Land east of Hardwick Bank Road, Northway, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

In June and July 2025, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation of land east of Hardwick Bank Road, Northway, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. A total of 38 trenches were excavated. The evaluation identified a concentration of archaeological features, comprising ditches, pits and postholes, in the central parts of the site. Trenches excavated in the northern and southern parts of the site were largely devoid of archaeological features. As series of ditches, some of which contained pottery of a broad Late Prehistoric date, were identified in three trenches excavated in the western-central part of the site and these ditches appear to confirm the presence of an enclosure of 'banjo' form, identified by the preceding geophysical survey. Two sherds of pottery of a broad Roman date were also recovered from one of the ditches forming the eastern arm of this enclosure, suggesting that it may have continued in use into the Roman period. Pottery of a broad Late Prehistoric date was recovered from two ditches identified in two trenches excavated to the east of the identified 'banjo' enclosure. Whether these ditches are associated with the identified enclosure itself remains unclear, however it remains possible that they form small ancillary enclosures/field systems. A small number of pits identified in two trenches excavated in the central part of the site, contained pottery of a Late Prehistoric date, with the more diagnostic sherds recovered being suggestive of a Middle Iron Age date. A number of these pits were sealed by a possible alluvial deposit which remained undated. Whilst the exact function of these pits remains unclear, metal working debris, including hammerscale and iron slag, was recovered from two of the pits identified. Two large pits, possibly representing water-holes for the watering of livestock, were identified in a trench excavated in the central part of the site. Pottery of a broad Late Prehistoric date was recovered from the fills of both of these features. Two ditches, one of which contained a small quantity of pottery of broad Late Prehistoric date, were identified in a trench excavated in the central-southern part of the site. However, the function of these ditches currently remains unclear. Two sherds of pottery of a broad Roman date were recovered from the fill of a ditch, potentially associated with land management, drainage or division, identified in a trench excavated in the central-western part of the site. In June and July 2025, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation of land east of Hardwick Bank Road, Northway, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. A total of 38 trenches were excavated. The evaluation identified a concentration of archaeological features, comprising ditches, pits and postholes, in the central parts of the site. Trenches excavated in the northern and southern parts of the site were largely devoid of archaeological features. As series of ditches, some of which contained pottery of a broad Late Prehistoric date, were identified in three trenches excavated in the western-central part of the site and these ditches appear to confirm the presence of an enclosure of 'banjo' form, identified by the preceding geophysical survey. Two sherds of pottery of a broad Roman date were also recovered from one of the ditches forming the eastern arm of this enclosure, suggesting that it may have continued in use into the Roman period. Pottery of a broad Late Prehistoric date was recovered from two ditches identified in two trenches excavated to the east of the identified 'banjo' enclosure. Whether these ditches are associated with the identified enclosure itself remains unclear, however it remains possible that they form small ancillary enclosures/field systems.