Ladybridge Farm: Evaluation Trench (Intervention 38)

Intervention 38 was situated 75.5m from the eastern boundary and 142.10m from the southern boundary of Zone A. The trench was positioned to investigate part of a curvilinear anomaly, F15, detected by magnetometer survey (Intervention 4). The trench was machine-excavated, measured 100m x 4m and was orientated east-west. The local ground surface was highest in the middle of the trench at c.41.05m AOD, and sloped down to the east to c.40.70m AOD, and to the west at c.40.75m AOD. The yellowish-brown gravel and clayey silt ploughsoil (C1123) was found to be 0.30-0.40m in depth, and overlay a natural subsoil consisting of an orangish-brown gravel and clayey silt with bands of more grey gravel running throughout. The surface of C1124 reflected ground level topography.

Two features were defined within Intervention 38 and were allocated F49 and F55. F49 first appeared as a small sub-circular deposit of brown sandy silt. It measured c.0.30m in diameter and was initially half-sectioned NW-SE where it proved to be a shallow gently sloping cut no greater than 0.07m deep The pit had been backfilled once with C1247, a firm brown sandy silt which contained charcoal flecks. F49 was interpreted as a possible truncated pit.

F55 was identified as a modern field drain orientated NNW-SSE and visible for the width of Intervention 38.

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