Test Pit 8:         Rothschild Road

29th June 2013

By Martin Cuthbert

Test Pit 8 was located on the west side of Rothschild Road.

This property is some distance from the medieval core of the village and just east of ridge and furrow earthworks depicting medieval agriculture in Jubilee Green, so we weren’t expecting to find Saxon or Medieval finds, but perhaps evidence of prehistoric or Roman activity. Rothschild Road (once New Road) was constructed in the latter part of the 19th century.

Topsoil overlay a deposit of ploughsoil which in turn overlay the natural, which was at a wonky angle probably due to ploughing. Finds included pottery, animal bone, glass and nails all of which did not predate the current property. The nicest find was a First World War badge from the Bucks and Oxford Light Infantry. Was someone billeted here before going off to war?

A huge thank you to Pauline from LBDAHS, all our volunteers and of course Sarah for allowing us to dig a hole in her garden.