A total of 66 trenches were excavated across seven fields of the development site between June and July 2016, in accordance with a trench plan prepared by MOLA. The trenches measured 50m long by 1.80m wide, and were positioned to test anomalies revealed by the geophysical survey, as well as to provide a general coverage of the proposed development area. As agreed with the Planning Archaeologist for WCC, two trenches, 17 and 18, were not excavated due to problems with accessing land to the north. Instead, two additional trenches were positioned to infill gaps in the main development area; these were numbered 68 and 65, and two additional trenches, 66 and 67, were also excavated in the north-east of the site. It was also agreed with the PA WCC that after the identification of a pit feature, Trench 16 was widened to 5.4m to determine if there were any other additional features in the area. All trench locations were recorded using Leica Viva Global Positioning System (GPS) survey equipment using SMARTNET real-time corrections, operating to a 3D tolerance of � 0.05m. A 14 ton 360 mechanical excavator fitted with a 1.80m wide toothless ditching bucket was used, under archaeological direction, to remove the overburden of topsoil and subsoil to archaeological levels or the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Soils were stacked separately at the side of the trench, according to type. The trenches were cleaned sufficiently to enable the identification and definition of archaeological features, and archaeological deposits were examined by hand excavation to determine their nature. All archaeological deposits and artefacts encountered during the course of evaluation were fully recorded. Recording followed standard MOLA Northampton procedures. The trenches identified a single pit in the south-west of the site. Pottery recovered from the pit was dated from the late Iron Age to early Roman period. Medieval ridge and furrow remains were also identified. All other features were shown to be geological. The limited archaeological remains recovered from the site were not able to address any regional or national research objectives. The evaluation provides insight into the past occupation of the area of Nuneaton by demonstrating that little observable activity took place to the east of Higham Lane prior to its use as agricultural land during the medieval era. Despite the proximity of Roman Watling Street, only a single discrete feature can be used to identify activity of this period.
Finn et al. (Fri,) studied this question.