Salisbury Plain Trench System, South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Salisbury Plain Trench System, South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Salisbury Plain Trench System, South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Ref: 72710.03
Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm
Wiltshire
Prepared for:
Landmarc Support Services Limited
Building 9
Westdown Camp
Tilshead
Wiltshire
SP3 4RS
On behalf of:
Defence Training Estate
Warminster
by:
Wessex Archaeology,
Portway House,
Old Sarum Park,
Salisbury,
Wiltshire,
SP4 6EB
CONTENTS
Summary ...........................................................................................................iii
Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................iv
1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1
1.1 Project Background .................................................................................1
2 THE SITE.............................................................................................................2
2.1 Site location, description and topography.............................................2
2.2 Archaeological Background ....................................................................2
3 AIMS ....................................................................................................................3
3.1 Archaeological Field Evaluation .............................................................3
4 METHOD STATEMENT ......................................................................................3
4.1 Introduction...............................................................................................3
4.2 Fieldwork...................................................................................................3
4.3 Recording..................................................................................................4
5 RESULTS ............................................................................................................4
5.1 Introduction...............................................................................................4
5.2 The Natural Soil Sequence ......................................................................4
5.3 Archaeological Features..........................................................................4
6 FINDS ..................................................................................................................6
6.1 Introduction...............................................................................................6
7 DISCUSSION.......................................................................................................7
8 ARCHIVE.............................................................................................................7
8.1 Preparation and Deposition.....................................................................7
8.2 Copyright...................................................................................................7
8.3 Security Copy ...........................................................................................8
9 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................8
WA Ref. 72710.03
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
Summary
The Site is located c.3km to the north east of Enford and is bounded to the east by
Water Lane and to the south by a bridle path; Baden Down Farm lies c.100m to the
north. The Site lies on a moderately steep north-facing slope at between c.130m and
140m above Ordnance Datum (aOD). The underlying geology comprises Upper
Chalk with occasional patches of clay with flints. The overlying deposits comprised
varying depths of thin topsoil.
The Site lies in an important prehistoric landscape and the most significant sites
identified in the vicinity of Baden Down Farm are the numerous Bronze Age
monuments in the area, several of which are Scheduled. Also of significance is an
undated linear feature that follows an approximately north-west to south-east course
and is visible as a low earthwork immediately to the west of the Site. Crop-marks
visible on aerial photographs suggest that this feature continues through the south-
west of the Site and this was confirmed during the evaluation.
Despite the relatively high archaeological potential of the Site only a single feature of
archaeological significance, a large ditch in the south-west of the site, was located
during the evaluation. This was almost certainly a small part of the c. 2.2km long
earthwork/cropmark recorded in Wiltshire Sites and Monuments Record. The
excavated form of this ditch and its extents as recorded on the WSMR, appear to
suggest that this is probably part of a later prehistoric land division. This is itself
probably part of an extensive system of similar land divisions that survive within
SPTA. Extensive excavations on similar features recovered evidence to suggest a
Middle-Late Bronze Age date for the establishment of this system of land divisions,
however, it also appears that they were also quite long lived, with parts of some
boundaries still forming pieces of present Parish boundaries.
WA Ref. 72710.03
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
Acknowledgements
The project was managed for Wessex Archaeology by Damian De Rosa. The
fieldwork was directed by Vaughan Birbeck assisted by Ruth Panes, Dave Murdie,
Mark Stewart and Olly Good This report was compiled by Vaughan Birbeck with the
assistance of Sue Nelson (finds). The illustrations were prepared by Liz James.
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1.3 This area is located by Baden Down Farm and, as such, is close to a
number of Bronze Age burial mounds and linear ditches, an Iron Age
enclosure, and prehistoric field systems all recorded in the Wiltshire Sites
and Monuments Record (WSMR). A number of these sites are Scheduled
Monuments and, as such their settings must also be considered in the
design of works. Further to the extant monuments, although the proposed
area has been deliberately chosen as much of it does not lie in an area of
known archaeological sensitivity, there is a relatively high potential for
previously unknown deposits, particularly of prehistoric date, to be located in
this area. To this end the Environmental Advisor (Archaeology) for Defence
Estates recommended that a field evaluation of the area be undertaken prior
to any development commencing.
1.1.4 An archaeological brief was prepared by DE EST (DE EST 2009) detailing
the archaeological background to the Site and a Written Scheme of
Investigation was prepared by Wessex Archaeology (Wessex Archaeology
2009) and approved by DE EST prior to the work commencing.
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
2 THE SITE
2.1.1 The Site is located c.3km to the north east of Enford and Littlecott. It is
bounded to the east by Water Lane and to the south by a bridle path Baden
Down Farm lies c.100m to the north. (Figure 1)
2.1.2 Baden Down Farm is in an area of good chalk grassland. The trench
complex will be cut onto the crest of the Hill to the south and overlooking the
farm. There is considerable public access around this region as well as dry
(non live-firing) military training.
2.1.3 The Site lies on a moderately steep north-facing slope at between c.130m
and 140m above Ordnance Datum (aOD). The Site is currently rough
grassland.
2.1.4 The underlying geology is Upper Chalk with occasional patches of clay with
flints (Geological Survey of Great Britain (England and Wales) 1:50,000
series, Sheet 282). The overlying deposits comprised varying depths of thin
topsoil (c 0.20m 0.40m in depth).
2.2.2 The Site lies in an important prehistoric landscape. The most significant sites
identified in the vicinity of Baden Down Farm are the numerous Bronze Age
monuments in the area, several of which are Scheduled:
x SM 31190 Two bowl barrows 350m south east of Baden Down Farm
x SM 10045 Enclosure East of Baden Down Farm.
x SM 10048 Trackway, ditch and bell barrow on Longstreet Down
x SM 10046 Bowl Barrow on Longstreet Down
2.2.3 Also of significance is an undated linear feature (WSMR No. SU15SE 633,
Figure 1) that follows an approximately north-west to south-east course and
is visible as a low earthwork immediately to the west of the Site. Crop-marks
visible on aerial photographs suggested that this feature continued through
the south-west of the Site and this was confirmed during the evaluation.
2.2.4 Although the proposed area of the Trench and Tunnel System does not lie
within any of the areas of archaeological sensitivity established by the
County Archaeologist and the DE Historic Environment Team, the extent of
ground works and archaeological importance of the region as a whole
warrant careful archaeological consideration.
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
3 AIMS
4 METHOD STATEMENT
4.1 Introduction
4.1.1 The following methodology was employed in order to meet the aims and
objectives of the evaluation. All works were carried out in accordance with
the relevant guidance given in the Standards for Archaeological
Assessment and Field Evaluation in Wiltshire (Archaeology Service,
Wiltshire County Council 1995) and in the Institute for Archaeologist's
Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation (revised 2008)
excepting where they are superseded by statements made below.
4.2 Fieldwork
4.2.3 Each trench was cleaned by hand where appropriate and planned prior to
any hand-excavation. All pre-modern stratified deposits were excavated by
hand. A representative section, not less than 1m in length, of deposits
through each trench from ground surface to the top of the natural geology
was also recorded.
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
4.3 Recording
4.3.1 All recording was undertaken using Wessex Archaeology's pro forma
recording sheets and recording system. Details of Wessex Archaeology's
recording system are available on request.
4.3.3 Trench locations and all recorded archaeological features revealed were
surveyed using a GPS and tied in to the Ordnance Survey.
4.3.4 A full photographic record was maintained using both colour transparencies
and black and white negatives (on 35mm film). Digital photography was
used additionally for all photography of significant features, finds, deposits
and general site working.
5 RESULTS
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 Brief trench and context descriptions for the evaluation are presented in
Appendix 1; more detailed descriptions are contained within the project
archive. Figure 1 shows the location of the trenches and the principal
feature recorded.
5.2.1 The weathered Upper Chalk natural substrata with occasional periglacial
striations was revealed directly below between 0.20m and 0.40m of dark
greyish brown silty clay loam topsoil in all 18 evaluation trenches. The
topsoil was slightly thicker towards the base of the slope, especially in the
northern end of trench 13, at the very base of the slope. The single feature
of archaeological significance, the large ditch (206) located in Trench 2, and
a modern cast iron water pipe recorded in Trenches 2 and 4 were both cut
into the chalk substrata and their fills were sealed below the present topsoil.
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
fine silty clay (204) with abundant small chalk inclusions and probably
represents further gradual weathering and silting, possibly of a bank on the
northern (downslope) side of the ditch. A single worked flint waste flake of
probable Late Neolithic or Bronze Age date, and a single horse tooth were
the only artefacts recovered from this deposit. Fill 204 was overlain by a
similar 0.30m thick deposit (203) that was only distinguished from 204 by the
slightly less abundant chalk inclusions and occasional large flint nodules. A
small assemblage of finds, comprising 11 small pieces of undiagnostic
animal bone and a single sheep tooth and four worked flint waste flakes,
again of probable Late Neolithic or Bronze Age date, were recovered from
this deposit. The uppermost fill (202) of ditch 206 comprised a 0.23m thick
greyish brown silty clay deposit with very rare chalk inclusions; this deposit
probably represents the final stabilisation on the large boundary ditch. Three
worked flint waste flakes, once again of probable Late Neolithic or Bronze
Age date, and a single piece of burnt flint were recovered from this deposit.
5.3.2 The WSMR records the extensive boundary ditch (WSMR SU15SE 633)
either as a cropmark or an earthwork extending for approximately 1.7km to
the west of the Site and 0.5km to the east and from its position it is clear that
ditch 206 represents a small part of this boundary. Although none of the
finds recovered from the various fills of the ditch are closely datable, this
appears, based on the excavated form of the ditch in Trench 2 and its
extents as recorded on the WSMR, to represent a later prehistoric land
division, possibly of Late Bronze Age date, and part of an extensive system
of similar land divisions that survive within SPTA (Bradley et al. 1994;
Birbeck 2006).
5.3.3 The only other possible features noted during the evaluation comprised a
small area of shallow, irregular striations in Trench 5 and a service trench
containing a cast iron water pipe in Trenches 2 and 4. The striations
recorded in Trench 5 are probably the result of periglacial weathering and
erosion and the service trench is almost certainly of 20th century date.
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
6 FINDS
6.1 Introduction
6.1.1 The evaluation produced a very small quantity of finds, deriving from three
contexts. The finds, comprising one piece of burnt flint, eight worked flint,
waste flakes and 13 pieces of animal bone, were all recovered from the
upper fills of ditch 206. Table 1 gives the quantification of finds by material
type and by context.
6.2.1 The small assemblage of worked flint was composed entirely of wide, squat
waste flakes, probably removed with a hard hammer. No diagnostic pieces
were found and the assemblage can only be very broadly dated to the Late
Neolithic or Bronze Age.
6.3.1 A single piece of burnt flint was recovered from the upper fill of ditch 206.
Burnt flint is intrinsically undatable, but is generally regarded as an indicator
of prehistoric activity.
6.4.1 A small assemblage of animal bone was recovered from the secondary fills
of ditch 206. The 12 pieces recovered from context 203 comprised a single
fragment of sheep tooth and 11 small, undiagnostic fragments of sheep or
pig sized bones. A single horse tooth was recovered from context 204
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
7 DISCUSSION
7.1.1 Despite the relatively high archaeological potential of the Site, with Bronze
Age barrows, undated trackways, enclosures and land divisions all in the
immediate vicinity, only a single feature of archaeological significance, the
large ditch (206) in Trench 2, was located during the evaluation. This was
almost certainly a small part of the c.2.2km long earthwork/cropmark
recorded in WSMR (SU15SE 633). No closely datable finds were recovered
from the hand excavation of this ditch and the few pieces of worked flint and
animal bone that were recovered could easily be residual within this context.
7.1.2 The excavated form of ditch 206 and its extents as recorded on the WSMR,
appear to suggest that this is probably part of a later prehistoric land
division. This is probably part of an extensive system of similar land divisions
that survive within SPTA. Extensive excavations on similar features
recovered evidence to suggest a Middle-Late Bronze Age date for the
establishment of this system of land divisions, however, it also appears that
they were also quite long lived, with parts of some boundaries still forming
parts of present Parish boundaries (Birbeck 2003, 81). Although no closely
datable finds were recovered from any of the fills of ditch 206, similar
dearths of finds/dating evidence have been noted even in large-scale
excavations such as that conducted at Breach Hill, some 16km to the west,
where a total length of approximately 90m of similar features were
excavated to produce only a single sherd of Late Bronze Age pottery from a
sealed context.
7.1.3 Small, isolated features of prehistoric or later date may survive, as yet
undetected, within the Site; however, as the evaluation trenching comprised
approximately 5% of the area of the Site, this is perhaps unlikely. Further
excavation of ditch 206, which probably extends for c. 55m across the south-
western side of the Site, may provide some evidence to support or disprove
the assumptions of its date made in this report.
8 ARCHIVE
8.1.1 The complete project archive will be prepared in accordance with Wessex
Archaeologys Guidelines for Archive Preparation and in accordance with
Guidelines for the preparation of excavation archives for long-term storage
(UKIC 1990). On completion of the project, the archive will be deposited with
the County Museum Service or similar repository to be agreed with the Local
Authoritys Archaeological Advisor
8.1.2 The project archive is currently held at the offices of Wessex Archaeology in
Salisbury under the Site code 72710.
8.2 Copyright
8.2.1 The full copyright of the written/illustrative archive relating to the site will be
retained by Wessex Archaeology Ltd under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988 with all rights reserved. The Museum, however, will be
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
granted an exclusive licence for the use of the archive for educational
purposes, including academic research, providing that such use shall be
non-profit making, and conforms to the Copyright and Related Rights
regulations 2003.
9 REFERENCES
WA Ref. 72710.03
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
WA Ref. 72710.03
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
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Salisbury Plain Trench System
South of Baden Down Farm, Wiltshire
Archaeological Field Evaluation Report
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Plate 1: South-east facing section through Ditch 206
Date: 26/10/09 Revision Number: 0
Wessex This material is for client report only Wessex Archaeology.
No unauthorised reproduction. Scale: N/A Illustrator: SEJ
Archaeology
Path: Y:\PROJECTS\72710\Drawing Office\Report Figs\Eval\09_10_26\A4PLATE1.cdr
Plate 1
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