Land off A4103, Leigh Sinton, Worcestershire

In October 2022 Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by RPS on behalf of
Miller Homes to undertake a trial-trench evaluation of the site of a proposed
residential development. A total of 27 trenches were excavated, representing a
4% sample of the 3.3ha site.
A preceding geophysical survey of the site undertaken in 2017 detected no
anomalies suggestive of significant archaeological remains. Anomalies relating
to former boundaries and other post-medieval/modern agricultural activities
and modern impacts were identified.
The evaluation revealed remains associated with post-medieval and modern
land use in six of the 27 trenches. A field boundary revealed in Trenches 2 and 3
contained modern material and correlated with a field boundary visible on the
1888 Ordnance Survey (OS) map. A holloway revealed in Trench 6 filled with
modern material including pieces of coal corresponded with the route of a
pathway also shown on the 1888 OS map. A possible tree-throw hole noted in
Trench 9 was in keeping with the presence of an orchard across much of the site
during the 19th and 20th centuries. Plough furrows noted in Trenches 18 and 19
are also considered to be post-medieval in date. No artefactual or
environmental remains were recovered during the evaluation. The remains are
all demonstrative of the agricultural use of the site during the more recent
historical period and provided a good correlation between the results of the
geophysical survey and the archaeological remains revealed within the trenches.
The medieval moated site of Moat Farm lies immediately south-west of the site.
Historic mapping indicates that the northern and eastern branches of the moat
may extend into the west of the site, although geophysical survey did not
identify the moat or evidence of its possible infilling. This area could not be
targeted by trial trenching due to the presence of overhead cables, therefore
potential archaeological remains associated with the moat may still be present
at the very western edge of the site.