SAWTRY ARCHAEOLOGY

22-1 Buckworth

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1.         Introduction.

 

1.1.      Purpose.  The purpose of this archaeological project record is to document events, capture hypotheses and decisions made, and collate findings, results and reports created through the life of the project.  It will also set the conditions by which archaeological investigation at Buckorth is planned and undertaken by Sawtry History Society (SHS).  As such, it is a living document that will evolve as the project itself evolves.

 

1.2.      Site Details.

 

1.2.1.   Location.  The site consists of the fields either side of the north section of the track that connects Barham Road in Buckworth with the Woolley-Alconbury Weston road and covers an area in excess of 126 hectares.  It is located immediately to the south of the village of Buckworth in the southwest of Buckworth Civil Parish, extending to the southwest into Barham and Woolley Civil Parish (Figure 1.1), and is located in National Grid Reference (NGR) squares TL 14 76, TL 15 76, TL 14 75, TL 15 75, TL 14 74 and TL 15 74.  The site is situated on a 55m plateau at the northwest, sloping eastwards to the 25m contour at the widest point, and southwards to the 30m contour (Figures 1.2 and 1.3).

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1.2.2.   Reference Points.  The Site Benchmark (SBM) has been set at the southern tip of the east field on the edge of the tree line where it meets the track at NGR TL 18374 77628 (Figure 1.3).

 

1.2.3.   Site Reference Code.  The site reference code for all archaeological activities is BUCnnn-YY, where nnn is the project number (less hyphen) and YY are the last two digits of the calendar year; eg BUC221-22.

 

1.2.4.   Geology.  The site is situated on a 55m plateau at the northwest, sloping eastwards to the 25m contour at the widest point, and southwards to the 30m contour.  It overlooks the villages of Woolley to the south, and Alconbury and Alconbury Weston to the east, and has unrestricted views of the Hill Top (SHS17-1) site.  The bedrock is Oxford Clay Formation-Mudstone with Oadby Member-Diamicton superficial deposits above the 50m contour - extending varyingly down to 40m or 30m contours to the east, above which are varying depths of plough-soil (Figure 1.4).

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1.2.4.1. Oxford Clay Formation-Mudstone.  A sedimentary bedrock formed approximately 157 to 166 million years ago in the Jurassic Period where the local environment was previously dominated by shallow seas.  These sedimentary rocks are shallow-marine in origin and are detrital, ranging from coarse- to fine-grained (locally with some carbonate content) forming interbedded sequences.

 

1.2.4.2. Oadby Member-Diamicton.  Superficial Deposits formed up to 2 million years ago in the Quaternary Period where the local environment was previously dominated by ice age conditions.  These sedimentary deposits are glacigenic in origin and are detrital, created by the action of ice and meltwater - they can form a wide range of deposits and geomorphologies associated with glacial and inter-glacial periods during the Quaternary.

 

1.2.5.   Protection.  The site is not protected or within a conservation area.

 

1.2.6.   Heritage Records.  Historic England National Heritage List for England (HLE) listings and Cambridgeshire Historic Environment Records (CHER) are either directly associated with the site - the location grid reference lies within the site boundaries (Figures 1.5a), or related to the site - the location grid reference lies within the adjacent landscape (Figure 1.5b), and contextualize the site within the archaeological landscape.  Full details are contained in Annex E, Appendix 1.

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1.2.6.1. Directly Associated.

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CHER 00738 Cropmark Remains of Ridge and Furrow, Northeast of Barham

CHER MCB29798 Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Manor Lodge, Buckworth

CHER MCB29799 Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Buckworth

CHER MCB29800 Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Buckworth

CHER MCB29801 Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Buckworth

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1.2.6.2. Related.

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HLE 1130126 Parish Church of St Giles

HLE 1130127 Parish Church of St Mary

HLE 1130189 Parish Church of All Saints

HLE 1164516 Thatchers Rest

CHER 00736 Beehive Quern, Barham

CHER 00737 Possible 14th Century Gravestone, Barham

CHER 00740 Unknown Mound, Buckworth

CHER 00752 Manor Farm, Woolley

CHER 00753 Saint Mary's_Saint Matthew's Church (remains of)

CHER 00754 All Saints' Church, Buckworth

CHER 00755 Shrunken Village of Buckworth

CHER 00756 Microliths, Buckworth

CHER 00759 Woolley Shrunken Medieval Settlement

CHER 00762 Neolithic to Bronze Age Lithic Implements, Woolley

CHER 00763 Stone Spindle Whorl, Buckworth

CHER 00771 Roman Coin, Buckworth

CHER 00778 Medieval Coin, Alconbury Weston

CHER 00779 Bronze Age Axe Hammer, Gravel Pits Field

CHER 00780 Medieval Seal Find, Alconbury Weston

CHER 00781 Roman Quern stone, Alconbury Weston

CHER 09035 Saint Giles' Church, Barham

CHER 10052 Woodland Boundaries, Buckworth

CHER 10827 Cropmark Enclosure, South of Woolley

CHER 10828 Cropmark Enclosures, Northeast of Barham

CHER 10829 Cropmark Enclosures, Buckworth

CHER CB15299 Buckworth Park Wood

CHER MCB16957 Artefact Scatter, Buckworth

CHER MCB21254 Cropmark Enclosures, 350m Northeast of Orchard House, Barham

CHER MCB24434 Fullers Lodge, Buckworth

CHER MCB24435 Corner Farm, Buckworth

CHER MCB24444 Park Lodge, Buckworth

CHER MCB24445 The Rectory, Woolley

CHER MCB24446 Woolley Leys Farm, Woolley

CHER MCB24457 Woolley Lodge

CHER MCB24458 Redlands Barn

CHER MCB27032 19th Century School, Buckworth Parish

CHER MCB29307 Earthwork Remains of Medieval to post-Medieval Ridge and Furrow, Buckworth

CHER MCB29338 Buckworth Brickyard, Buckworth

CHER MCB29352 Rectilinear Enclosures, Barham and Woolley

CHER MCB29748 Undated Enclosure, East of Salome Farm, Buckworth

CHER MCB29749 Undated Enclosure, Buckworth

CHER MCB29750 Undated Enclosure, Buckworth

CHER MCB29795 Possible Iron Age to Roman Enclosure, North of Leighton Road, Barham

CHER MCB29797 Possible Iron Age to Roman Enclosure, Buckworth

CHER MCB29802 Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, North of Long Plantation, Alconbury Weston

CHER MCB29803 Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Buckworth

CHER MCB29804 Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Buckworth

CHER MCB29812 Multi Phase Settlement Site, West of Humberstone House, Barham

CHER MCB29813 Rectilinear Enclosure Settlement, Barham

CHER MCB29815 Rectilinear Enclosure, Barham

CHER MCB29820 Possible Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Barham

CHER MCB29822 Possible Iron Age to Roman Enclosures, Barham

CHER MCB29824 Possible Iron Age Enclosure, Barham

CHER MCB31417 Earthwork Remains of Ridge and Furrow, Northwest of Woolley

CHER MCB31462 Former Ridge and Furrow, Barham and Woolley

 

1.2.7.   Land Use.  The existing east and west fields of the site pre-date 1985 (Google Earth, 1985) and were originally divided into multiple smaller fields as shown in Figure 1.6.  It has not yet been determined when this earlier field system was established but it remains visible as late as 1969 (OS).  The existence of five dewponds within the site boundary suggests that land use was of mixed arable and pasture for livestock grazing.  This is supported by the 1942 Land Use Survey (Figure 1.7), which shows the northern half of the site, either side of the track, to be arable land and the southern half of the site to be grassland - suggesting an increase in pasture, or land given over for hay production.  East-southeast of Manor Farm (latterly Top Lodge from 1949, and currently a collection of Manor Lodge agricultural buildings since between 1972-1999) lay a bounded area marked as Buckworth Gorse on various OS maps from 1901 until 1949.

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1.2.8.   Utilities.  Three above-ground mains electrical distribution lines traverse the site; a north-south distribution line is located to the east of the site carried on lattice metal towers, a northeast-southwest line carried on wood poles is located to the northwest of the site - crossing the southeast grounds of Manor Lodge with a branch connection to the property, and a east-southeast-west-northwest line carried on wood poles - with a branch connection to Trenerry Farm.  There is also a telephone pole located on the south edge of the site opposite Trenerry Farm, with above-ground connection to the farm - although the underground route of the telephone line connecting to this pole is not known (Figure 1.8).

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1.3.      Historical Background.  Since 2009 the south half of the field west of the bisecting track has undergone methodical metal detecting which has produced a considerable volume of artefacts predominantly of Iron Age, Roman/Romano-British and Saxon origin, with some later artefacts from the medieval and post-medieval.  Incidental to the metal finds was a wealth of ceramic artefacts.  Sawtry Archaeology, under the auspice of Sawtry History Society, began periodic, and ongoing, archaeological investigations in November 2022.

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2.         Aims and Methodology.

 

2.1.      Aims.  The aims of this project are to investigate the archaeological record of the Buckworth site, particularly for evidence of settlement and specifically:

 

2.1.1.   Confirm whether there is evidence of settlement(s) and date(s) of occupation.

 

2.1.2.   Determine what settlement activities were undertaken on the site.

 

2.1.3.   Place the site within the contemporary landscape in respect of local rural settlements and nearby towns.

 

2.1.4.   Understand the site's relationship with the road and inland water communications networks respect of trade, commerce and/or industry.

 

2.2.      Methodology. The methodologies to be employed are:

 

2.2.1.   Geophysical survey using both earth resistance and magnetometry.

 

2.2.2.   Topographical survey.

 

2.2.3.   Field walking.

 

2.2.4.   Research.

 

2.2.5.   Archaeological Excavation.

 

3.         Objectives.

 

3.1       Establish a site grid centred on the SBM, aligned with true north and divided into 20m x 20m survey squares, that encompasses the site.

 

3.2.      Undertake surveys that will address the above stated aims.

 

3.2.1.   Geophysical magnetometry (24 - 26 Nov 22).

 

4.         Project Records.

 

4.1.      Project/Site Survey and Excavation Sheets are at Annex A.

 

4.2.      Permissions (Schemes of Work, requests for a licence to undertake archaeological investigation, licences granted to undertake archaeological investigation, requests for Event Numbers and notification of Event Numbers) at Annex B.

 

4.3.      Interim Reports at Annex C.

 

4.4       Project Reports at Annex D.

 

4.5.      Research at Annex E.

 

4.6.      Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) at Annex F.

 

4.7.      Public Engagement at Annex G.

 

4.8.      Funding at Annex H.

 

5.         Resources.

 

5.1.      Geoscan Research RM85 Resistance Meter System and PA20 Probe Array assembly for geophysical resistivity surveys (loaned by Oxford Archaeology East).

 

5.2.      Geoscan FM256 Fluxgate Gradiometer for geophysical magnetometry surveys (loaned by Oxford Archaeology East).

 

5.3.      Topographical survey equipment will be provided by the survey team.

 

5.4.      Survey grid marking system will be provided by SHS.

 

6.         Site Management.

 

6.1.      Archaeological activity is to be controlled by SHS archaeologists and coordinated with the Landowners' Historical Research Group is not to be undertaken unless agreed with the landowner, manager or tenant.

 

6.2.      All archaeological activity is to be undertaken in accordance with the Generic Risk Assessment (GRA) at Annex F.  Additional dynamic risk assessments may be implemented if deemed necessary by the SHS archaeologists.  All participants and site visitors are to sign as having understood the GRA and any additional dynamics.

 

6.3.      There are no welfare facilities available on this site.  All participants are responsible for the provision of their own food and refreshments.

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ANNEXES

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Project Record 22-1 Annex A

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Project Record 22-1 Annex A, Appendix 1

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Project Record 22-1 Annex A, Appendix 2

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Project Record 22-2 Annex B Permissions

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Project Record 22-2 Annex B, Appendix 1 Event Numbers

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Project Record 22-1 Annex C

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Project Record 22-1 Annex D

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Project Record 22-1 Annex E

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Project Record 22-1 Annex E, Appendix 1

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Project Record 22-1 Annex E, Appendix 2

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Project Record 22-1 Annex F

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Project Record 22-1 Annex G

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Project Record 22-1 Annex G, Appendix 1

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Project Record 22-1 Annex G, Appendix 2

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Project Record 22-1 Annex G, Appendix 3

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Project Record 22-1 Annex G, Appendix 4

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Project Record 22-1 Annex H

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