A 0.7ha area of the original 33ha proposed development area was subject to archaeological evaluation through trial trench excavation. A total of seven trenches were investigated, each measuring 30m long by 1.8m wide. The trenches were positioned in the area formally occupied by Whitehouse Farm, which was demolished in the late 1970s or early 1980s, and was unavailable for trenching during the first phase of works. The trench numbering followed on from the previous phase of works and the present trenches were labelled as Trenches 68 to 74. Trenches were located using a Leica Survey Grade RTK GPS operating to an accuracy of +/-0.05m to Ordnance Survey National Grid and Datum. Trenches were machine-excavated using a toothless ditching bucket 1.8m wide under continuous archaeological supervision and were excavated to the first archaeological horizon or, where these were absent, the upper interface of geological deposits. Topsoil and subsoil were stored separately on either side of the trench, at least 1m from the trench edges. Excavation did not proceed beyond safe working depths. The trenches were cleaned sufficiently by hand to enhance the definition of features. All archaeological deposits and artefacts encountered during the course of excavation were fully recorded. Recording followed standard MOLA procedures Seven trenches were excavated in the proposed area of residential development. None of the trenches excavated revealed any archaeological remains, only modern disturbance from the demolition of Whitehouse Farm in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
C Jones (Tue,) studied this question.