Archaeological Evaluation Report, 40 Hambridge Lane, Lechlade, Gloucestershire

The evaluation involved the mechanical excavation under continual archaeological supervision of one 10m x 1.60m trial trench targeted on the proposed development footprint and perpendicular to the projected line of the southern cursus ditch. Where necessary, surfaces were hand cleaned for examination and recording, deposits observed were recorded on standard pro-forma recording sheets. Full context descriptions are provided in the trench summary which is presented in Appendix 1 of the report. A digital colour photographic record was maintained, some of which is reproduced in Appendix 2 of the report as plates 1 - 4. All work was carried out according to the agreed Written Scheme of Investigation and in accordance with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) standards and guidance for archaeological evaluations. The project was undertaken by James Roberts and Michael Blake. The trench was excavated to its full length of 10m and extended by 0.7m to the north-west at the north-east end to prove pit 105 was a discrete feature and not linear. The stratigraphy consisted of paving slabs (101) overlying a bedding layer (102). This in turn overlay topsoil (103) which sealed the natural geology (104). A hand dug concrete wall foundation orientated north-west to south-east at a right angle to the property boundary was present at the north-east end of the trench. A sub circular pit 105 up to 1.74m in diameter was identified at the north-east end, beneath the concrete wall footing. It had a sharp break of slope to the top, steep concave sides and a gradual break of slope to a flat base and was up to 0.64m deep. It contained a single fill of mid orangey-brown sandy-clay (106) but no datable finds were recovered from the fill. The evaluation trench revealed one undated pit 105 that contained a single fill (106) and appeared to have been backfilled in a single event. It was interpreted as a small gravel and sand extraction pit. No evidence of the southern cursus ditch was present within the trench indicating it lies to the north-east and beyond the proposed development footprint. The results of this evaluation are presented with a high confidence rating.