| Summary: | Interim report on an archaeological evaluation undertaken across two fields to the north of Indio House as part of a planning application for residential development.
The evaluation comprised eight trenches, the layout of which was based on an earlier geophysical survey. No features were recorded in the smaller, northern field, although an assemblage of post medieval and modern pottery was recovered during trenching or from the spoil. In the southern field, a pit and ditch, the latter corresponding with a geophysical anomaly were recorded in Trench 7. Sherds of Romano British pottery and Samian Ware together with iron slag were recovered from the ditch with a single sherd of Samian Ware also being found in the pit. A pit and ditch were also recorded in Trench 6 but no finds were recovered. Unstratified pottery was recovered from the spoilheaps including wasters from the Indio pottery.
In general, the evaluation would suggest much of the site is of low archaeological potential. However, the finds from Trench 7 imply the close proximity of Romano-British occupation or activity, despite the inconclusive geophysical survey results, including some limited iron working nearby (perhaps related to the geophysical anomalies for the ferrous spike immediately to the north, or the well-defined ditch to the south-east?). Given a general lack of Romano-British sites in the immediate area, the volume of pottery, and the presence of stratified iron slag, this site is of clear archaeological interest. |
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