Site 082 - Geophysics Survey Report Heritage Non-intrusive Survey Reports Group 011

The survey was undertaken using four Bartington Grad601 sensors mounted at 1m intervals (1m traverse interval) onto a rigid carrying frame. The system was programmed to take readings at a frequency of 10Hz (allowing for a 10-15cm sample interval) on roaming traverses (swaths) 4m apart. These readings were stored on an external weatherproof laptop and later downloaded for processing and interpretation. The system was linked to a Trimble R8s Real Time Kinetic (RTK) differential Global Positioning System (dGPS) outputting in NMEA mode to ensure a high positional accuracy for each data point, in accordance with EAC guidelines (EAC 2016). The survey has not identified any anomalies of definite archaeological origin. No distinguishable anomalies are evident in the westernmost parcel of the site. Anomalies in the easternmost parcel all likely relate in some way to the topography which undulates and steeply slopes down to the north and west, towards a copse and pond which bound the survey area. Linear responses surrounding an area of magnetic disturbance which corresponds to a former extraction pit marked on historic mapping, suggest the presence of fields drains and likely indicates attempts to drain and level through the tipping/infilling of magnetic material in this part of the field to aid arable cultivation. It remains plausible that some of the linear anomalies here may relate to the former fish pond and associated weir at this location which are linked to Aston Farm to the north, though it remains more likely the anomalies detected reflect modern attempts to improve drainage in this location of the field.