Winnersh Relief Road

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Balfour Beatty to undertake an evaluation at Longdon Road, Winnersh RG41 5X (NGR 487590 170130). The works were undertaken ahead of construction of the Phase 2 Winnersh Relief Road, which its self is part of the Wokingham Major Highways Project. The scheme comprises construction of a two-lane single east-west carriageway immediately north of the M4 motorway, linking the B3030 King Street Lane junction in the west with the A329 Reading Road at the existing M4 overbridge in the east. This would include the introduction of two new junctions in the form of un-signalised roundabouts. The archaeological work was required in order to help fulfil an archaeological planning condition (Application 180760, Condition 11 dated 17/10/2018). The fieldwork was undertaken from the 11 to 14 March 2019.

The evaluation consisted of four trial trenches, measuring between 50 m and 20 m in length (1.8 m wide). In addition, a further three contingency trenches were excavated within a recently cleared wooded area (10m in length). Four of the seven trenches contained modern disturbance, most likely related to the development surrounding the site. This modern disturbance consisted of modern cut pits containing building debris, including ceramic building material, plastics and other general refuse. One trench located on a site previously used as a car park had evidence of modern truncation, and thick deposits of made ground above buried soils. No archaeological features or deposits were encountered during the evaluation.