EXCAVATION AND FIELDWORK IN WILTSHIRE 2000 



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archaeological features centred on SU 1 185 6805, 

 including an undated animal burial pit cut through 

 an earlier extensively burnt deposit, within which 

 lay two possible burnt post-holes. To the east of 

 these features, a large pit or ditch lay adjacent to 

 the well-defined hollow-way of the Ridgeway. These 

 features may relate to activity associated with either 

 the Sanctuary or the nearby barrow cemetery, but 

 cannot be dated on the basis of the evidence 

 obtained. All of these remains are well-preserved at 

 a relatively shallow depth below the road and 

 pavement metalling, and beneath the adjacent 

 grassed verges. 



Corsham 



Pockeredge Farm and Peel Circus (ST 8610 6985); 

 Iron Age and Romano-British 

 Wessex Archaeology carried out an archaeological 

 evaluation in connection with proposed residential 

 development of land immediately to the south-west 

 of Corsham. Desk-based assessment had 

 established that the site contains a small number 

 of known archaeological sites, including a Roman 

 limestone coffin burial and a nearby midden pit. 

 Documentary and place-name evidence indicate the 

 existence of a short-lived medieval deer park which 

 may have covered all, or part of, the site. A site visit 

 recorded a number of earthwork field boundaries. 

 Cartographic evidence showed that 19th century 

 quarries occur within the site. 



An Iron Age post-hole was found in the north- 

 eastern part of the site. The presence of charred 

 grain and a fragment of a saddle quern in its fill 

 indicate arable cultivation and crop processing in 

 the vicinity. Nine Romano-British features were 

 found in the western central part of the site. 

 Although there were no definite structural features, 

 abundant evidence was collected for settlement/ 

 domestic activity. Nearly a kilo of pottery, a 

 spindlewhorl, glass and cattle and sheep/goat bones 

 were recovered from the excavated segments of the 

 nine ditches, gullies and/or pits. In addition, 

 evidence for crop processing was recovered from 

 samples of these features. However, the evaluation 

 demonstrated that there has been some degree of 

 modern disturbance to these deposits from former 

 wartime MOD structures. No evidence was found 

 for the stone coffin uncovered and recorded during 

 wartime construction, despite the location of one 

 of the evaluation trenches over its given position. 



A further six undated ditches were recorded 



within the central and eastern part of the site. No 

 medieval or post-medieval remains were found 

 within the site. In particular, no evidence was found 

 to support, or refute, the possible use of all or part 

 of the site as a deer park. 



Cricklade 



Land off North Wall (SU 1005 9390); Roman and 

 Saxon 



A watching brief was undertaken by the Oxford 

 Archaeological Unit (OAU) during the 

 construction of a new vicarage. The site lay 

 partially within the scheduled monument of 

 Cricklade Town Banks (SAM: 323), including the 

 North Wall which formed part of the Saxon burgh 

 defences. Cricklade is thought to be one of the 

 fortified towns established by King Alfred in the 

 9th century. There is also evidence for Roman 

 activity in the area. 



To the east of the site, limestone wall-footings 

 of a substantial structure were observed. The dating 

 of this feature is problematic, but is likely to be 

 Roman. This structure was under a gully and sub- 

 circular cut, both containing Roman pottery. The 

 sub-circular cut was partially truncated and could 

 represent either a cremation or a pit. At the extreme 

 west of the site, a deposit was identified, which, 

 given its proximity to the scheduled earthworks, is 

 possibly of ditch fill associated with the Saxon 

 burgh. 



Proposed Biomass Power Project (SU 115 925); 

 Romano-British and early-mid Saxon 

 Wessex Archaeology carried out an archaeological 

 evaluation on land adjacent to the Kingshill 

 Recycling Centre near Cricklade. The proposed 

 development comprises the construction of a 

 small-scale power plant, fuelled by renewable wood 

 sources. Desk-based assessment had established 

 the presence of seven archaeological sites and find 

 spots near the evaluation area although none is 

 recorded for the site itself. The most significant of 

 these is a Roman villa (SM 31664) and Roman 

 road to the east of the site (the present course of 

 the A419). Recorded find-spots included an Iron 

 Age coin, Roman, Saxon and Medieval pottery, 

 and undated linear and rectilinear cropmarks.The 

 presence of these suggested there was a high 

 probability that the site contains archaeological 

 remains. 



Nine machine-excavated trenches covering 



