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The ongoing programme of evaluation is continuing in the southwestern field of Ladybridge Farm. A series of nine hand-excavated trenches measuring 3m x 3m are currently being excavated. The evaluation methodology is designed to detect archaeology in an area considered to be of high archaeological potential, suggested by lithic concentrations recovered during two episodes of fieldwalking (see archived news, 19th December 2003). Each evaluation trench has been located purposefully over find spots of at least one and often two lithic finds recovered during fieldwalking (see location figure, below). This area is also adjacent to an area of Neolithic archaeology encountered within Nosterfield Quarry in the mid-1990s.
Hand-excavation is begun by excavating and sieving a 1m x 1m testpit in the corner of a 3m x 3m evaluation trench. Sieving follows the same regime as the testpits and involves the excavation of horizontal 10cm spits sieved using a 1cm mesh, enhanced by a 10 litre sample sieved using a 1mm mesh for the recovery of microliths. A second 1m x 1m testpit is then sieved in the opposite corner of the evaluation trench. Should the initial testpits yield raised levels of lithic finds more sieving within the trench is undertaken. If no or little finds are recovered the remaining area is hand-excavated with no further sieving being undertaken.
Working Shots - Sieving in progress
While each trench has been located over horizontal distributions of lithic finds from fieldwalking, the sieving methodology is also designed to detect any possible vertical distribution within the ploughsoil. One of the issues that this methodology is designed to address is what the source of the lithic concentration in the field may derive from. It may derive from a distribution from a hotspot of activity which was preserved in an old soil horizon which has subsequently been ploughed. It could also derive from plough movement of finds from underlying archaeology. Initial results from hand-excavation suggest that the former may be the most likely explanation for the origin of the lithic concentration.
The initial excavation of five of the nine trenches was completed before Easter and excavation of the test pits has produced a small lithic assemblage. In the case of one evaluation trench, the recovery of two pieces of worked flint resulted in an extra 1m x 1m square being sieved (Int 16), although this produced no more finds.
Worked flints
One edge of a possible linear feature has been encountered in the base of another trench and is visible against subsoil (Int 18). The edges of the feature disappear beneath three of the trench edges and the feature has been identified tentatively as a ditch and will be sample excavated. A possible natural anomaly has been identified in the base of another trench and will also be the subject of hand-excavation (Int 17).
Fieldwork at Ladybridge Farm is continuing this week with the completion of the excavation of the four remaining trenches. Additionally, any features defined in the base of the evaluation trenches will be subject to further hand excavation in order to determine the date and character of the remains. The watching brief on topsoil stripping at Nosterfield Quarry is due to resume on Monday 19th April. The beet field in the southeastern corner of Ladybridge Farm has now been ploughed and will be fieldwalked in the coming weeks once the crop has germinated and the surface weathered.
Interactive Plan: Location of current trenches. View
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