LANGHAMS YARD GLOUCESTER STREET, FARINGDON

OXFORDSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

CA PROJECT: 1659 CA REPORT: 03173

Author: Franco Vartuca

Approved:

Signed:

Mary Alexander

…………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 24 NOVEMBER 2003

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

Headquarters Building, Kemble Business Park, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: info@cotswoldarch.org.uk

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CONTENTS

SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 3

1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 4

The site .............................................................................................................. 4

Archaeological background ................................................................................ 4

Archaeological objectives ................................................................................... 5

Methodology....................................................................................................... 5

2. RESULTS ................................................................................................................. 6

The Finds ........................................................................................................... 6

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION .......................................................................... 6

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ................................................................................................ 7

5. REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 7

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS .................................................................... 8

APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS .............................................................................................. 8

APPENDIX 3: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS ....................................................... 9

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan

Fig. 2 Trench location plan, showing archaeological feature (1:500)

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SUMMARY

Site Name: Langhams Yard, Gloucester Street

Location: Faringdon, Oxfordshire

NGR: SU 2870 9561

Type: Evaluation

Date: 18-19 November 2003

Planning Reference: GFA/2559/2

Location of Archive: To be deposited with Oxfordshire County Museums Service

Accession no. OXCMS 2003.168

Site Code: LYF 03

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in November 2003

at the request of CD & RD Investments Ltd at Langhams Yard, Gloucester Street,

Faringdon, Oxfordshire. In compliance with an approved project design, a total of three

trenches were excavated across the development area.

Despite the archaeological potential of the application area, only a single pit containing post-

medieval/modern material was revealed. No other significant features or deposits of

archaeological interest were encountered during the evaluation.

The evaluation has characterised the archaeological potential of the study area, and has

indicated that it is unlikely that archaeological features or deposits predating the post-

medieval/modern period survive within the site. Made-up ground was observed to directly

overlie the natural substrate, which comprised of limestone and sand, revealed at a height of

between 98.84m and 99.20m AOD.

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In November 2003 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological

evaluation for CD & RD Investments Ltd at Langhams Yard, Gloucester Street,

Faringdon, Oxfordshire (centred on NGR: SU 2870 9561; Fig. 1). The evaluation

was undertaken to accompany a planning application (ref: GFA/2559/2), for the

demolition of an existing garage workshop, the construction of five new dwellings

and the conversion of the existing barn into a dwelling.

1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological field

evaluation prepared by Mr Hugh Coddington of the Oxfordshire County

Archaeological Services, the archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority

(LPA), and with a subsequent detailed project specification produced by CA (2003)

and approved by the LPA acting on the advice of Mr Coddington. The fieldwork also

followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluations issued by

the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999). It was monitored by Mr Coddington,

including a site visit on 19 November 2003.

The site

1.3 The proposed development encloses an area of approximately 625m2 and

comprises a commercial repair garage with associated car park, on the north side of

Gloucester Street, located between the commercial premises of numbers 18 and 20

(Fig. 2). The site lies at approximately 99.95m AOD, with ground level very gently

rising to the south-west.

1.4 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as limestone and sand which form

part of the Corallian Beds of the Jurassic period (Geological Survey of Great Britain

1971).

Archaeological background

1.5 Archaeological interest in the site arises from the fact that it is located within an area

of considerable archaeological potential, lying on the edge of the historic core of

Faringdon. The Rocque Map of 1761 shows buildings fronting both sides of

Gloucester Street, suggesting that the proposed development area may lie within a

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region of medieval burgage plots and contain evidence of domestic and light

industrial activity. Late medieval pottery and wells of undetermined origin have also

been uncovered near to the present site.

Archaeological objectives

1.6 The objectives of the evaluation were to establish the character, quality, date,

significance and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within

the site. This information will assist the Local Planning Authority in making an

informed judgement on the likely impact upon the archaeological resource by the

proposed development.

Methodology

1.7 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of three trenches, one measuring 10m by

1.5m and two measuring 5m by 1.5m, in the locations shown on Figure 2. All the

trenches were sighted within the footprints of the proposed houses.

1.8 All trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless

grading bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant

archaeological supervision to the top of the first significant archaeological horizon or

the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Where archaeological

deposits were encountered they were excavated by hand in accordance with the CA

Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

1.9 All deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential, in the event no

samples were taken. All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with the

CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).

1.10 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their

offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the site archive

(including artefacts) will be deposited with Oxfordshire County Museums Service

under accession number OXCMS 2003.168.

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2. RESULTS

2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of

the recorded contexts, finds and details of the relative heights of the principal

deposits and features expressed as metres above Ordnance Datum (m AOD)

appear in Appendices 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

2.2 A broadly similar stratigraphic sequence was identified throughout the site. The

natural geological substrate, comprising limestone and sand, was revealed within all

of the trenches at a depth of between 98.84m and 99.20m below the present ground

level. It was overlain by a dump/levelling deposit consisting of silty clay containing

abundant post-medieval/modern domestic refuse. This in turn was sealed by a

demolition/levelling deposit, consisting of clay silt mixed with frequent modern

building rubble.

2.3 A single, oval shaped rubbish pit 104 was revealed in Trench 1 (Fig. 2). Its fill 103

contained a fair amount of post-medieval/modern domestic refuse. A single modern

drain run was also observed cutting the natural substrate in the base of Trench 3.

2.4 No other features or deposits of archaeological interest were revealed during the

excavation of the trenches and, despite visual scanning of the spoil, no artefactual

material predating the modern period was recovered.

The Finds

2.5 A small quantity of pottery, clay tobacco pipe, ceramic building material and animal

bone dating to the mid seventeenth-early eighteenth century, was recovered from a

dump/levelling deposit 201 in Trench 2. An oval shaped pit 104 was revealed in

Trench 1, its fill 103 containing occasional pottery, clay tobacco pipe, ceramic

building material and animal bone, all dating to the mid seventeenth-early eighteenth

century.

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

3.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area, only a single feature

dating to the post-medieval/modern period was revealed. No other significant

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archaeological features or deposits were encountered within the evaluation

trenches, with post-medieval/modern dump/levelling deposits directly overlying the

natural substrate. It is likely that the area was extensively levelled during

groundworks associated with the construction of the surrounding buildings and the

former building that stood on part of the site, recently demolished.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Franco Vartuca, assisted by Derek Evans. The report was

written by Franco Vartuca. The illustrations were prepared by Peter Moore. The archive has

been compiled by Franco Vartuca, and prepared for deposition by Ed McSloy. The project

was managed for CA by Mary Alexander.

5. REFERENCES

CA 2003 Langhams Yard, Gloucester Street, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Written Scheme of

Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation

Coddington, H. 2003 Langhams Yard, Gloucester Street, Faringdon: Design Brief for

Archaeological Field Evaluation, Oxfordshire County Archaeological Services

Geological Survey (England and Wales) 1971 Sheet 253: Abingdon

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APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 100 Modern demolition/levelling layer: loose, mid grey-brown silty clay containing abundant building rubble

(brick, concrete, limestone, slate, wood, plastic etc), and very occasional domestic refuse (china/porcelain, glass, animal bone etc). Depth 0.23m.

101 Modern dump/levelling deposit: moderately compact, mid to dark grey clay silt containing abundant building rubble (brick, concrete, limestone, slate etc), and occasional domestic refuse (pottery, clay tobacco pipe, animal bone, coal/charcoal etc). Depth 0.21m.

102 Modern dump/levelling deposit: moderately compact, mid grey-brown clay silt containing abundant building rubble (brick, concrete, limestone, slate etc). Depth 0.21m.depth 0.27m.

103 Fill of pit 104: friable, mid grey-brown clay silt containing frequent small and medium sized sub-angular fragments of limestone mixed with occasional post-medieval/modern domestic refuse (pottery, clay tobacco pipes, and animal bone). Depth 0.44m.

104 Cut of pit: oval in plan with steep, slightly concave sides and a flat base. Depth 0.44m, length 1.3m+, width 0.8m+ (only partially exposed in trench).

105 Natural substrate: compact, pale yellow-orange clay sand with occasional small lenses of sub-rounded gravel, and abundant small angular fragments of limestone brash.

Trench 2 200 Same as 100 above. Depth 0.25m. 201 Same as 101 above. Depth 0.45m. 202 Same as 102 above. Depth 0.3m. 205 Same as 105 above. Trench 3 300 Same as 100 above. Depth 0.6m. 301 Same as 105 above.

APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS

INTRODUCTION

Small quantities of pottery, clay tobacco pipe, animal bone and ceramic building material were recovered from the evaluation trenches. The pottery comprises a mixture of glazed red earthenware, German Frechen stoneware and delft ware, all dating to the mid seventeenth early eighteenth century. Mid to late seventeenth century clay tobacco pipe was also present (Oswald Type 5/6 1640-80). Concordance of finds 103 7 sherds of glazed red earthernware (439g) 1 fragment of clay tobacco pipe stem (3g) 1 fragment of ceramic building material (57g) 11 fragments of animal bone (396g)

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201 15 sherds of post-medieval/modern pottery (739g): glazed red earthernware, Frechen stoneware, Delft ware.

2 bowl and stem fragments of clay tobacco pipe (28g) 14 fragments of animal bone (669g) Reference Oswald, A., 1975 Clay Pipes for the Archaeologist. BAR 14

APPENDIX 3: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS

Levels are expressed as metres below current ground level and as metres above Ordnance Datum, calculated using the benchmark located at 18 Gloucester Street (101.85m AOD).

Trench 1 Trench 2 Trench 3 Current ground level 0.00m

(99.90m-99.99m) 0.00m

(99.90m-99.96m) 0.00m

(99.66-99.98m) Limit of excavation 0.72m-0.79m

(99.18m-99.20m) 1.03m-1.12m

(98.87m-98.84m) 0.77m-1.02m

(98.89m-98.96m) Upper figures are depth below modern ground level, lower figures in parentheses are metres AOD.