EDO5593 - Site of New Parish Room, Whitchurch Canonicorum; evaluation 1995

Archaeological evaluation of a site proposed for new parish rooms west of the churchyard of St Candida and the Holy Cross. The evaluation consisted of three trenches, each of which were machine stripped by a mini digger equipped with a toothless bucket. Each measured 5m by 1.5m, which provided a sample area of 3% of the intended development area. Trench 1 contained two subsoil features one aligned east-west, the other south-west to north-east. Both have been interpreted by the author as being modern drainage gullies. Two more subsoil features were located in trench 2. These were a shallow irregular probably linear feature running east-west, and a well-defined linear feature also aligned east-west. These both contained sherds of medieval pottery, though identification of these was difficult. These features have been suggested to be of agricultural origin, possibly plough ruts. Trench 3 contained an underlying surface of grey to pinkish-grey clay, which from its colour and baked composition, suggest it has been exposed to heat. No archaeological finds or features were associated with this burning, and is possibly caused by hedge clearance. (No dates given for groundworks).