BROCKWORTH ENTERPRISE SCHOOL BROCKWORTH GLOUCESTERSHIREreports.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/content/uploads/2014/02/3247... · This report is confidential to the client. ... in Brittania

BROCKWORTH ENTERPRISE

SCHOOL, BROCKWORTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

For

GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

CA PROJECT: 3247 CA REPORT: 11003

JANUARY 2011

BROCKWORTH ENTERPRISE SCHOOL BROCKWORTH

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

CA PROJECT: 3247 CA REPORT: 11003

prepared by Sian Reynish, Project Supervisor

date 10 January 2011

checked by Laurent Coleman, Project Manager


approved by Simon Cox, Head of Fieldwork

signed


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 Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

CONTENTS

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

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

2. RESULTS (FIG 2) ................................................................................................ 5

3. DISCUSSION....................................................................................................... 6

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

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

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 8

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM............................................................................ 9

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

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

Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:1250)

1


SUMMARY

Project Name: Brockworth Enterprise School

Location: Brockworth, Gloucestershire

NGR: SO 8972 1663

Type: Watching Brief

Date: 25-26 and 28-29 October 2010, 1-5, 15 and 22 November 2010

Planning Reference: Tewkesbury Borough Council 10/00438/FUL

Location of Archive: To be deposited with Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery

Site Code: BWS 10

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during

groundworks associated with the development of an outdoor all weather sports pitch and

changing room facility, including new access ramps, associated enclosures and the re-

grading of land at Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire.

No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks, and

no artefactual material was recovered.

2


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In October and November 2010 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an

archaeological watching brief for Gloucestershire County Council at Brockworth

Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire (centred on NGR: SO 8972 1663;

Fig. 1). The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition (condition no. 5)

attached to a planning consent for an outdoor all weather sports pitch and changing

room facility, including new access ramps, associated enclosures and the re-grading

of land (Planning ref: Tewkesbury Borough Council 10/00438/FUL). The objective of

the watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the

development.

1.2 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of

Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2010a) and guided in its composition by the

Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief (IfA 2008), the

Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in

Gloucestershire (GCC 1995), the Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (English

Heritage 1991) and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic

Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006).

The site

1.3 The proposed development area encloses an area of approximately 0.6ha, and

comprises existing sports pitch located to the west of Brockworth Enterprise School.

The site is generally flat and lies at c. 55m AOD.

1.4 The underlying bedrock geology of the area is mapped as undifferentiated mudstone

of the Blue Lias and Charmouth Mudstone formations dating to the Rhaetian to

Pleinsbachian eras (BGS 2010). The natural substrate comprising dark bluey-grey

clay was identified in the north-eastern part of site.

Archaeological background

1.5 Archaeological interest in the site arises from its location close to Ermin Street, a

major Roman road (Margary 1973 fig. 5 and 134) linking Gloucester (Glevum) to

Cirencester (Corinium) and the Horsebere Brook, along which are a number of

known Roman settlements. One of these is located c. 1km to the north-west of the

site (GCC SMR 6532). Here, a number of ditches, gullies, postholes and the drip-

3


gullies of two circular huts cutting the superficial deposits of sands and gravel, as

well as significant quantities of pottery and building materials, indicate occupation

dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD (Rawes 1981). Furrows on a north-

east/south-west alignment cut many of the archaeological features, and the

contemporary Roman ground surface appeared to have been truncated away by the

plough (ibid., 48).

1.6 In 1998 CA excavated the route of the Gloucester Business Park link road

(approximately 2.4km to the west of the site) and discovered a number of Bronze

Age cremations, and five sub-circular structures, two curvilinear gullies dating to the

Iron Age and various feature and deposits associated with settlement from the early

2nd to late 4th centuries AD, including a small inhumation cemetery (Thomas et al

2003).

1.7 CA undertook a fieldwalking survey (CAT 1995) and subsequent evaluation (CA

2009) of a site approximately 1.25m to the north-west of the proposed development

area, on land to the west of St George’s Church, Brockworth. Five sherds of

abraded Roman pottery were recovered during the fieldwalking, but no

archaeological features were identified in the subsequent evaluation (CA 2009).

1.8 The site lies approximately 0.8km to the south-east of St George’s Church and

Brockworth Court. The church was dedicated in 1142 and given to Llanthony Priory,

Gloucester. It was heavily rebuilt in the 14th century. The Tithe Barn at Brockworth

Court dates to the late 15th century, whilst the house is slightly later, dating to the

first half of the 16th century. Any medieval settlement is likely to have been focussed

around this complex.

1.9 Recent archaeological evaluation 0.7km to the north-west of the current site identified a

probable northward continuation of the Romano-British activity identified by Bernard

Rawes in 1973 (CA 2010b).

Methodology

1.10 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2010). An

archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising re-grading of the

sports pitch, the excavation of drainage trenches and foundations for the new

changing room facility (Fig. 2).

4


1.11 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic

records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork

Recording Manual (2007).

1.12 The archive from the watching brief is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble.

The site archive will be deposited with Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery. 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.

2. RESULTS (FIG 2)

Trenches 1 and 2

2.1 Within the drainage trenches (Trenches 1 and 2) the natural geological substrate

104 was revealed at 0.95m bpgl where alluvium 103 was present, and 0.3m bpgl

where alluvium was absent. This was overlain by 0.15m of subsoil 102 which was in

turn sealed by 0.15m of topsoil 101 and 200. Within these trenches where natural

was not observed a thick modern make-up deposit 105 and 201 was revealed

beneath the topsoil.

Trenches 3 and 4

2.2 The ground was initially reduced by approximately 0.25m bellow present ground

level (bpgl) across the areas of the changing rooms and sports pitch (Trenches 3

and 4). Within the area of the changing rooms (Trench 3) further foundations were

excavated to a depth of 0.9m bpgl. The natural geological substrate 301 and 401

consisting of a bluey-grey clay was revealed within the north-eastern parts of

Trenches 3 and 4. Within the centre of Trench 4 a clean, yellowish brown silty clay

alluvium 402 was identified. Along the south-western and north-western sides of

Trench 4 re-deposited topsoil, subsoil and natural 403 was revealed. This was

overlain by a mixture of the existing redgra playing surface 400 and turf 300 and

modern topsoil 404 averaging 0.15m in thickness.

2.3 No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during

groundworks and, despite visual scanning of spoil, no artefactual material was

recovered.

5


3. DISCUSSION

3.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological

background above), the watching brief identified no archaeological remains within

the area of observed groundworks. The watching brief identified that the area had

probably been terraced, the north-eastern side of the site has previously been cut

away and re-deposited on the south-western side of the site to make a level surface.

The absence of archaeological deposits indicates that structural remains may have

been truncated by the terracing during an earlier phase of construction or that no

archaeological remains extended into this area.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Martin Harrington, Jon Hart and David Parry. The

report was written by Sian Reynish. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray.

The archive has been compiled by Sian Reynish, and prepared for deposition by

James Johnson. The project was managed for CA by Laurent Coleman.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2010 Geology of Britain Viewer 1:50 000

http://maps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyviewer_google/googleviewer.html accessed 21

September 2010

CAT (Cotswold Archaeological Trust) 1995 Land West of St George’s Church, Brockworth:

Archaeological Fieldwalking Survey, CAT typescript report.

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2009 St. George’s Church, Brockworth, Gloucestershire:

Archaeological Evaluation. CA typescript report 09005

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2010a Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth,

Gloucestershire: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching

Brief

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2010b Land at Court Road, Brockworth, Gloucestershire:

Archaeological Evaluation. CA typescript report 10191

6

http://maps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyviewer_google/googleviewer.html

© Cotswold Archaeology

7

Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

Margary, I 1973 Roman Roads in Britain, John Baker, London

Rawes, B. 1981 The Romano-British Site at Brockworth, Gloucestershire, in Brittania XII,

45-78

Thomas, A., Holbrook, N. and Bateman, C. 2003 Later Prehistoric and Romano-British burial

and settlement at Hucclecote, Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Report No.

2


APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 (drainage trench) No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Depth (m)

Spot-date

101 Layer Topsoil 0.15

102 Layer Subsoil 0.15

103 Layer Alluvium 0.65

104 Layer Natural Substrate

105 Layer Modern make-up >0.85

Trench 2 (drainage trench) No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Depth (m)

Spot-date



Trench 3 (changing room footings) No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Depth (m)

Spot-date


301 Layer Natural Substrate >0.7


Trench 4 (sports pitch strip) No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Depth (m)

Spot-date

400 Layer Redgra playing surface 0.15

401 Layer Natural Substrate >0.1

402 Layer Alluvium >0.1



8

© Cotswold Archaeology

9

Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS Project Name Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire.

Short description

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the development of an outdoor all weather sports pitch and changing room facility, including new access ramps, associated enclosures and the re-grading of land at Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire. No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks, and no artefactual material was recovered.

Project dates 25-26 and 28-29 October 2010, 1-5, 15 and 22 November 2010 Project type Watching Brief Previous work None Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire. Study area (M2/ha) 0.6ha Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference) SO 8972 1663 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator None Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology Project Manager Laurent Coleman Project Supervisor Martin Harrington, Jon Hart and David Parry MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive

(museum/Accession no.) Content (e.g. pottery, animal bone etc)

Physical N/A N/A Paper Gloucester City Museum and Art

Gallery Trench sheets and developers drawings

Digital Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery

Digital photos

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2010 Brockworth Enterprise School, Brockworth, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief. CA typescript report 11003

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

Brockworth Enterprise SchoolBrockworth, Gloucestershire

Site location plan

1:25,000@A4 3247LG 1

Trench 4

Trench 3

Trench 2

Trench 1

MILL LANE

MILLFARM

TAMAR ROAD

D

Horsbere Brook

BROCKWROTHENTERPRISE

SCHOOL

166

898

SOSO

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

N

PROJECT TITLE

SCALEDRAWN BY PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO.

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

0 100m

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Landplan mapping with the permission ofOrdnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 c

Brockworth Enterprise SchoolBrockworth, Gloucestershire

The site, showing location ofgroundworks

1:1250@A4 3247LG 2

area of observed groundworks

modern make-up

natural substrate (blue-grey clay)

alluvium

Documents

BROCKWORTH ENTERPRISE SCHOOL BROCKWORTH GLOUCESTERSHIREreports.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/content/uploads/2014/02/3247... · This report is confidential to the client. ... in Brittania