N L GLENFALL WAY CHARLTON KINGS CHELTENHAM GLOUCESTERSHIREreports.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/.../2441-Glenfall-way...complete.pdf · n land at glenfall way charlton kings cheltenham

N LAND AT GLENFALL WAY CHARLTON KINGS

CHELTENHAM GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

For

STRATEGIC LAND PARTNERSHIPS

CA PROJECT: 2441 CA REPORT: 07136

OCTOBER 2007

LAND AT GLENFALL WAY CHARLTON KINGS

CHELTENHAM GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

CA PROJECT: 2441 CA REPORT: 07136

prepared by Stuart Joyce: Project Supervisor

date

checked by Cliff Bateman: Project Manager

date

approved by Mark Collard: Head of Contracts

signed

date 16 October 2007

issue 01

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely

at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

© Cotswold Archaeology Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ

Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: [email protected]

© Cotswold Archaeology Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham: Archaeological Evaluation

CONTENTS

SUMMARY........................................................................................................................ 2

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 3

2. RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 5

3. DISCUSSION....................................................................................................... 5

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 6

5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 6

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 7 APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM............................................................................ 8

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000)

Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:1000)

1


SUMMARY

Project Name: Land at Glenfall Way

Location: Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

NGR: SO 9735 2095

Type: Evaluation

Date: 10-11 October 2007

Location of Archive: Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum

Site Code: GWC 07

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in October 2007 on

land off Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire at the request of Strategic Land

Partnerships. Four trenches were excavated.

No archaeological features were present within trenches 1, 3 and 4. A square cut ditch of

unknown, but probable modern, date was revealed in trench 2.

2


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In October 2007 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological

evaluation for Strategic Land Partnerships at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings,

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (centred on NGR: SO 9735 2095; Fig. 1). The

evaluation was undertaken prior to the submission of a planning application for

residential development at the site.

1.2 The evaluation was carried out following consultation with Charles Parry, Senior

Archaeological Officer, Gloucestershire County Council (GCC), the archaeological

advisor to the Local Planning Authority (LPA), and with a subsequent detailed

Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2007a) that was approved

by Charles Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for

Archaeological Field Evaluation issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists

(2001), the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological

fieldwork in Gloucestershire (GCC 1996) and the Management of Archaeological

Projects (English Heritage 1991). It was monitored by Mr Parry.

The site

1.3 The proposed development area is approximately 1.8ha in area, and comprises a

field under pasture. The north-western limit of the site is bounded by Glenfall Way

with an access track forming the north-eastern boundary. The north-eastern area of

the site is flat and lies at approximately 98m AOD, with the ground level dropping

away in the south-eastern area of the site towards a small stream at approximately

93m.

1.4 The solid geology of the site comprises Lower Lias clays, silts and limestone of the

Jurassic Era, overlain throughout the majority of the site by Cheltenham Sand of the

Quaternary Period (BGS 1981).

Archaeological background

1.5 An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and subsequent geophysical survey

have recently been completed for the site. The assessment identified no features of

archaeological interest within the proposed development area or its immediate

3


vicinity (CA 2007b). The magnetometer survey identified a medieval ridge and

furrow field system throughout the site (although not visible on the ground), with a

number of linear and discrete anomalies of archaeological potential also being

recorded (Archaeological Surveys 2007).

Archaeological objectives

1.6 The objectives of the evaluation were to establish the character, quality, date and

extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site. This

information will assist the LPA in making an informed judgement on the significance

of the archaeological resource, and the likely impact upon it of the proposed

development.

Methodology

1.7 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of 4 trenches each measuring 50m in length

and 1.6m wide in the locations shown on Fig. 2. Trenches 1 and 4 were both

revised in the field due to live services, with sections of both trenches remaining

unexcavated (see Fig. 2 for location and extent).

1.8 All trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless

grading bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant

archaeological supervision to the top of the first significant archaeological horizon or

the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Where archaeological

deposits were encountered they were excavated by hand in accordance with CA

Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007).

1.9 Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential in accordance with

CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other

Samples from Archaeological Sites (2003) and in light of this assessment no

deposits were identified that required sampling. No artefacts were recovered during

this evaluation.

1.10 The archive from the evaluation is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble

prior to its deposition with Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum. A summary of

information from this project, set out within Appendix B, will be entered onto the

OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

4


2. RESULTS

2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of

the recorded contexts are to be found in Appendix A.

Trenches 1, 3 and 4 (Fig. 2)

2.2 Within trenches 1 and 3, the natural geological substrate of Cheltenham Sand was

encountered at a depth of 0.80m below present ground level (BPGL), overlain by

0.6m of subsoil. Within trench 4, Lower Lias clay was encountered overlain by

natural Cheltenham Sand which was in turn was sealed by subsoil. No features of

archaeological significance were revealed within these trenches. Two modern

services were located within trench 1, and a modern soak-away for a septic tank

was partially uncovered within trench 4, all of which correlate with anomalies

identified during the geophysical survey.

Trench 2 (Fig. 2)

2.3 The natural Cheltenham sand was encountered at 0.80m BPGL and was overlain by

0.6m of subsoil. Ditch 203 was identified cutting the natural substrate on a north-

east to south-west alignment. It had vertical sides and a flat base, with no artefactual

material being retrieved from associated fill 204. This feature correlates with a linear

anomaly revealed during the preceding geophysical survey.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 No significant archaeological features nor artefactual material were identified during

the course of the current evaluation. One undated feature was revealed within

trench 2 that correlates with an anomaly identified during the geophysical survey. It

remains undated, but its square cut profile is suggestive of a modern activity,

possibly relating to a now removed service.

3.2 The preceding geophysical survey also identified medieval ridge and furrow

cultivation remains throughout the site, although no physical evidence was identified

during the current evaluation. However, the substantive subsoil deposit revealed in

5


each of the trenches may represent the ploughed out remnant of the former ridge

and furrow cultivation.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Stuart Joyce, assisted by David Cudlip. The report

was written by Stuart Joyce. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The

archive has been compiled by Stuart Joyce, and prepared for deposition by Kathryn

Price. The project was managed for CA by Cliff Bateman.

5. REFERENCES

Archaeological Surveys Ltd 2007 Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire:

Magnetometer Survey. Typescript report 197 BGS (British Geological Survey) 1981 1:50,000 Geological Map, sheet 217: Moreton-in-

Marsh CA 2007a Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire: Written Scheme of

Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation CA 2007b Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Desk-based

Assessment. Typescript report 07070

6


APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 Present ground level = 97.59m – 98.52m AOD No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Thickness (m)

Spot-date

100 Layer Topsoil and turf layer: Dark grey-brown sandy silt - - 0.30 101 Layer Subsoil: Mid brown silty sand - - 0.70 102 Layer Natural: Yellow brown sand - - Trench 2 Present ground level = 99.17m – 99.28m AOD No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Thickness (m)

Spot-date

200 Layer Topsoil and turf layer: Dark grey-brown sandy silt - - 0.25 201 Layer Subsoil: Mid brown silty sand - - 0.55 202 Layer Natural: Yellow brown sand - - 203 Cut Cut of linear ditch. Vertical sides, flat base. n/k 0.60 0.40 204 Fill Single fill of linear ditch [203]. Yellow – brown,

sandy clay. Firm compaction. No finds n/k 0.60 0.40

Trench 3 Present ground level = 97.23m – 98.48m AOD No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Thickness (m)

Spot-date

300 Layer Topsoil and turf layer: Dark grey-brown sandy silt - - 0.30 301 Layer Subsoil: Mid brown silty sand - - 0.50 302 Layer Natural: Yellow brown sand - - Trench 4 Present ground level = 90.70m – 96.66m AOD No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Thickness (m)

Spot-date

400 Layer Topsoil and turf layer: Dark grey-brown sandy silt - - 0.25 401 Layer Subsoil: Mid brown silty sand - - 0.20 – 0.80 402 Layer Natural: Yellow brown sand - -

7


APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS Project Name Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham,

Gloucestershire Short description (250 words maximum)

Archaeological evaluation, comprising four 50 metre trenches, targeted over possible archaeological features as identified through geophysical survey. No archaeological features were found within trenches 1, 3 and 4. A square cut ditch of unknown, but probable modern date was found in trench 2.

Project dates 10th –11th October 2007 Project type (e.g. desk-based, field evaluation etc)

Archaeological Evaluation

Previous work (reference to organisation or SMR numbers etc)

Archaeological Surveys Ltd 2007 Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire: Magnetometer Survey. Typescript report 197 CA 2007 Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment. Typescript report 07070

Future work Unknown

PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham,

Gloucestershire Study area (M2/ha) 1.8 ha Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference) SO 9735 2095

PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator No Brief supplied Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Cliff Bateman Project Supervisor Stuart Joyce PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of

archive

Content (e.g. pottery, animal bone etc)

Physical n/a None Paper Cheltenham Art Gallery

and Museum 1 Written Scheme of Investigation 4 Trench recording forms 1 Black and white/Colour slide photo register 1 Levels register

Digital None BIBLIOGRAPHY Archaeological Surveys Ltd 2007 Land at Glenfall

Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire: Magnetometer Survey. Typescript report 197 BGS (British Geological Survey) 1981 1:50,000 geological map, sheet 217: Moreton-in-Marsh

8


CA 2007a Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire: Written Scheme of investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation. CA 2007b Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment. Typescript report 07070

9

Gloucestershire

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

N

PROJECT TITLE

SCALEDRAWN BY PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO.

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

0 2.5km

site

Reproduced from the 2005 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permissionof Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 c

Land at Glenfall Way, Charlton KingsCheltenham

Site location plan

1:25,000@A4 2441LG 1

Documents

N L GLENFALL WAY CHARLTON KINGS CHELTENHAM GLOUCESTERSHIREreports.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/.../2441-Glenfall-way...complete.pdf · n land at glenfall way charlton kings cheltenham