Archaeological Evaluation at Folletts Farm, Bridgwater, Somerset

During early autumn 2025, an archaeological evaluation was undertaken on land at Folletts Farm, Bridgwater, Somerset (NGR ST 31860 36350). The project was commissioned by Matthew Smith of TCMS Heritage (the Consultant) on behalf of Barrett Bristol and Bromford (the Client), in advance of a proposed residential development (planning ref: 09/21/00017). Previous geophysical and geotechnical borehole surveys, including deposit modelling on the Site, had identified limited archaeological potential with evidence of deep alluvial deposits, including possible prehistoric peat deposits, with post-medieval and modern agricultural activity also evident. Accordingly, the archaeological advisor to Somerset Council considered that the proposed development had the potential to impact upon possible heritage assets and requested a phase of archaeological evaluation trenching, supplemented by a borehole survey, to determine the degree of preservation, significance and date of any finds, features or deposits of archaeological significance which may remain preserved on the Site. Outline Planning permission for the development was therefore granted subject to a programme of archaeological works comprising the excavation of 64no. 30m trenches and the extraction of 2no. geoarchaeological cores. Features were revealed in Trenches 1, 4, 5, 12, 15, 16, 25, 30, 32, 34, 37, 40, 47, 51, 55, 56, 60 and 61 which broadly corresponded with the results of the geophysical survey. The majority of the features identified were attributed to water-meadow field systems and post-medieval boundary ditches, which matched the location of ditches on historic mapping data, and modern infrastructure construction. The exception to the above comprised a ditch in Trench 60 and a pit in Trench 61. The ditch in Trench 60 did not correspond with the location of any field boundary present within the historic mapping data, was parallel to an existing field boundary and also contained fragments of medieval pottery. Accordingly, the ditch was interpreted as a relict medieval field boundary which was likely subsumed into a larger field system following the introduction of Enclosure Acts between the 18th and 19th century. Pit 6106 in Trench 61 was interpreted as a probable waste pit containing fragments of 12-14th century coarse-ware pottery. Pit 6106 was found in isolation but does point towards small-scale, localised medieval occupation with the vicinity. Overarchingly, the majority of the features recorded on the Site are evidence of medieval and postmedieval land management indicating that the Site likely formed part of the agricultural hinterland of Bridgwater from the medieval and post-medieval period onwards. No earlier archaeological finds, features or deposits were recorded during the evaluation trenching project. With regards the environmental borehole analysis, following the drilling of two purposive geoarchaeological boreholes (BH1/BH2), the cores confirmed a broadly tripartite sequence of silty clays overlain by peats, which in turn were overlain by silty clays. No cultural archaeological remains were recorded within the borehole sequences. The organic-rich units, and their surrounding sediments, had the potential to preserve proxy remains capable of allowing the reconstruction of landscape evolution and past natural processes, thereby providing a context for human activity within this part of the Somerset Levels. Both cores contained material suitable for further palaeoenvironmental analysis and absolute dating. Therefore, the organic-rich peat and minerogenic sediments within Borehole 2 were subsampled to extract biological remains (pollen, diatoms, plant macrofossils or insects) and dateable material. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the peat-rich central part of the borehole sequence was deposited during the Neolithic.