OA Library

Lady Grove, Didcot, Oxfordshire

Cox, Nicholas (2020) Lady Grove, Didcot, Oxfordshire. [Client Report] (Unpublished)

[thumbnail of OAE_Report2454_XOXLAG20_FINAL_LR.pdf]
Preview
PDF
OAE_Report2454_XOXLAG20_FINAL_LR.pdf
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike.

Download (6MB) | Preview

Abstract

Oxford Archaeology undertook a trial trench evaluation at the site of a proposed residential development at Lady Grove, Didcot, Oxfordshire (SU 5409 9123). A total of 58 trenches were excavated across an area of approximately 15ha, currently divided into five fields. Archaeological features were exposed in 29 of these trenches, and were dominated by ditches, which widely distributed but with a particular concentration in the north-western corner of the site. The ditches were mostly aligned north to south/east to west and seem to relate to fairly extensive systems of field boundaries. Discrete features were rare, but included a small number of undated post holes and pits and several natural features. Finds were very scarce, with 14 sherds of pottery (64g), worked flints and 130g of animal bone recovered, largely from the fills of a small number of the ditches. The pottery was dominated by small abraded sherds of Middle or Late Bronze Age date, with one ditch also producing a single sherd of Late Iron Age/Early Roman pottery. On this basis it seems likely that some of the ditches relate to a Middle Bronze Age field system of the kind well known from the local area, which may be overlain by a later, Late Iron Age and/or Early Roman field system - potentially associated with a nearby Roman settlement, on Hadden Hill. Desk-based research suggest that the site was wooded throughout much of the medieval and post-medieval periods, and the only evidence for later activity revealed by the trenching were the remains of furrows associated with the cultivation of the site following its clearance and enclosure in the mid 19th century.

Item Type: Client Report
Uncontrolled Keywords: Oxfordshire, oxfordshire, Didcot, didcot, evaluation, Evaluation, archaeological evaluation, Bronze Age, bronze age, Middle Bronze Age, middle bronze age, Late Bronze Age, late bronze age, Late Iron Age, late Iron Age, Roman, roman, field system, ditch, ditches, field ditch boundary ditch, farming, agriculture, land use, land division, pottery, Pottery, pot, ceramic, sherd, Bronze Age pottery, bronze age pottery, Middle Bronze Age pottery, middle bronze age pottery, Late Bronze Age pottery, late bronze age pottery, Late Iron Age pottery, late Iron Age pottery, furrow, furrows, ridge and furrow, ridge and furrow, Post-Medieval, post-medieval, Post Medieval, post medieval, land clearance, Enclosure Act, enclosure act, Hadden Hill, hadden hill, Hadden Hill Roman settlement, hadden hill roman settlement, animal bone, animal bones, bone, bones, animal remains, flint, flints, worked flint, worked flints, lithic remains 2454, Report 2454, report 2454, OAE report 2454
Subjects: Geographical Areas > English Counties > Oxfordshire
Period > UK Periods > Bronze Age 2500 - 700 BC
Period > UK Periods > Bronze Age 2500 - 700 BC > Late Bronze Age 1000 - 700 BC
Period > UK Periods > Iron Age 800 BC - 43 AD > Late Iron Age 100 BC - 43 AD
Period > UK Periods > Bronze Age 2500 - 700 BC > Middle Bronze Age 1600 - 1,000 BC
Period > UK Periods > Post Medieval 1540 - 1901 AD
Period > UK Periods > Roman 43 - 410 AD
Divisions: Oxford Archaeology East
Depositing User: Hamilton
Date Deposited: 29 Oct 2020 11:10
Last Modified: 29 Oct 2020 11:10
URI: http://eprints.oxfordarchaeology.com/id/eprint/5858

Actions (login required)

View Item
View Item