Burnehyll Community Woodland, Bicester Phases 1&2

Phase 1
In August 2020, Oxford Archaeology were commissioned by Cherwell District
Council to undertake an archaeological evaluation at the site of a proposed
community woodland project. A programme of 15 trenches was undertaken
across the site to ground-truth a previous geophysical survey and to assess the
archaeological potential of site. The trenches were targeted on two
geophysical features, but were otherwise arranged in a standard grid
representing a 2% sample of the proposed area.
The evaluation confirmed the presence of archaeological remains in the area
identified on the geophysical survey. The remains of a late Bronze Age/Iron
Age ditch and a second, undated ditch was identified within Trench 12. Small
sherds of Roman and Iron Age pottery were also recovered from the topsoil in
the adjacent Trench 15, suggestive of nearby activity. Other features identified
in the geophysical survey were found to be of natural geological or modern
agricultural origin. No other archaeological features or finds were recovered
during the evaluation. A potential Roman trackway identified in the
geophysical survey within the surrounding fields was found not to extend
across the site as its trajectory would suggest.
The trenching confirmed that the geophysical survey provides a good
indication of the archaeological features present on the site. Based on the
results of the evaluation, the site forms part of the agricultural hinterland of
Roman Alchester, with only limited prehistoric activity identified in the southeast
corner of the site.
Phase 2
Oxford Archaeology carried out a second phase of archaeological trial-trench
evaluation at the site of a proposed community woodland project near
Bicester, Oxfordshire, between March and April 2022. Cherwell District
Council commissioned the fieldwork in order to inform their woodland design
to help protect archaeological remains.
The site is in an area of considerable archaeological interest, situated
immediately north of the Roman town of Alchester, close to the crossroads of
two Roman roads. A preceding geophysical survey of the site undertaken in
2019 detected a number of anomalies of probable and possible archaeological
origin, across seven areas. These included linear anomalies suggestive of a
trackway and associated rectilinear field system across Areas 1 and 2 and a
series of linear and curvilinear anomalies suggestive of a large sub-circular
enclosure and rectilinear enclosure/field system in Area 6. An initial phase of
evaluation of Area 5 carried out by Oxford Archaeology in 2020 revealed the
remains of a late Bronze Age/Iron Age ditch and a second undated ditch, which
corresponded with features identified in the geophysical survey.
A total of 50 trenches were undertaken across Areas 1, 2, 6 and 7 as part of
the Phase 2 evaluation, the majority of which were targeted on selected
geophysical anomalies. Of these, 16 trenches were found to contain
archaeological features, predominately comprising ditches together with a
small number of pits, a posthole and plough furrows. A good correlation
between the results of the geophysical survey and the archaeological
evaluation was demonstrated.
A probable earlier prehistoric worked flint and a sherd of earlier Iron Age
pottery, both residual in later features, provide very limited evidence of
activity in the wider landscape predating the late Iron Age.
The most notable remains encountered on site comprise a series of ditches
dating to the late Iron Age/early Roman period concentrated in Areas 1 and 2.
The ditches demarcated a trackway and were most likely used for drainage
purposes. The trackway may have formed part of a local network associated
with Akeman Street and the nearby town and extramural settlement of
Alchester. A small number of adjacent ditches and pits provide evidence of
low-level activity in the agricultural hinterland of the town. Several ditches in
Area 6 may constitute the remains of a possible multi-phase Roman rectilinear
field/enclosure system and large sub-circular enclosure adjacent to Akeman
Street.
A single pit containing early Saxon pottery demonstrates low-level activity on
site following the end of the Roman period and prior to agricultural land use
during the medieval to post-medieval periods.Oxford Archaeology carried out a second phase of archaeological trial-trench
evaluation at the site of a proposed community woodland project near
Bicester, Oxfordshire, between March and April 2022. Cherwell District
Council commissioned the fieldwork in order to inform their woodland design
to help protect archaeological remains.
The site is in an area of considerable archaeological interest, situated
immediately north of the Roman town of Alchester, close to the crossroads of
two Roman roads. A preceding geophysical survey of the site undertaken in
2019 detected a number of anomalies of probable and possible archaeological
origin, across seven areas. These included linear anomalies suggestive of a
trackway and associated rectilinear field system across Areas 1 and 2 and a
series of linear and curvilinear anomalies suggestive of a large sub-circular
enclosure and rectilinear enclosure/field system in Area 6. An initial phase of
evaluation of Area 5 carried out by Oxford Archaeology in 2020 revealed the
remains of a late Bronze Age/Iron Age ditch and a second undated ditch, which
corresponded with features identified in the geophysical survey.
A total of 50 trenches were undertaken across Areas 1, 2, 6 and 7 as part of
the Phase 2 evaluation, the majority of which were targeted on selected
geophysical anomalies. Of these, 16 trenches were found to contain
archaeological features, predominately comprising ditches together with a
small number of pits, a posthole and plough furrows. A good correlation
between the results of the geophysical survey and the archaeological
evaluation was demonstrated.
A probable earlier prehistoric worked flint and a sherd of earlier Iron Age
pottery, both residual in later features, provide very limited evidence of
activity in the wider landscape predating the late Iron Age.
The most notable remains encountered on site comprise a series of ditches
dating to the late Iron Age/early Roman period concentrated in Areas 1 and 2.
The ditches demarcated a trackway and were most likely used for drainage
purposes. The trackway may have formed part of a local network associated
with Akeman Street and the nearby town and extramural settlement of
Alchester. A small number of adjacent ditches and pits provide evidence of
low-level activity in the agricultural hinterland of the town. Several ditches in
Area 6 may constitute the remains of a possible multi-phase Roman rectilinear
field/enclosure system and large sub-circular enclosure adjacent to Akeman
Street.
A single pit containing early Saxon pottery demonstrates low-level activity on
site following the end of the Roman period and prior to agricultural land use
during the medieval to post-medieval periods.Oxford Archaeology carried out a second phase of archaeological trial-trench
evaluation at the site of a proposed community woodland project near
Bicester, Oxfordshire, between March and April 2022. Cherwell District
Council commissioned the fieldwork in order to inform their woodland design
to help protect archaeological remains.
The site is in an area of considerable archaeological interest, situated
immediately north of the Roman town of Alchester, close to the crossroads of
two Roman roads. A preceding geophysical survey of the site undertaken in
2019 detected a number of anomalies of probable and possible archaeological
origin, across seven areas. These included linear anomalies suggestive of a
trackway and associated rectilinear field system across Areas 1 and 2 and a
series of linear and curvilinear anomalies suggestive of a large sub-circular
enclosure and rectilinear enclosure/field system in Area 6. An initial phase of
evaluation of Area 5 carried out by Oxford Archaeology in 2020 revealed the
remains of a late Bronze Age/Iron Age ditch and a second undated ditch, which
corresponded with features identified in the geophysical survey.
A total of 50 trenches were undertaken across Areas 1, 2, 6 and 7 as part of
the Phase 2 evaluation, the majority of which were targeted on selected
geophysical anomalies. Of these, 16 trenches were found to contain
archaeological features, predominately comprising ditches together with a
small number of pits, a posthole and plough furrows. A good correlation
between the results of the geophysical survey and the archaeological
evaluation was demonstrated.
A probable earlier prehistoric worked flint and a sherd of earlier Iron Age
pottery, both residual in later features, provide very limited evidence of
activity in the wider landscape predating the late Iron Age.
The most notable remains encountered on site comprise a series of ditches
dating to the late Iron Age/early Roman period concentrated in Areas 1 and 2.
The ditches demarcated a trackway and were most likely used for drainage
purposes. The trackway may have formed part of a local network associated
with Akeman Street and the nearby town and extramural settlement of
Alchester. A small number of adjacent ditches and pits provide evidence of
low-level activity in the agricultural hinterland of the town. Several ditches in
Area 6 may constitute the remains of a possible multi-phase Roman rectilinear
field/enclosure system and large sub-circular enclosure adjacent to Akeman
Street.
A single pit containing early Saxon pottery demonstrates low-level activity on
site following the end of the Roman period and prior to agricultural land use
during the medieval to post-medieval periods.Limited medieval–post-medieval and modern remains, comprising plough
furrows, a former field boundary ditch and land drains crossing the site, are
demonstrative of agricultural use of the landscape during the more recent
historical period.