An Archaeological Evaluation on land at Alma Farm, Toddington, Befordshire

Trial trench evaluation The investigation comprised the excavation of 34 trial trenches located in positions agreed with the CBA prior to the commencement of the fieldwork phase of works, in order to target potential below ground archaeological remains identified during a preceding geophysical survey which identified a probable settlement comprising of two enclosures. Additional trenches were located in order to allow for appropriate sampling of those areas suggested by the geophysical survey as being 'blank' within the Site. At the time of the evaluation the Site was under pasture and comprised two fields (North and South) divided by an established tree/hedge line running broadly northeast - southwest. Of the 34 trenches excavated a total of 9 were found to contain archaeological remains. The recorded evidence indicates that with the exception of two post-medieval ditches recorded in the southern corner of the Site adjacent to Leighton Road, the remains were of predominantly early 1st century AD date suggesting the presence of a relatively short-lived rural Romano-British settlement. Linears 14003 within T14, 22006 and pit 22008 in T22, 14003 in T14, 36007 in T36, 12004 in T12, 10003 in T10, 11003 and 11007 in T11 matched the geophysics results (as seen in overlay Figs 2-5) suggesting enclosure settlement, and are thus interpreted as enclosure ditches. A small pottery assemblage was collected during the course of the investigation all of which was collected from ditches, the form of the assemblage is suggestive of a rural agricultural settlement which although modest was of a higher status than would be considered usual for such a settlement in this period. Heavily degraded, non-diagnostic bone was found in a layer of white chalk (14003) at the base of linear 14010 in T14. north-south aligned, it was recorded partially projecting from the southeast facing section. However, the acidity of the soils is high across the Site. Despite suggestion of a potential burial at this location, no convincing evidence has been obtained, and the most likely interpretation is a boundary ditch, with dumped material at its base relating to occupation. From the recorded evidence the area of archaeological activity is relatively tightly contained adjacent to the southern boundary of the Site with only a single ditch/gulley extending from the area of the enclosure further north-east into Trench 15.