Swindon Gateway, Coate, Swindon, Wiltshire

In December 2005 and February-March 2006 Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out a field evaluation on behalf of John Samuels Archaeological Consultants (JSAC) on the proposed
Swindon Gateway development, Coate, Swindon, Wiltshire (NGR SU 1580 8150). A total of 84 trenches were excavated of which 48 contained archaeological features other than
medieval ridge and furrow. Fieldwalking survey (surface artefact collection) was also undertaken across a 20 hectare field in the north-west of the site. The evaluation has defined areas of known archaeological potential, as well as identifying previously unknown ones. In
total 315 features were identified, 128 of which can be dated by pottery. The evaluation demonstrated the survival of a range of archaeological features and activity areas distributed across most of the landscape, dating from the Late Mesolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman
and Medieval periods.