The Holocene Prehistory and Palaeoenvironment of the Dour Valley catchment. The first month of the project coincided with the excavation of Russell Street car park by Oxford Archaeology, three bore holes were taken here. The 4m archaeological sequence observed includes evidence for the deposition of marine gravels, interdigitating with the archaeological sequence. In trench 2 there is clear evidence for an overspill of marine beach gravels sealing 12th century deposits, from a gravel beach ridge, seawards. This is provisionally interpreted as evidence of storm activity. Of particular interest is the depth of the archaeological deposit, and its basal contact onto a complex of beach and fluvial gravels and sands.

It is anticipated the possible existence of stratified pre-Medieval deposits at depths in excess of those so far excavated. The complex intercalated sequence of wash-over deposits implies that beach gravels may frequently over-lie stratified well-preserved archaeology at depth.

The depth of the deposit, together with the limited bore-hole data recovered so far, is tentatively indicating tectonic subsidence in this area.(1)

<1> Barham, A. J. & Bates, M. R., 1990 Feb, The Holcene Prehistory and Palaeoenvironment of the Dour Valley catchment (Unpublished document). SWX6834.