Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions.
The Project Control Framework
On 1st April 2008 we launched the Project Control Framework. The Framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major improvement projects.
Traffic news on your desktop
Helpful ways to access the latest traffic information when you need it.
Archaeology
A34 Chieveley / M4 Jct 13 Improvement
Archaeology
Introduction
Throughout the entire site of the new road construction there is an opportunity to unearth archaeological remains. Highway projects such as the A34/M4 Junction 13 offer a rare opportunity to investigate remains as they excavate a horizon about 200mm below existing ground level in the soil and sub soil that reveals the majority of artefacts.
Archaeology - Update
As the final stages of topsoil removal have been completed, so the archaeological investigations have drawn to a close. Some remains were expected on the basis of fieldwork already undertaken, but there were also a number of surprises. A few late Iron Age and early Roman (1st century AD) pits and ditches were found south-east of Chieveley close to the area of known settlement (being preserved in situ). These are field boundaries and rubbish pits which might be expected on settlement margins. Unusually, the pits produced a large number of Roman fineware vessels which look out of place among discarded rubbish. They included a complete miniature jar and an almost complete bowl.
Bronze Age remains were also known from this field. In this period only traces usually survive, as the effect of ploughing over the centuries removes all but the most permanent features. As expected, there were scatters of pits and gullies containing flint tools in some areas. However, on the brow of the hill we came across a group of large pits containing a lot of burnt flint but few other finds. Some had smaller pits or shafts cut into them, going down a couple of metres in some instances. We are still mystified as to their purpose.
South of the M4 there were fewer archaeological features - mostly occasional prehistoric and Roman pits and ditches which were probably associated with agricultural fields in those times. But there was also a broad, shallow curving ditch south of Green Lane. It may have been a hollow way marking the course of an old road, and the finds suggest that it was a medieval or slightly later creation. However, its direction is inexplicable since, having left the line of the road to Newbury, it doesn't link up with Green Lane, but instead turns to rejoin the Newbury Road again. Was it avoiding something which lies under the present A34?
All the finds from the project are at the offices of Northamptonshire Archaeology and will be studied by experts over the coming months. A report on all the findings will be produced next year.
