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The ongoing programme of evaluation is continuing in the southwestern field of Ladybridge Farm. The series of nine hand-excavated 3m x 3m trenches in the southwestern field of Ladybridge Farm has now been completed (see archived news, 9th April 2004). The excavation and sieving of test pits within the trenches produced few lithic finds.
Three of the interventions were found to contain archaeological features which were sample-excavated (see plan below). Intervention 16 contained part of a posthole (F14) which continued beyond the southern edge of the trench. This feature was found to be c.0.20m deep with a stepped profile forming a vertical-sided, circular post setting at its base.
Part of a possible pit (F12) was identified in Intervention 17. This feature continued beyond the western limit of the intervention and was found to be c.0.20m deep. Intervention 18 contained part of a more substantial feature which was initially thought to be part of a ditch (F13). A 2m long sample of this feature was excavated proving F13 to be at least 0.60m deep with a fairly steeply sloping edge. Both F12 and F13 correspond with two large circular positive magnetic anomalies defined during the magnetometer survey of this area (see archived news, 5th March 2004).
The small lithic assemblage recovered from the topsoil of Interventions 16, 17 and 18 now includes three scrapers. Hand-excavation of trenches after the sieving regime suggested that these finds were not associated with the underlying archaeological features but were simply present in the topsoil possibly from earlier plough damage of archaeology. No dateable material was recovered from any of the archaeological features excavated. This makes interpreting the results of the evaluation quite difficult, since it is not possible to associate the features with one another. Two of the features identified during this scheme of trenching were also defined by the earlier geophysical survey. These large circular features contain sterile backfills are most probably geological in origin.
The watching brief on topsoil stripping at Nosterfield Quarry has now resumed. The preliminary results of this operation will be presented in next week’s update.
Interactive Plan: Location of current trenches. View
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