The two recording areas were excavated to either the first archaeological horizon or the natural substrate, whichever was reached first, using a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless bucket and under the constant supervision of a suitably trained, competent and experienced archaeologist./A CAT scanner was used to ensure no unidentified buried services were present. Following the initial mechanical stripping of the Site, the archaeological sub-contractor undertook limited sample excavation to broadly characterise the archaeology exposed and produced two updated excavation strategy documents which provided an overview of the identified archaeology, and the proposed excavation methodology and strategy to be employed. A sufficient sample of each feature was excavated to meet the requirements of the GWSI: HERDS./ Once recording of the features was completed the areas were backfilled in reverse order (subsoil first then topsoil) and the ground made good./ Features were recorded across the excavation areas and comprised ditches, gullies, pits and a small number of post holes. No features have been identified as pre-dating the medieval period. The Roman dating evidence appears to be residual in later features. The medieval evidence relates to rural activity in the form of field boundaries and drainage ditches and activities. Approximately half of the features were undated, but most can be spatially and stratigraphically associated with the medieval evidence. Post-medieval evidence was limited to a small number of ditches and a stony surface deposit. There appears to be a loose association between many of the pits and the drainage/boundary features in both areas, particularly in C23035. Only a few post holes were recorded, and no definable structures were identified. The results include all of the feature descriptions and finds recovered. Some of the more noteworthy environmental samples are included but the environmental assemblages were very sparse and of little significance to the Site overall.
Crees et al. (Sat,) studied this question.