Ladybridge Farm: Evaluation Trench (Intervention 34)

Intervention 34 was situated c.16.55m to the north of Intervention 33, measured 100m x 4m and was designed to intersect a linear cropmark and several geophysical anomalies (Intervention 4, F5, Intervention 5, F35 and F36). The trench was machine excavated and orientated eastwest. The local ground surface was relatively level at c.41.20m AOD. Ploughsoil (C1123) consisted of a yellowish-brown gravel and clayey silt and was found to be between 0.30-0.35m deep. C1123 overlay the natural subsoil which consisted of an homogenous well-drained orangishbrown gravel and clayey silt which was consistent over the whole of the trench (C1124).

Two features were defined within Intervention 34, F48 and F50. F48 was located 50.80m from the western end of the intervention and appeared as a butt-ending linear deposit of brown silt. Upon excavation it proved to be a possible butt-ending feature with moderately sloping sides and measuring 1.00m wide x 2.00m visible length. F48 had been backfilled once with C1246, a firm brown sandy silt with rare mixed gravel and pebble inclusions which was otherwise sterile. F48 was interpreted as a possible furrow or ditch; no dateable material was recovered during excavation.

F50 was situated 24.60m from the eastern end of the intervention and was defined as a circular deposit of brown sandy silt. The feature was half-sectioned east-west and the southern half removed where it proved to be a pit measuring 1.40m in diameter but only 0.19m deep. The pit had been backfilled once with C1248, a brown sandy silt deposit which was flecked with mineralisation throughout. The deposit had merged with the surrounding subsoil making definition and feature identification difficult. F50 was interpreted as a small possible pit; no dateable material was recovered during excavation.

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