Ancient site threatened by gravel quarrying
Submitted by vicky on Tuesday, 18 November 2003 Page Views: 5401
Site WatchArchaeologists and local volunteers have revealed a significant area of Romano-British settlement as well as evidence for Neolithic and Bronze Age activity between Warborough, Benson and Berrick Salome on land threatened by sand and gravel extraction in the Oxfordshire County Council Draft Structure Plan.Over 30 people undertook a systematic fieldwalk over the weekend of 5/6 October under the direction of archaeologist, Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, and other colleagues.
The fieldwork was commissioned by PAGE (Parishes Against Gravel Extraction) as part of a series of technical studies highlighting the unsuitability of the Stadhampton-Berinsfield-Warborough-Benson area for sand and gravel extraction.
Lorraine Lindsay-Gale commented:
"The southern part of the field between Warborough and Benson nearer the McDonalds roundabout is already protected as an area of Scheduled Ancient Monuments including neolithic long barrows and a Romano-British
settlement. As a result of our fieldwalk we have been able to show that the Romano-British settlement in particular was extensive and continued right up to the fields at the back of Warborough Green. Taken with the evidence obtained from the excavations earlier in the year a few hundred metres to the east when the Transco pipe-line went through, this was clearly an area of considerable activity throughout the Romano-British period."
Dating evidence from the fieldwalk has shown that the site was certainly occupied into the 4th. century AD. A large quantity of Roman roof and floor tiles were found across a wide area indicating the presence of one or more buildings. This was accompanied by a range of Roman pottery including some prestige Samian ware.
Other material confirmed the presence of activity in the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Dr. John Howell, PAGE chairman, and himself a former research fellow in prehistoric archaeology at the University of Liverpool, said:
"Earlier in the year we saw Transco making a major and expensive detour in the route of their pipe-line across this area to avoid the archaeology - it was so important. Yet only a few months later, Oxfordshire County Council believes it can simply dig it up."
The archaeology in this section of the Middle Thames gravels has been described as without parallel in North-West Europe for the richness and diversity of its prehistoric landscape. The area between Dorchester and Benson and Dorchester and Drayton St.Leonard has been likened in importance to the area around Avebury in Wiltshire, a World Heritage Site. Recent excavations have confirmed the significance of the area and the uniqueness of its archaeological record over the past 6,000 years.
A further fieldwalk will take place over the weekend of 11/12 October within the area. Print and broadcast journalists are welcome to attend. The archaeologists and volunteers will be on hand for interview. There will be access for filming and recording.
For further information contact:
John Howell 07889 646845
Paul Booker 07906 308480
Maggie Pullen 07802 479586
Source: PAGE press release 06/20/2003
Note: The actress who played Raquel in Only Fools & Horses has joined the Campaign to protect ancient sites from gravel extraction - see comment below.
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