Oxford North PR6a. Christ Church College Land Phase 1

Oxford Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation on the site of a
proposed development comprising a mix of residential housing, a primary
school, a local centre, green infrastructure, employment, a country park and
strategic infrastructure, in North Oxford, just within the boundary of Cherwell
District Council. The fieldwork was carried out in December 2020 and was
commissioned by EDP on behalf of Savills to inform a future planning
application.
A geophysical survey of the 32.30ha site was carried out prior to the
commencement of the evaluation and detected a small number of geophysical
anomalies of possible archaeological origin. A total of 123 trenches were
excavated across the site, both targeted on geophysical anomalies and to test
blank areas.
Potentially the earliest features uncovered were three discrete features in the
north of the site. These comprised single pits in Trenches 115 and 120, both
containing Iron Age pottery, and a posthole in Trench 119 containing early Iron
Age pottery.
Within the centre of the site a cluster of pennanular geophysical anomalies
also contained Iron Age pottery, fired clay and animal bone and are
interpreted as roundhouses forming a small, potentially unenclosed
settlement focused on Trenches 28, 29, 30, 32 and 33. This activity extended
to the east with a further potential house gully in Trench 19, pits in Trenches
18 and 27 and a linear ditch in Trench 18 all containing Iron Age material.
Two further pennanular geophysical anomalies within the north of the site
broadly corresponded to the location of two round barrows noted from
historic mapping and Lidar imaging. The barrows were present within
Trenches 115 and 119, with their surrounding ditches and parts of the internal
mounds surviving. Within Trench 115 the mound material was recorded as
sealing a pit, containing a cremation burial radiocarbon dated to the late
Bronze Age. Within the centre of the barrow burnt charcoal rich deposits
overlay the mound material and may represent in situ pyre material. A
radiocarbon submission returned an Anglo-Saxon date. A pottery vessel
containing cremated human bone had been inserted into the possible pyre
material. The pot dated from AD 400-750 and exhibited fabric impressions and
staining from an iron object, suggesting grave goods could remain within the
barrow mound. Based on the recorded stratigraphy the barrow in Trench 115
dates between the late Bronze Age and early Anglo-Saxon period