Trial Trenching and Excavation along the Elstow to Wixams Replacement Main Water Pipeline, Bedfordshire

Between the 19th and 29th of May 2014, Oxford Archaeology East conducted an archaeological evaluation along the line of the reinforcement main water pipeline from Houghton (Wixams) House to Elstow Depot. The pipe route is c.4.5km long with a working width of 15m.
This report includes the results of an initial phase of trial trenching with the excavation of 21 out of a total of 30 proposed trenches.
No archaeological features or finds were recorded during this first phase of works. Several furrows were recorded in trenches in the northern half of the pipe route.
Following the archaeological evaluation a programme of archaeological monitoring of the topsoil strip in the northern part of the scheme was undertaken. Two areas of the topsoil strip adjacent to the hamlet of How End, in the parish of Houghton Conquest, exposed a series of discrete and linear archaeological features cutting the natural geology.
A programme of full excavation of these two areas was required. These works were carried out by Oxford Archaeology East between the 8th and 30th of July 2014. The archaeological features uncovered dated from the medieval to post-medieval periods with the majority of features dating to the medieval period.
The excavation has demonstrated the presence of significant medieval and post medieval remains at How End that relate to settlement in the immediate vicinity. The archaeological remains have contributed greatly to our understanding of the surrounding cropmarks and earthworks known to be present in the area.