Frasers Campus, Rugby, Warwickshire

Oxford Archaeology were commissioned by SDI Propco (100) Ltd (Frasers Group)
to undertake a pre‐determination stage archaeological evaluation at the site of
a proposed development to the south‐east of Ansty, Warwickshire. The work
comprised the excavation of 98 trenches and was carried out between 21st
November 2022 and 17th January 2023. A further stage of trenching will be
undertaken post‐determination.
The pre‐determination stage evaluation revealed three distinct areas of
potentially settlement related activity. The largest of these was focused in the
east of the site and comprised rectilinear field systems, apparently enclosing an
area of activity that included two large pits that may have functioned as
waterholes or wells. Based on a modest assemblage of pottery and ceramic
building material, primarily recovered from these pits, this activity has been
dated to the early/middle Roman period. To the west of the site, an isolated pit
with a charcoal‐rich fill and early Roman pottery was recorded in Trench 91.
Although no related features were identified at this stage, the nature of the
feature indicates that there was a second focus of activity in this area.
In the central northern area of the site, immediately south of the proposed Local
Wildlife Site, a relatively dense concentration of undated pits and ditches were
revealed in Trenches 38 and 39. Although these did not directly correspond with
the results of the geophysical survey previously undertaken, they are
immediately to the south and considered to be related. A small fragment of
pottery was excavated from one of these features, but it disintegrated almost
immediately. Given the nature of the remains in this area and the fragility of this
pottery, this third focus is considered to be later prehistoric in date.