Archaeological Evaluation at Land North of Witney Road, Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire

Five 30m by 1.8m trenches and one 50m by 1.8m trench were excavated across the proposed development site. Hand excavation of any archaeological features was completed were applicable. Several large features identified as Grim's Ditch, were partially excavated with small test pits and recorded in plan The evaluation consisted of six trenches, of which three trenches contained archaeological features which comprised of ditches and a single pit. The wide ditch identified in Trench 48 is likely to represent the presence and continuation of Grim's Ditch. This ditch was interpreted as continuing into the location of either Trench 49 or Trench 50 based on the alignment of ditches recorded in those trenches. The two ditches identified in Trench 50 may be associated with prehistoric activity based on the pottery recovered from deposits. The pottery from one ditch was dated Late Iron Age to early Roman and the pottery from the other ditch was identified as broadly prehistoric. The remaining undated features may indicate later land use in the form of land boundaries and enclosures.