WV Living, Lakefield Road, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton Archaeological Evaluation Report

Oxford Archaeology (OA) North were commissioned by Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd to undertake an archaeological evaluation at the site of a proposed residential development on the former Wednesfield High School, Lakefield Road, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (NGR SJ 95207 00277). The work was undertaken as a condition of Planning Permission (planning ref. 17/01089/FUL). Although the Local Planning Authority had not set a brief for the work, discussions with Eleanor Ramsey, Archaeology and Historic Environment Officer for the City of Wolverhampton Council, established the scope of work, which included recording of potential ridge and furrow, and the excavation of two 50m archaeological evaluation trenches across two putative crop makes identified on aerial photography. OA North were subsequently commissioned to produce a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI; Appendix D) and undertake the fieldwork. The fieldwork was completed over two days on 13th and 14th May 2019.
Only one potential agricultural ridge was observed, during the ridge and furrow survey, and this was fairly ephemeral. There was no significant archaeology identified in the evaluation trenches, with one of the circular crop-marks potentially being explained by the presence of a modern levelling deposit. Due to the negative results, it has been suggested that no further archaeological works be undertaken.