Faverdale East Business Park, Faverdale, Darlington
NZ 281 173; (Emma Allen); evaluation; June 26th-July 22nd 2003; FAV03
Phase 1 of the evaluation comprised the archaeological investigation of 23 trial trenches within the eastern part of the development site. These revealed the presence of archaeological features relating to medieval and later agriculture and land management, along with natural features such as palaeochannels and alluvium.
The natural sub-stratum consisted of silty or sandy clay. The maximum height of this boulder clay was recorded at 69.72m AOD in the central portion of the site and at a minimum height of 62.27m AOD in the south-eastern part of the site.
Three trenches (26-28) in Field 3 demonstrated the existence of medieval ridge and furrow agriculture and what may have been an associated boundary ditch. Later, post-medieval, ridge and furrow earthworks were evident throughout this field, with the associated furrows appearing as archaeological features in Trenches 23-25 and 29.
Trenches 36, 38 and 39, in Field 5, recorded furrows associated with medieval ridge and furrow agriculture, visible as earthworks across this field. Trenches 38 and 50 (also in Field 5) recorded a post-medieval boundary ditch. In the south of Field 5, in Trench 39, a localised, probably early, alluvial deposit was recorded.
In Field 6, the northern portion of both Trenches 41 and 42 encountered what appeared to be a silted-up pond. Evidence for a possible palaeochannel was recorded in Trench 45, at the eastern edge of the field. Five trenches (41-45) in this field recorded evidence of post-medieval ridge and furrow agriculture. An associated boundary ditch that had been maintained through re-cutting was recorded in Trenches 41-43. Trenches 46, 48 and 49, in Field 7, also revealed evidence of post-medieval ridge and furrow agricultural activity. The southern portion of Trench 49 recorded a number of features of modern origin.
The general paucity of cultural material to be encountered broadly suggests that the site had only ever been utilised for agricultural purposes. The earliest evidence to be recorded represented medieval agricultural activity broadly datable to the 12th-15th centuries.
|
