EDO6482 - Land adjacent to White Pit Farm, Shillingstone; evaluation 2001

An archaeological field evaluation was carried out on behalf of the land owners in relation to proposed development of the site. The site covered three fields currently used for cattle grazing. Eight trenches were machine-excavated, using a toothless bucket, each 20m by 1.5m, four in the first field or Plot 1, one in the second field (Plot 2) and three in the third field (Plot 3). Plot 1 was located on the SW side of the A357 and contained 4 trenches. The most significant archaeological features were found in the second trench which as a result was extended to 38m in length. These were two phases of the structural remains of a Romano-British building, demolition deposits, other Romano-British features eg a ditch and wall and undated features. The structure had been robbed in part. In Plot 2 the single trench revealed an undated ditch. There were no archaeological features or deposits in any of the three trenches in Plot 3. The assemblage of finds comprised 2nd to 4th century AD pottery, mostly Black Burnished ware, ceramic building material and lesser quantities of plaster, animal bone, metalwork, two Roman coins and shell. The assemblage was mainly Romano-British and most of this was found in one area of the site.