Site Event/Activity record ECH3589 - An Archaeological Evaluation at Upton Recreation Centre, Upton-by-Chester

Archaeological evaluation undertaken in August 1996 prior to the construction of a synthetic sports pitch and associated car parking at Upton Recreation Centre, Upton-by-Chester. A rectangular enclosure, showing as a parchmark, on this site was discovered through aerial reconnaisance 08/08/1995. The enclosure again showed as a cropmark and was photographed in 1996. The construction of the sports pitch and associated boundaries extended into the southern area of the enclosure, hence an evaluation was deemed necessary. Three sections were cut across the same ditch which forms part of the southern side of the enclosure. The profile of the ditch was consistently V-shaped with steep sides. Three highly decayed squared timbers were seen in the early fills of the ditch, which may indicated the deliberate dismantling and disposal of temporary structures within the enclosure. Also a series of three post holes running parallel to one of the excavated areas of ditch are interpreted as contemporary and maybe represent a pallisade fence. Two other sub-rectangular slots, also thought to be contemporary may have formed part of a structure. Few finds were recovered but significantly include fired clay fragments recovered from sieving; these are thought to represent fragments of oven wall which would be consistent with the clearance of temporary ovens from the enclosure interior at the point of its disuse during the Roman period. The sequence of infilling of the ditch indicates a phase of rapid initial silting followed by longer term accumulation of deposits. It appears to have remained a prominent feature until the post medieval period when a massive dump of re-deposited boulder clay was put in the ditch seemingly to level of the bank and infill the ditch. A total of 53 environmental samples were taken from the enclosure ditch. Eight of these were taken for potential radio carbon dating, also two pollen cores/monoliths were taken. Charcoal was present in most of the samples although quite fragmented; much of it was oak with some alder/birch/hazel pieces also present. No heather charcoal was present. No seeds, animal bones or artefacts were retrieved. The pollen evidence revealed abundant and well preserved pollen including oak, alder and hazel, also some heather. The evidence indicates that the enclosure existed in a landscape dominated by heath and mixed woodland, with little evidence of grass of sedges which might indicate arable cultivation. Two radio carbon samples, taken from the lowest fills of the ditch were submitted to Beta Analytic Inc., Miami, Florida. One produced a date of 1890 +/- 110 BP or a calibrated date of BC 115 to AD 405. The intercept of the radiocarbon age with the calibration curve is cal AD 120, whilst the 1 sigma calibrated result (68% probability) is cal AD 15-245. (1)