Land at Harry Stoke (Phase 1, Phase 2 and Community Centre), South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

The fieldwork comprised the excavation of 58 trenches, each measuring 30m in length and 2m in width, in the locations shown on the attached plan. The trenches were located to test geophysical anomalies and to provide a c. 2% sample of the available parts of the Phase 1, Phase 2 and Community Centre area. Trenches 19, 55, 56 and 59 were moved from their original position, as set out in the WSI to avoid services detected during CAT and Genny scanning of the proposed trench locations. A further two trenches (each measuring 30m in length and 2m in width) were excavated outside of the current Phase 1, Phase 2 and Community Centre areas and will be reported on at a later date. In August and September 2020, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation of land at Harry Stoke (Phase 1, Phase 2 and Community Centre), South Gloucestershire. A total of 58 trenches were excavated. Evidence of agricultural practice, comprising the ploughed out remains of probable medieval/post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation, was identified in the southern, central and eastern parts of the site. A number of ditches, seemingly relating to agricultural land management, drainage or division, were also identified. All of these ditches cut the subsoil within the excavated trenches and a number of them correlate closely to field boundaries depicted on historic mapping. A single undated pit of indeterminate function was identified cutting the natural substrate in the central part of the site.