304 THE WILTSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY MAGAZINE 
Latton 
Latton Lands (SU 085 961); Bronze Age, Iron Age, 
Roman and Medieval 
Gravel extraction by Cotswold Aggregates 
continued to be monitored by Oxford Archaeology 
to the south of the quarry between the old and new 
A419 roads. From excavations and watching briefs 
carried out from 2001 to 2003 significant 
archaeological remains have been revealed (see 
Stansbie and Laws this volume). 
Longbridge Deverill 
Kingsdown Farm (ST 8830 3972); Undated 
An evaluation by means of trench excavation was 
undertaken by AC archaeology during February 
2002. The evaluation consisted of the machine- 
excavation of four trenches, each 20m in length and 
1.60m wide, and all located within or on the edge of 
areas likely to be affected by development. The 
work provided wholly negative results, with no 
features or finds identified. 
Malmesbury 
Saxon House, 39 High Street (ST 9333 8707); 
Medieval and Later 
A building recording survey was undertaken by 
Cotswold Archaeology during renovation of the 
upper two storeys of the main facade. Removal of 
render exposed poorly preserved but clearly historic 
structural timbers, indicating that the building is of 
greater antiquity than its current tripartite windows 
of c. 1900 suggest. Its origins appear to date from c. 
1500 (since confirmed by dendrochronology), when 
two similar timber-framed gabled houses were built, 
with a single window located centrally to each of the 
close-studded, jettied upper floors. Three carved 
quatrefoils surviving on a stud suggest that these 
facades were highly decorated. 
In the 18th century the jetties, windows and 
gables were removed, the frames were set back into a 
common alignment, and the studs were rearranged 
to accommodate pairs of segmental-headed sashes 
throughout, creating a single, typically Georgian, 
facade. Further alterations to the timbers were made 
when the current windows were inserted, and a brick 
parapet was probably also added at this time. This 
parapet was removed as part of the renovation works. 
Malmesbury 
Former Cinema Site, Market Cross (ST 933 874); 
Medieval and Later 
A watching brief and excavation were undertaken 
by Cotswold Archaeology prior to residential 
redevelopment. The site lies immediately adjacent 
to the south transept of the 12th-century 
Benedictine Abbey Church. A graveyard was 
revealed, from which 76 burials were excavated and 
removed for analysis. The graveyard had been 
intensively used, with little space between the 
burials. The inhumations, all aligned east—west, 
were associated with 14th to 15th-century pottery 
and tile fragments, and included evidence both for 
wooden coffins and simpler interments in woollen 
shrouds. The presence of both males and females, 
and adults and children, suggests that this was a 
burial ground for the medieval townspeople rather 
than the religious or lay community. Structural 
remains were also revealed, including mortar and 
flagstone floor surfaces, robbed stone walls and an 
associated buttress. These may relate to a medieval 
chapel, possibly that of St Michael or St Lawrence, 
which was reputedly sited immediately adjacent to 
the south transept of the abbey. 
Mere/ Chicklade 
A303 Chicklade Bottom to Mere Improvement (ST 
9390 3434 to ST 8210 3286); Prehistoric-Medieval 
Wessex Archaeology carried out an archaeological 
appraisal of 11km of land along the line of the 
present A303 between Chicklade Bottom and 
Mere. This stretch of road is proposed for 
improvement, which is likely to include dualling 
and diversion of the road to the south of 
Chicklade. Boundary and enclosure ditches and 
field systems cover up to 60% of the study area, 
which also contains long and round barrows and a 
Roman Road and adjacent ditch. A number of 
post-medieval and modern features, such as listed 
buildings and milestones, are also recorded. Six 
Scheduled Ancient Monuments including 
Neolithic and Bronze Age barrows and medieval 
lynchets are located within the study area, two of 
which are within a few metres of the proposed 
improvements. Eleven Grade II Listed Buildings, 
mostly consisting of milestones and farm/coaching 
buildings, lie adjacent or close to the proposed 
improvements or within Chicklade itself. The 
major impact of both the preferred route and two 
suggested variations will be on the various field 
systems within the study area. Although no 
information is currently available on the likely 
depth of any impact, it is possible that any 
penetration below existing made or disturbed 
ground will damage surviving traces of earlier 
archaeological deposits, which are likely to be of 
significant importance. 
