| Popis: |
The evaluation comprised 14 trenches and revealed natural Shepperton Gravels between 13.34m and 14.25m aOD; the gravels were overlain by subsoil where present which has overlain by modern made ground deposits. A probable Roman boundary or succesive boundaries formed by ditches and a fence line was recorded running across the site from south-west to north-east. The environmental samples from these ditches contained metalworking waste suggesting that industrial activity was taking place close to the site. No direct industrial or settlement activity was recorded on site however. Further ditches on a similar north-east to south-westerly alignment were also recorded; one of these ditches contained Neolithic pottery, while its fills were very different to others on site, appearing to have built up in a damp environment. It is unclear whether this feature was actually prehistoric in date or part of the Roman activity and containing residual material. Isolated late post-medieval and modern truncation was recorded across the site. 19th and early 20th century quarrying was observed in the southern and eastern parts of the site while modern truncation from successive developments was observed in the north and central areas. Further work is anticipated, in the form of further trial trenching in the south of the site and targeting the Roman ditches. The second phase of evaluation comprised a further five trenches which were targeted on the ditch alignments seen previously. They confirmed the presence of at least three ditches running across the site. Further Roman material was retrieved from two of these features. |
