments to the approved trench plan were agreed with the archaeological representative of South Gloucestershire Council. Non-significant overburden was removed, under constant archaeological supervision, to the top of archaeological remains or the underlying natural deposits, whichever was encountered first. This was achieved through use of a 360� mechanical excavator, equipped with a toothless grading bucket. Features and spoil tips were visually scanned for finds. Where potential archaeological features were present, these were subject to appropriate levels of investigation The evaluation has identified areas with a localised sequence of features and deposits. These mainly consisted of structural remains which were likely to date to the later Post-medieval period. However, large areas of the site also display significant Modern disturbance and truncation. The earliest dated archaeological feature was ditch 1505 which contained 15th century pottery and was likely to be a boundary ditch. Probable ditch 206 was undated, but it was on a roughly similar alignment to 1505 and had been cut by ditch 205, which contained later 17th century pottery. Therefore it is possible that features 206 and 1505 are contemporary, with 1506 representing a later phase of activity. However, without further dating this cannot be confirmed. Structural material was present in Trenches 10 and 11. Both of these trenches are located within the group of buildings within the 'Severn Farm' (aka Vimpenny's) complex as shown on the 1921 OS map. It would seem likely that these structural features are related to this farm(s). No secure dating was recovered from any of the identified features, with the only dating evidence being a single sherd of 19th century pottery from possible drainage channel (1012). However, a late Post-medieval date would seem likely for these features. The animal remains recovered from Trench 2 were very likely related to farming activities. Although the remains themselves are undated, their location within the subsoil would suggest a later date. The 12th century pottery recovered close to sk 212 is therefore more likely to be related to general Medieval activity within the vicinity of the site, rather than dating the burial of sk 212. As Trench 2 is located close to the possible location of a Medieval moated site, as well as in the general location of Hook Farm which is thought to have Medieval origins, residual Medieval material in the vicinity is unsurprising, but provides firmer evidence that the farmstead may have had Medieval origins. Further Medieval pottery has been recovered, but the majority was from within the subsoil of Trench 2.