Cotswold Canal Missing Mile, Stroud, Gloucestershire

Oxford Archaeology (OA) were commissioned by Stroud District Council to
conduct an archaeological trial trench evaluation of two parcels of land at the
site of the Missing Mile of the Cotswold Canal, Gloucestershire. The evaluation
was carried in two phases. The first phase, comprising 22 trenches, was carried
out in September‐October 2019 in the northern parcel of land. The second
phase was carried out in March 2020 in the southern parcel of land and
comprised 17 trenches. All the trenches were placed to target the results of a
geophysical survey, and to provide an even coverage of the areas.
The evaluation conducted on the northern parcel of land found evidence for
mid‐late Roman settlement, concentrated on a gravel spur which formed an
area of high ground in the north‐eastern part of the site. The evidence took
the form of ditches, pits, and the possible remnants of a wall. A post‐medieval
ditch was found within lower lying land in northern part of the site. Evidence
for ridge and furrow cultivation was found across the eastern part of the site.
The evaluation conducted on the southern parcel of land did not record any
significant archaeological features, although drainage ditches of recent date
were recorded.