Thames View, Abingdon

Geotechnical
This report examines the geotechnical information from Thames View Industrial Estate (centered NGR SU 5010 9720) concerning the depth of Made Ground and the depth to terrace gravel deposits. It includes both preliminary investigations by CL Associates and a second programme of work including window sampe and boreholes that was partly monitored during sampling by Oxford Archaeology (OA). Information from evaluation trenching by OA both within the site and in immediately adjacent areas is also included. From this plans of recent deposits, and the total depth of deposits overlying gravel, have been prepared. The work has been carried out on behalf of Barratt-Maidenhead as background to archaeological mitigation during construction.
Evaluation
In January 2005 Oxford Archaeology (OA) excavated a single evaluation
trench on the east side of the former Thames View Industrial Estate,
Abingdon (centred NGR SU 5010 9720) on behalf of Barratt-Maidenhead.
The evaluation revealed a succession of ditches and pits interleaved with
layers of alluvium, the whole dating from perhaps as early as the Iron Age
through the Late Saxon/medieval period to the 19th century, overlain by
modern disturbance and recent made ground deposits.
Watching brief
In March and April 2005 Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out an archaeological watching brief at Thames View Industrial Estate, Abingdon, Oxfordshire (NGR: SU 5010 9720). The work was commissioned by Barratt-Maidenhead in advance of redevelopment of the site. The site had previously been occupied by industrial units constructed between the 1950s and the 1980s, which had seriously damaged underlying archaeological deposits without any record being made.
This extensive watching brief revealed a number of large ditches extending broadly west-east across the site. There were few finds, so the ditches were difficult to date with accuracy, though one appears to have been medieval and another Roman in date. Further ditches on a similar alignment were undated or so truncated by modern construction disturbance that phasing and interpretation was not possible.
A number of other Roman, medieval and post-medieval features were recorded in the 53 trenches opened, but the restrictions on access to some of these trenches on safety grounds often precluded detailed investigations of these features. Nonetheless, finds and environmental samples were recovered to illuminate the archaeological character of this site.