Information for record number MWA604:
Possible Site of Ford to W of Bidford Bridge

Summary The site of a ford, a shallow point used by people, animals and vehicles for crossing the River Avon. It dates to the Roman period and is situated 5m west of Bidford Bridge.
What Is It?  
Type: Ford, Buried Land Surface
Period: Early Iron Age - Romano-British (800 BC - 409 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Bidford on Avon
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 09 51
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

 
Source Number  

1 A possible causeway, noted during trenching by contractors for sewers, immediately west of the Bridge. The "causeway" was overlaid by up to 2 metres of post medieval material including much coal dust. This is probably associated with a coal wharf said to have occupied the site. Below this was a layer of laid lias slabs and pebbles, c. 0.5m deep. Beneath this was a layer 0.60-0.66m thick, of black organic silt, overlying 0.40m of gravel which lay directly on the marl. Two Roman sherds, one a large base sherd, were recovered from the stone layer, suggesting a Roman date. A prehistoric date for the silt layer has been suggested.
2 Additional location information on this site received via Nick Palmer. Used to update monument location.
3 This site was discovered in 1978 when a pipe trench was dug towards the river Avon which cut the river bank just downstream of the Bridge, exposing the sediments in section. James Greig examined the sediments and recorded the section. The thick organic silt (which is given here as only 0.24m deep) was sampled as it contained some shells and some wood. A sample of the wood was submitted for a radiocarbon date at the AERE at Harwell, returning a date of 2270+/- 90 bp (calibrated to 320 +/- 90 bc [1987]).
 
Sources

Source No: 3
Source Type: Archaeological Report
Title: The late prehistoric surroundings of Bidford Upon Avon, Warwickshire.
Author/originator: Greig J
Date: 1987
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 170/87
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Emails with Nick Palmer about Sitve VIII, Bidford-on-Avon
Author/originator: Nick Palmer
Date: 2014
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: SMR card : text
Author/originator: JMG
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source SMR Card Sites and Monuments Record Card. The Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record began to be developed during the 1970s. The details of individual archaeological sites and findspots were written on record cards. These record cards were used until the 1990s, when their details were entered on to a computerised system. The record cards are still kept at the office of the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
period Prehistoric About 500,000 BC to 42 AD

The Prehistoric period covers all the periods from the Palaeolithic to the end of the Iron Age.
This is a time when people did not write anything down so there is no documentary evidence for archaeologists to look at. Instead, the archaeologists look at the material culture belonging to the people and the places where they lived for clues about their way of life.

The Prehistoric period is divided into the Early Prehistoric and Later Prehistoric.
The Early Prehistoric period covers the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods.
The Later Prehistoric period covers Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age times.
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period Iron Age About 800 BC to 43 AD

The Iron Age comes after the Bronze Age and before the Roman period. It is a time when people developed the skills and knowledge to work and use iron, hence the name ‘Iron Age’ which is given to this period. Iron is a much tougher and more durable metal than bronze but it also requires more skill to make objects from it. People continued to use bronze during this period.
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period Roman About 43 AD to 409 AD (the 1st century AD to the 5th century AD)

The Roman period comes after the Iron Age and before the Saxon period.

The Roman period in Britain began in 43 AD when a Roman commander called Aulus Plautius invaded the south coast, near Kent. There were a series of skirmishes with the native Britons, who were defeated. In the months that followed, more Roman troops arrived and slowly moved westwards and northwards.
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period Post Medieval About 1540 AD to 1750 AD (the 16th century AD to the 18th century AD)

The Post Medieval period comes after the medieval period and before the Imperial period.

This period covers the second half of the reign of the Tudors (1485 – 1603), the reign of the Stuarts (1603 – 1702) and the beginning of the reign of the Hannoverians (1714 – 1836).
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monument LAYER * An archaeological unit of soil in a horizontal plane which may seal features or be cut through by other features. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument SEWER * A large drain or conduit for carrying away wastes. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument WHARF * A large wooden structure built alongside the water's edge where ships may lie for unloading. back
monument BRIDGE * A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known. back
monument CAUSEWAY * A road or pathway raised above surrounding low, wet or uneven ground. back
monument WOOD * A tract of land with trees, sometimes acting as a boundary or barrier, usually smaller and less wild than a forest. back
monument TRENCH * An excavation used as a means of concealment, protection or both. back
monument BURIED LAND SURFACE * A former ground surface buried beneath an earthwork or other sequence of deposits. (includes palaeosoils, turf lines) back
monument FORD * A shallow place in a river or other stretch of water, where people, animals and vehicles may cross. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record