Former Bicester Library Old Place Yard Bicester Oxfordshire Archaeological Evaluation Report

Oxford Archaeology were appointed by Cherwell District Council to conduct an
archaeological trial trench evaluation and to conduct a watching brief during the
excavation of four test pits within a former library at Bicester Old Place Yard.
The archaeological works were in advance of the proposed demolition of the
former library and the construction of three residential units.
The evaluation recorded a soil horizon in both trenches that probably equates
to a soil horizon, which was cut by a burial, recorded in an archaeological
watching brief conducted in 1995 during the excavation of foundation trenches
for an extension to the library.
A stone surface was recorded overlying the soil surface, possibly representing a
road or courtyard. Tile recovered from the surface dates to the 15th -16th
centuries, probably represented the access track to Bicester Priory.
Horseshoe drains, dated to the 19th C, were recorded in both trenches.
It was not possible to conduct a watching brief during the excavation of the test
pits as asbestos insulation material and an asbestos lagged pipe was discovered
within a conduit during the breaking out of the concrete surface at two test pit
locations, following which all work was stopped. Samples of the asbestos were
taken by BRD Environmental, which confirmed it was amosite (brown asbestos).
The evaluation was conducted over the course of two days on the 18th and 19th
of May 2021.