Pen y Bryn, The Hithe Rodborough Common Gloucestershire

Pen y Bryn, The Hithe
Rodborough Common
Gloucestershire
Archaeological Watching Brief
for
Mr P Collins
CA Project: 3877
CA Report: 12296
December 2012
Pen y Bryn, The Hithe
Rodborough Common
Gloucestershire
Archaeological Watching Brief
CA Project: 3877
CA Report: 12296
prepared by
date
checked by
date
approved by
Rebecca Riley, Project Supervisor
13th December 2012
Cliff Bateman, Project Manager
14th December 2012
Simon Cox, Head of Fieldwork
signed
date
14th December 2012
issue
01
This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third
party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely
at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.
© Cotswold Archaeology
Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ
t. 01285 771022
f. 01285 771033
e. enquiries@cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
CONTENTS
SUMMARY........................................................................................................................ 2
1.
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 3
2.
RESULTS (FIG 2) ................................................................................................ 5
3.
DISCUSSION....................................................................................................... 5
4.
CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 6
5.
REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 6
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 8
APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM ............................................................................ 9
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 1
Site location plan (1:25,000)
Fig. 2
The site, showing location of observed groundworks (1:500)
1
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
SUMMARY
Project Name:
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe
Location:
Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire
NGR:
SO 8498 0316
Type:
Watching Brief
Date:
11-12 October 2012
Planning Reference:
SDC; ref: 11/969/HHOLD
Location of Archive:
To be deposited with Museum in The Park
Site Code:
PYB 12
An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during
groundworks associated with a two storey extension to the existing property at Pen-y-Bryn,
The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire.
No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks, and
no artefactual material pre-dating the modern period was recovered.
2
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
In October 2012 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching
brief for Mr P Collins at Pen-y-Bryn (centred on NGR: SO 8498 0316; Fig. 1). The
watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to planning consent for a
two storey extension to the existing property (Planning ref: S11/969/HHOLD). The
objective of the watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed
during the development.
1.2
The watching brief was recommended by Charles Parry, Senior Archaeological
Officer, Gloucestershire County Council (GCC), archaeological advisor to Stroud
District Council, and carried out in accordance with a subsequent detailed Written
Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2012) and approved by the SDC
acting on the advice of Mr Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and
Guidance for an archaeological watching brief (IfA 2008), the Statement of Standards
and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Gloucestershire (GCC
1996), the Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (English Heritage 1991), and
the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE):
Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006).
The site
1.3
The site is 0.25 hectares and is bounded to the east and west by residential
properties and gardens, to the south by a residential road, and to the north by
Rodborough Common (Fig. 2). It lies on a promontory between the Stroud and
Nailsworth valleys at approximately 180m AOD. The underlying geology of the area
is mapped as Salperton Limestone Formation of the Jurassic Era (BGS 2012). The
geology encountered comprised limestone in a yellow silty sand matrix overlying
limestone brash.
Archaeological background
1.4
The development area lies between Rodborough Common to the north and
Minchinhampton Common to the south. Both areas have recently been subject to
surveys conducted by Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service.
Rodborough Common was found to contain 187 sites and monuments dating from
3
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
the Bronze Age to the present (Parry 1993, 233). The survey of Minchinhampton
Common identified approximately 300 sites ranging in date from Neolithic to Second
World War (Russet 1991, 237).
1.5
The development area lies at the southern, visible, limit of an extant earthwork that
is aligned north to south and comprises a bank with a ditch to the east. The extant
earthwork extends for approximately 90m, although until the 1950s it could be traced
for an additional 80m southwards (Parry 1996; see Fig. 2 for location and former
extent). The earthwork, and the area immediately to the east, was archaeologically
investigated between 1936 and 1955; these works have more recently been
reviewed by Parry (1996) and can be summarised as follows.
1.6
A trench was excavated across the northern extent of the earthwork by Clifford
(1937), with sherds of early Roman pottery, as well as abraded fragments of late
Iron Age pottery, being recovered from the bank. This earthwork, and those at The
Bulwarks, Minchinhampton and Amberley Camp, were interpreted as the boundaries
of a Belgic oppidum (Clifford 1937, 300).
The earthwork was subsequently
reinterpreted as the defences of an early Roman military camp by B. and H. O’Neil
(1952, 26-7). This interpretation was based on possible banks visible on the ground
surface and aerial photographic evidence showing a rectilinear cropmark, enclosing
an area of 3.24ha, to the east of the extant earthwork. Evidence of late Iron Age and
early Romano-British activity was identified by Clifford (1964, 145) within a
foundation trench.
1.7
The two ditches identified from aerial photographs by B. and H. O’Neil were
excavated in advance of residential development (Rennie 1959). The earliest ditch
was dated to the 1st century A.D. Although no finds were recovered from the later
ditch a medieval date was suggested for it. Together with the extant earthwork, this
later ditch was considered to comprise a medieval agricultural enclosure located on
an area of earlier occupation, with the Roman finds recovered from the bank in 1937
being residual in character. Using documentary and aerial photograph evidence,
Parry argued that the later ditch is unrelated to the extant earthwork.
He also
suggested that the cropmarks and extant earthwork enclose an area of 9.80ha and
functioned as the boundary of medieval agricultural enclosure (Parry 1996, 155).
4
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
Methodology
1.8
The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2012). An
archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising the excavation
of the foundation trench for the extension to the existing dwelling (Fig. 2).
1.9
Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic
records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork
Recording Manual (2007).
1.10
The archive from the evaluation is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble.
Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the site archive will be deposited
with Museum in the Park, Stroud. A summary of information from this project, set out
within Appendix B, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological
projects in Britain.
2.
RESULTS (FIG 2)
2.1
Natural limestone brash 105 was revealed at an average depth of 0.9m below
present ground level and was sealed by loose limestone in a yellow silty-sand
matrix, 104. This was overlain by 0.26m of subsoil, 103, which was in turn sealed by
0.12m of buried topsoil, 102. This was covered by 0.2m of modern levelling deposit
101 for the existing gravel surface, 100.
2.2
No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during
groundworks and, despite visual scanning of spoil, no artefactual material pre-dating
the modern period was recovered.
3.
DISCUSSION
3.1
Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological
background above), the watching brief identified no archaeological remains within
the area of observed groundworks. This absence of archaeological deposits
suggests that features and deposits associated with the earthwork and adjacent
ditches do not extend as far west as the current development, or that they may have
5
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
been truncated during previous groundworks associated with the construction of the
existing dwelling.
4.
CA PROJECT TEAM
Fieldwork was undertaken by Rebecca Riley. The report was written by Rebecca
Riley and the illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been
compiled by Rebecca Riley, and prepared for deposition by James Johnson. The
project was managed for CA by Cliff Bateman.
5.
REFERENCES
BGS (British Geological Survey) 2012
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2012 Pen-Y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common,
Gloucestershire: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching
Brief
Clifford, E. 1937 The earthworks at Rodborough, Amberley and Minchinhampton,
Gloucestershire, Trans. Bristol Glos. Archaeol. Soc, 59, 287-307
Clifford, E. 1964 Early Iron Age pottery from Rodborough Common and Duntisbourne
Abbots, Trans. Bristol Glos. Archaeol. Soc, 83, 145-6
O’Neil, B. and O’Neil, H. 1952 The Roman Conquest of the Cotswolds, Archaeol. J., 109, 2338
Parry, C. 1993 Rodborough Common Survey, Trans. Bristol Glos. Archaeol. Soc, 111, 233
Parry, C. 1996 An Earthwork on Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: A Review of the
Evidence, Trans. Bristol Glos. Archaeol. Soc, 114, 143-57
Rennie, D. 1959 The excavation of an earthwork on Rodborough Common in 1954-5, Trans.
Bristol Glos. Archaeol. Soc, 78, 24-43
6
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
Russett, V. 1991 Minchinhampton Common Survey, Trans. Bristol Glos. Archaeol. Soc, 109,
237
7
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS
Trench 1
No.
Type
Description
100
101
Layer
Layer
102
103
Layer
Layer
104
Natural
Substrate
Natural
Substrate
Modern gravel
Levelling layer for gravel; limestone in a reddish
brown silty clay matrix
Buried topsoil; dark grey silty clay
Subsoil; limestone in a mid reddish brown silty clay
matrix
Loose limestone in a light yellow silty sand matrix
105
Limestone brash
Length
(m)
Width
(m)
Depth
(m)
0.12
0.20
Spotdate
Modern
Modern
0.12
0.26
Modern
0.20
-
8
© Cotswold Archaeology
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM
PROJECT DETAILS
Project Name
Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough, Gloucestershire
Short description
An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold
Archaeology during groundworks associated with a two storey
extension to the existing property at Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe,
Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire.
No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed
during groundworks, and no artefactual material pre-dating the
modern period was recovered.
Project dates
Project type
11-12 October 2012
Archaeological Watching Brief
Previous work
None
Future work
Unknown
PROJECT LOCATION
Site Location
Study area (M2/ha)
Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference)
PROJECT CREATORS
Name of organisation
Project Brief originator
Project Design (WSI) originator
Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire
SO 8498 0316
Cotswold Archaeology
N/A
Cotswold Archaeology
Project Manager
Project Supervisor
MONUMENT TYPE
SIGNIFICANT FINDS
PROJECT ARCHIVES
Cliff Bateman
Rebecca Riley
Physical
Paper
N/A
Museum in the Park
Digital
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Museum in the Park
None
None
Intended final location
(museum/Accession no.)
of
archive
Content (e.g. pottery,
animal bone etc)
N/A
Trench Recording Form,
Digital
Photographic
Register, Site drawings
Digital photos
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2012 Pen-y-Bryn, The Hithe, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire: Archaeological
Evaluation. CA typescript report 12296
9
site
N
Cirencester 01285 771022
Cotswold
Archaeology
Milton Keynes 01908 218320
Andover 01264 326549
w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
e enquiries@cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
PROJECT TITLE
Pen y Bryn, The Hithe
Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
FIGURE TITLE
Site location plan
0
1km
Reproduced from the 2006 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with
the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller
of Her Majesty's Stationery Office c Crown copyright
Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109
PROJECT NO. 3877
LG
DRAWN BY
APPROVED BY PJM
DATE
06-11-2012
00
REVISION
SCALE@A4 1:25,000
FIGURE NO.
1
849
032
Anglezarke
Hellens
Pen y Bryn
Andreay
E
TH
E
HI
TH
Ash Mead
SO
N
Cirencester 01285 771022
Spindrift
031
Cotswold
Archaeology
Milton Keynes 01908 218320
Andover 01264 326549
w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
e enquiries@cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
site
PROJECT TITLE
Pen y Bryn, The Hithe
Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire
area of observed groundworks
extant earthwork
FIGURE TITLE
former extent of earthwork
Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital mapping with the permission
of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office
c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109
0
The site, showing location of
observed groundworks
25m
PROJECT NO. 3877
LG
DRAWN BY
APPROVED BY PJM
DATE
13-12-2012
REVISION
00
SCALE@A4 1:500
FIGURE NO.
2