Longdales Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham: An Archaeological Evaluation 2007

Further archaeological work was undertaken at Longdales Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham (centred on NGR SP 05337761) by Birmingham Archaeology in June 2007 on instruction from Birmingham City Council. The work comprised trial-trenching adjoining the frontage of Icknield Street, and a small-scale salvage recording exercise adjoining an area excavated in 2006. Earlier work undertaken during 2002-2004 and in 2006 in advance of the cemetery development has comprised trial-trenching, area excavation and watching brief. This has identified a double-ditched enclosure complex possibly associated with animal husbandry, located to the rear of the Roman road frontage. Closer to the road frontage have been identified evidence of ditch plot divisions and other ditches, some possibly defining further enclosures. Occupation of this roadside area has been dated from the early/mid 2nd century to the late 3rd/early 4th century. The 2007 trial-trenching identified pebble surfaces alongside the Roman road frontage, similar to those identified by fieldwork further to the north during 2006. No other Roman, or possibly Roman features were encountered. The salvage recording provided an opportunity to further examine a ring-gully and adjoining ditched plot boundary, first investigated in 2006.