LADYGROVE ESTATE, DIDCOT, OXON

A field evaluation was undertaken by the Oxford Archaeological Unit on three parcels of land
to the west of Lardgrove Estatc, Didcot on behalf of Bryant Homes Southern Limited between 3rd and 16th May 1994. The evaluation was carricd out in accordance with South
Oxfordshire District Council requirements, andin agreement with a brief set by the Oxfordshire Counry Archaeological Officer, in advance of an application for planning
approval to construct 248 residential properties. The evaluation consisted of a limited desktop
study followed by the excavation of 33 machine-dug trenches over approximately 9 hectares.
It was found that the entire area under study has been subjected to considerable inundation from the later prehistoric period onwards. This had resulted in places in the accumulation of almost 0.80 m of alluviul deposits. Underlying the alluvium was a buried prehistoric
ground surface which contained numerous tree-throw pits, some of which showed evidence of burning and which had almost certainly resulted from Neolithic or Bronze Age land clearance, although no dating evidence was obtained. The only archaeological features were several linear ditches at approximate right angles to one another. While none contained any artefacts they are believed, on the basis of environmental observations, to be of Roman date and are likely to have been either field dirches or channels dug in an attempt to drain the area.