Appleford's Earliest Farmers Archaeological work at Apppleford Sidings Oxfordshire

Oxford Archaeology (OA) undertook evaluations of
Hanson Aggregates’ Sutton Courtenay Pit in 1993
and 1997 ahead of mineral extraction, and carried out
a programme of more extensive work between 1997
and 2000, monitoring topsoil stripping and recording
the archaeological remains exposed by this process.
The earliest feature examined was a Neolithic
pit but the main result of the fieldwork was to reveal
extensive Bronze Age and early Roman period landscapes.
The Bronze Age features, most of which were
of middle Bronze Age date, were concentrated in the
western and central areas of the site, and comprised
rectilinear systems of trackways and field enclosures.
Large pits or waterholes were associated with these
systems, which were probably related to stock control.
A small group of cremation burials to the south
may have been contemporary with these features.
There was no significant evidence for late Bronze Age
or Iron Age activity but at about the middle of the 1st
century AD a high-status double-ditched enclosure
was established. This had an entrance to the south
and contained slight traces of one or more timber
structures. This settlement was associated with rectilinear
field systems, further enclosures and trackways
and two cremation burials. These features were
on a similar alignment to that of the principal Bronze
Age layout of the site. The early Roman settlement
ceased to be occupied aft er c AD 120 and although
trackways and possibly some other boundaries remained
in use later Roman and subsequent activity
was entirely agricultural in nature. This pattern of
land use continued into modern times.