Lime Lane, Oakwood, Derby Archaeological Evaluation Report

During March 2017 Oxford Archaeology undertook a trial trench evaluation at
Lime Lane, Oakwood, Derby. The evaluation comprised 15 trenches 50m long
and c1.8m wide.
Geophysical survey had revealed a number of linear and discrete anomalies
provisionally interpreted as of archaeological origin, but none of these proved
to be of ancient origin. Most of the linear features that were identified were
post-medieval furrows orientated SSW-NNE, corresponding to some of those
identified in the geophysical survey carried out in 2015. Two of these were
dated to the 17th-19th century by single sherds of pottery.
Many supposed linear features identified in the geophysical survey in the
central part of the site did not appear at all below the ploughsoil, and were
probably vestigial traces of former allotments of early 20th century date. The
discrete anomalies that were targeted proved to be either illusory or to be
variations in the underlying geology, with the exception of two postholes of
recent date in Trench 13, and one possible but undated posthole in Trench 16.
The evaluation found no evidence of archaeological activity prior to the postmedieval
period. Three linear features were dated from the 16th-19th century
by single sherds of post-medieval pottery and one copper alloy button. One of
these was a former boundary ditch shown on historic OS maps. One recent
circular pit was also found in Trench 4.
The only features of potentially earlier date are a small gully in Trench 14 and
what may be either a furrow or a small ditch in Trench 16, together with the
undated possible posthole in Trench 16. All of these are undated.