The North Cotswolds: A Highlight Report for the National Mapping Programme
Author(s): C Stoertz
This report describes the methods and results of the North Cotswolds National Mapping Programme (NMP) project. The English Heritage Aerial Survey team (Swindon) carried out this archaeological survey from aerial photographs between 2004 and 2008. The character of the archaeology seen from the air is broadly different in each of the distinctive landscape zones of the northern Cotswolds. The predominance of pasture until relatively recently resulted in the preservation of large areas of contiguous medieval and post medieval ridge and furrow, interspersed with settlement remains, across the lower lying parts of the project area in the Severn and Avon vales. Glimpses of sites from earlier periods, mainly prehistoric or Roman settlements, are revealed as cropmarks where the ridge and furrow is ploughed level. The archaeological features were more varied on the Cotswolds edge and plateau. Prehistoric and/or Roman funerary monuments and settlement remains survive as earthworks in pasture and are revealed as cropmarks in areas of modern arable farming. On the plateau the medieval and post medieval remains reflect the predominance of sheep farming and a different pattern of settlement with few areas of ridge and furrow. There were Second World War military remains throughout the project area.
- Report Number:
- 17/2012
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 99
- Keywords:
- Bronze Age Iron Age Medieval Neolithic Post Medieval Roman Aerial Photograph Interpretation Aerial Photography National Mapping Programme
