Site Event/Activity record ECH6925 - Archaeological Evaluation Report: Old Hall Farm, Stretton, Malpas

An archaeological evaluation was carried out in 2020 on land to the south of Stretton Hall Lane, Tilston, prior to proposed development. This included the excavation of five test trenches, each measuring 30m by 2m, to identify any surviving below ground remains. Archaeological interest of the site relates to three non-designated heritage assets which lie close to/within the site boundary:- part of the Tilston to Grafton Roman Road (1700/1/4), a Roman roadside settlement (1786/1/0) and two Roman coins (1768/1/1, 1768/1/6). Nearly all of the identified archaeological features encountered within the evaluation produced dating evidence in the form of artefacts indicative of a Roman date (between the late 1st and 3rd centuries AD). The only exception to this was the demonstrably modern land drains which were encountered in all 5 trenches. Trenches 1 and 2 did not encounter any in situ Roman archaeology and very little Roman material culture was recovered from these two trenches. Trenches 3 and 4 were slightly more productive with cut features and the remnants of an occupation deposit identified at the north-eastern end of each trench. Trench 5 was far more productive with some indication of surviving vertical stratigraphy in the form of layers and a number of cut features. A general trend can be identified within the evaluation trenches for the Roman archaeology to be more concentrated towards the northern and eastern parts of the site. Where Roman archaeology does survive it is relatively close to the modern surface with a current buffer of turf, topsoil and plough soil of no more than 0.35m in depth. As such, it is recommended that groundworks towards the northern and eastern parts of the site should be avoided where possible or should be limited to a depth of no more than 0.25m below the present ground surface. Where this cannot be achieved then archaeological mitigation work in the form of a strip, map and record exercise will need to be implemented to ensure preservation by record. (1)