HER 29641 DESCRIPTION:- 2007 - A total of twenty archaeological features comprising ditches, pits (or ditches terminals) and post-holes, were recorded during the evaluation. They were present between c.0.44m (minimum) and c.0.79m (maximum) in depth below the present ground level. Of the thirteen recorded ditches only one produced dating evidence suggesting a Romano-British date. However, given that all these ditches were on a similar alignment it is likely that the majority of these are also of Romano-British date and form multiple phases of enclosures. The ditches are likely to represent field and enclosure boundaries of an extensive Romano-British settlement thought to exist 350m to the north-east. The paucity of finds is partly due to the limited excavation which took place during the evaluation, but also suggests that the centre of the activity was some distance away. The purpose and date of the pits and post-holes are currently unclear. The pits, two of which were Romano-British in date, may also be the terminals of ditches, enclosing discreet areas such as paddocks within the overall field system. The medieval ridge and furrow has partially truncated the Romano-British features, and subsequent ploughing has removed all visible traces of the ridges within the field. {Source Work 9031.} 2011 - An archaeological watching brief was maintained by Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service for Kier Moss during January 2011 on land off the Tewkesbury Road, Uckington. The archaeological monitoring work was carried out at three 2.0m by 0.5m areas which were excavated during soakaway testing. These areas were excavated upto depths of 1.5m below the present ground level - below undisturbed natural which was recorded 0.70m to 0.75m in the trenches as a mixed orange-yellow sand and yellow sand - overlain by silty layers and Modern topsoil. No archaeological finds, features or deposits were recorded in this work {Source Work 10390.} 2011 - In February to May 2011Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service undertook an excavation prior to the construciton of a new community fire station at Tewkesbury Road, Uckington. A draft report was provided in 2012 which outlined the interim results including specialist assessments on the pottery and other ceramic material, small finds, wood and human skeletal remains. Further finds assessments and analysis were in progress at the time of entry to the HER (03/09/2012). The excavation provided evidence for activity on the site during the Iron Age, Roman, Saxon and postmedieval periods. Though the number of Iron Age features is low, the presence of a ring ditch suggests there was some occupation on the site in this period. The presence of well preserved waterlogged wood, including three wooden structures, within a number of large pits provisionally dating to both the Roman and Saxon periods, is significant. The wood assemblage is a very rare survival within the UK, particularly in a rural context, and has the potential to be of national significance. Of further interest is a possible timber framed building, located near the centre of the site, and a Roman cremation burial dating to the 1st to 2nd century AD {Source Work 11742.} |