Presentation from Keith Wilkinson about the equipment installation strategy. Will be supplemented by Nicole Metje on the day

1. Strategyfor Harnhill Plan view Hand excavated trench Ditch Cross section view Present soil c. 0.15m ‘Geology’ ‘Geology’ Ditch fill Step 1. Trench surveyed in and present soil removed by hand to the level of the underlying geology / top of the uppermost ditch fill. Artefacts are recovered.

2. Strategyfor Harnhill Plan view Cores inside ditch Hand excavated trench Cores outside ditch (not Cherry Copse) Ditch Hand excavate ditch fills Cross section view c. 0.55m Present soil c. 0.15m ‘Geology’ ‘Geology’ Ditch fills Step 2. Ditch fills are removed separately by hand until the ‘geology’ is reached. Artefacts recovered from each ditch fill are kept separate. Total station/GPS measurements are taken on the surface of the ‘geology’ to produce a surface model. Cores collected.

3. Strategyfor Harnhill Plan view Hand and machine excavated trench Ditch Cross section view c. 0.55m Present soil c. 0.15m 0.8-1.0m Ditch fills ‘Geology’ Step 3. Machine excavate trench to 0.8-1.0m depth across its entire area.

4. Strategyfor Harnhill Plan view Hand and machine excavated trench Ditch Cross section view Present soil c. 0.15m 0.8-1.0m ‘Geology’ Monolith samples Step 4. Draw and photograph both long sections. Collect geoarchaeological and geotechnical samples. Mark sample locations on section drawing and photograph in situ.

5. Strategyfor Harnhill Plan view Hand and machine excavated trench Ditch Cross section view Present soil c. 0.15m 0.8-1.0m Data logger, batteries etc. ‘Geology’ Sensors Step 5. Install monitoring equipment (on opposite long section from the monolith samples) Step 6. Machine backfill trench and compact

6. Strategyfor Harnhill Preliminary schedule: Day 1 (Monday 11 April): Survey in trenches and hand removal of present soil (ideally survey the trenches in the week before) – Step 1. Day 2 (Tuesday 12 April): Complete removal of topsoil and hand excavation of ditch fills. Production of archaeological written records (context sheets etc) – Steps 1-2. Collect cores. Day 3. (Wednesday 13 April – a long day!): Machine excavation of trenches, sections drawn and photographed, simultaneous collection of monolith samples and installation of probes/monitoring equipment, monolith and probe locations marked on section drawing and photographed, monolith samples extracted, trench machine backfilled – Steps 3-5. Day 4. (Thursday 14 April – if required): Compact backfilled area, reinstate and fence off, check monitoring equipment – Step 5.

7. Strategyfor Diddington Plan view Machine excavated trench Ditch Cross section view Present soil c. 0.30m ‘Geology’ ‘Geology’ Ditch fill Step 1. Trench surveyed in and present soil removed by machine to the level of the underlying geology / top of the uppermost ditch fill. Artefacts are recovered.

8. Strategyfor Diddington Plan view Cores inside ditch Machine excavated trench Cores outside ditch Ditch Hand excavate ditch fills Cross section view c. 1.00m Present soil c. 0.30m ‘Geology’ ‘Geology’ Ditch fills Step 2. Ditch fills are removed separately by hand until the ‘geology’ is reached. Artefacts recovered from each ditch fill are kept separate. Total station/GPS measurements are taken on the surface of the ‘geology’ to produce a surface model. Cores collected.

9. Strategyfor Diddington Plan view Machine excavated trench Ditch Cross section view c. 1.00m Present soil c. 0.30m 1.2m Ditch fills ‘Geology’ Step 3. Machine excavate trench to 1.2m depth across its entire area.

10. Strategyfor Diddington Plan view Hand and machine excavated trench Ditch Cross section view Present soil 1.2m ‘Geology’ Monolith samples Step 4. Draw and photograph both long sections. Collect geoarchaeological and geotechnical samples. Mark sample locations on section drawing and photograph in situ.

11. Strategyfor Diddington Plan view Machine excavated trench Ditch Cross section view Present soil 1.2m Data logger, batteries etc. ‘Geology’ Sensors Step 5. Install monitoring equipment (on opposite long section from the monolith samples) Step 6. Machine backfill trench and compact

12. Strategyfor Diddington Preliminary schedule: Day 1 : Survey in trenches and machine removal of present soil under archaeological supervision. Hand excavation of ditch fills – Steps 1-2. Day 2: Completion of excavation of ditch fills. Production of archaeological written records (context sheets etc) – Steps 1-2. Collect cores. Day 3: Machine excavation of box section, sections drawn and photographed, simultaneous collection of monolith samples and installation of probes/monitoring equipment, monolith and probe locations marked on section drawing and photographed, monolith samples extracted, trench machine backfilled – Steps 3-5. Day 4 (if required): Compact backfilled area, reinstate and fence off, check monitoring equipment – Step 5.