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To assess the archaeological potential of the site at The Vicarage through field excavation of two trenches.

May 22, 2026Open Access

Evaluation at The Vicarage, High Street, Great Barford, Bedford, Bedfordshire

Key Points

To assess the archaeological potential of the site at The Vicarage through field excavation of two trenches.
Excavation of two trenches: one measuring 10 x 1.80m and another measuring 5 x 1.80m.
Trenches placed within the proposed areas for an extension and a carport.
Observed for archaeological features or finds in the context of known heritage assets nearby.
No archaeological features or finds were discovered in either trench.
The presence of detritus indicates some subsoil disturbance, likely due to root activity.
Findings suggest the site may lie outside the main area of Bronze Age activity.

Abstract

An archaeological field excavation of a two trenches, one trench, measuring 10 x 1.80m, to be within the footprint of the proposed extension and the second, measuring 5 x 1.80m to be within the footprint of the proposed carport. The Vicarage is located within an area of archaeological interest with human activity dating from the Bronze age. It is located between a Bronze Age barrow cemetery (HER 600) to the west and cut features of the same period to the east (HER 613) with possible Iron age settlement to the south (MBB22019, HER MBB22021). The presence of detritus within the subsoil shows there has been some disturbance over time, which has clearly been caused by root activity. Otherwise, the geology has remained undisturbed. Despite the proximity to known heritage assets, no archaeological features or finds were revealed within either of the trenches. This suggests that the site lies outside the main area of activity or that there are widely dispersed remains elsewhere on the site Due to the lack of archaeological features, regional research questions cannot be furthered on this occasion.

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