Interim Report: Trenches 1 - 8 an Archaeological Evaluation at Former Agricultural Field Adjacent to Cottage Road and Faringdon Road, Stanford in the Vale

A total of 29 trenches were excavated in two phases. The trenches measured 30m long x 1.85m wide, with depths of between 0.2m and 1.2m. The stripping was undertaken using a 14t 360� mechanical excavator with a toothless ditching bucket under direct archaeological supervision. All spoil from these works was scanned visually and with a metal detector. Trench 6 was repositioned 8.5m eastwards to avoid obstructing the public footpath which runs around the perimeter of the field; despite the slight relocation, Trench 6 continued to target the linear geophysical anomalies that it was originally positioned to investigate. Trench 28 was targeted over geophysical anomalies, however the repositioning precluded the evaluation of one of the targeted features. The depths of trenches 14, 17, 18, 20, 21 and 22 required the full or partial recording of archaeological features in plan. Subsequent to communication with the County Archaeologist trenches 14 and 21 were reduced along one side of the trench edge to enable the safe hand digging of targeted features. In addition, one feature in trench 18 was machine excavated. Due to adverse weather conditions, trench 26 became flooded, preventing the recording of one possible feature within this trench. All trenches were recorded according to standard John Moore Heritage Services techniques, involving the completion of a written record for each deposit encountered, with scale plans and section drawings compiled where appropriate. A photographic record was also produced. Surveying was undertaken with sub-cm RTK GNNS survey equipment. Across both stages of evaluation the low lying area of the site (trenches 1, 5, 19, 23, 24, and 26) was observed to have a clay natural and subsoil indicating waterlogging over time, with very few archaeological features (one possible posthole) compared to trenches on the slopes and higher ground to the north and south within the site. This low lying area also experienced flooding during the course of the evaluation. The northern area of higher ground across both phases of evaluation on the site consisted of 16 trenches (trenches 4, 6, 8-18, 20-22) containing 13 pits, four possible pits or linears, 16 ditches, two postholes and three amorphous/natural features present. Across both phases of evaluation the southern area of the site (trenches 2, 3, 25, 27, 28-29) which is on higher ground had less archaeology present than the northern area of higher ground. Two linears, one posthole and two natural/amorphous features were present across six trenches in this area. The sparsity of archaeology in this southern area of higher ground compared to the northern area of higher ground could be due to its smaller extent within the site resulting in less trenches opened. Across the site it is therefore apparent that activity was focused on areas of higher ground, with the northern area of higher ground within the site presenting the most prevalent area of archaeology. The presence of sparsely distributed ditches, pits and postholes across the site area indicate a low density of archaeological activity. It is possible that the ditches functioned as drainage and /or field boundaries due to the largely sterile nature of the deposits within these ditches. The orientations of the ditches, although only visible in small areas within the trenches, do indicate two groupings of 90 degree orientations: a southwest to northeast and northwest to southeast orientation; and a north to south and east to west orientation. These ditch orientations may have been positioned to respect/avoid the low lying area within the centre of site, which is oriented southwest to northeast. The absence of finds and sterility of the fills within these ditches precludes further interpretation of function, except to indicate a possible distance from domestic settlement activity within the area.