Introduction:  One of a series of test pits excavated in 2012/2013 in the Iffley Fields area to locate extent of prehistoric activity identified by A.M. Bell in late 19C/early 20C. The site is located towards the top of a gentle East to West slope overlooking the Thames flood plain (see figure 2).  The Fairacres Road area was open fields until c.1900 (see figure 3).

Excavation summary:  No separate plans and sections drawn, sketches on reverse of sheets.  Five contexts observed.  Context (100), (101) and (102) represented garden soil and levelling.  (103) is thought likely to be 19C ploughsoil.  A single sherd of Roman greyware was recovered from this deposit.  Undisturbed natural deposits (104) were encountered at a depth of c.0.90m.  No prehistoric finds were located within this test pit.  However, a neighbour from no. 18 Fairacres Road showed a small side and end scraper struck from mid-grey nodular flint and measuring approx. 20x22mm, which he thinks comes from the garden of no. 18 Fairacres Road.

Test pit 55 report