SNN115687 - Data from Archaeological Recording at Silverstone Technical College, Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, 2012-2013

Introduction This collection comprises images, reports, and site records from archaeological recording at Silverstone Technical College carried out by Oxford Archaeology between December 2012 and June 2013. This was conducted during the construction of the new Silverstone University Training College on the Silverstone Racing Circuit, Buckinghamshire. The recording action was conducted as a series of site visits to monitor operations that had the potential to disturb or destroy archaeological deposits. These operations included the diversion of existing services, excavation of new service trenches, topsoil stripping, breaking out of existing surfaces, excavation of foundations pits and ground reduction. These excavations were accomplished using a tracked excavator fitted with a toothless bucket where practical. Where the presence of services made this impractical, hand tools were used. All spoil generated by both the machine and hand excavations was examined for the presence of archaeological artefacts. During the groundworks features and deposits were issued with unique context numbers, and context recording was in accordance with established OA practices (OA, 1991). Bulk finds were collected by context. Black-and-white negative photographs and a digital photographic record was taken of all excavations, general settings and archaeological sections. Site plans showing the location of any excavations and any recorded sections were maintained. Section drawings of features and sample sections were drawn at a scale of 1:20. Between December 2012 and June 2013 Oxford Archaeology conducted an archaeological recording action during the construction of the new Silverstone University Training College on the Silverstone Racing Circuit, Buckinghamshire (centred at NGR: SP 6763 4286). The recording action observed features associated with the former WWII airfield such as perimeter tracks and recorded significant areas of truncation and deposits of made ground which are also probably associated with the construction of the airfield. Later conversion of the airfield into the racing circuit had also resulted in the truncation of some areas. No evidence for activity pre-dating the 20th century, either in the form of features or residual finds, was encountered during the course of the recording action, although it is unclear if this was due to the level of truncation observed, the extent of made ground, or to the absence of recordable activity. No further stratigraphic work is proposed for the Site, but the dating of features and finds could be refined through radiocarbon dating of key contexts, in particular those features (e.g. trackway) currently assigned to M-LIA Phase 2. Further analysis may be required based on the results. The small size of the prehistoric pottery assemblage and its character adds little to the study of later Iron Age pottery in the region. However more detailed analysis of the fabric of the pottery and comparison with other sites in the area would help to refine the site chronology. This includes further analysis of local pottery fabrics and comparison with local assemblages and fabric series, further fabric division and recognition and the research to place the assemblage within its local and regional context and illustrations of pottery sherds from deposits (0014), (0081) and (0085). The remaining finds and environmental assemblage is too small and fragmentary to provide any further useful information. Therefore, no further analysis work is recommended.