Twigworth Green Development

(Full report can be viewed on TBC Planning by referencing 24/00122/CONDIS)

During 2020, Oxford Archaeology carried out an excavation immediately to the south of the village of Twigworth in Gloucestershire; the fieldwork was commissioned by RPS Group (formerly CgMs Heritage) on behalf of Bovis Homes Western.

Three main phases of activity were encountered. These dated to the middle–late Iron Age, the early Roman period (mid-/late 1st century AD) and the middle Roman period (2nd century AD).

Two pits containing late Neolithic/Beaker pottery represented some of the earliest activity on the site; at least 12 roundhouse gullies were revealed, together with a small square enclosure; these contained middle to late Iron Age pottery.

The Iron Age settlement was replaced during the early Roman period by two large square enclosures associated with trackways and wells or waterholes.

These were replaced in turn during the 2nd century AD by two further enclosures.

In addition, four inhumation burials were found, one of which cut into a roundhouse gully.

No evidence for activity dating after the 2nd century was found, apart from ridge-and-furrow cultivation, likely to be of medieval or early post-medieval date.

A large quantity of finds was collected, particularly Roman pottery and animal bone, together with personal items such as brooches and several querns and millstones.

It is probable that the evidence dating to the Iron Age related to a domestic settlement.

In contrast, the Roman-period activity had more of an agricultural focus. Well-preserved plant and insect remains were recovered from the wells or waterholes. These have the potential to provide considerable insight into the local landscape and economy during the Iron Age and Roman period.

This assessment presents the preliminary findings of the fieldwork, specifies what further post-excavation recording and analysis are required, and assesses the potential of the results to address research questions and contribute to a better understanding of the region’s Iron Age and Roman- period landscape.

A programme of analysis and publication is proposed.