EDO1404 - Church Close, Fontmell Magna; watching brief 1994

Planning Application 2/94/0260. The site was visited by Steve Wallis on 6 October 1994. It was clear that the site originally had a moderately steep north facing slope, but the area had just been terraced to the level at the north end of the site, with nearly 1m of material being removed at the south end. Excavation of foundation trenches was in progress, with a machine working in the north-east part of the site, so observations were limited to the south and east areas. The trenches were 1.5 to 1.8m deep. The topsoil was about 0.15m deep over a layer of medium greyish brown silty loam, which was at least as deep as the trench. Two sherds of medieval coarseware of approximately 13th century date (identified by L J Keen) were recovered, and patches of lighter brown silty loam (?redeposited natural) and several patches of burnt clay were noted within this layer, interpreted as hillwash, at least part of which probably accumulated in the later Middle Ages.