Seven trial trenches were to be excavated to examine the character, date and degree of preservation of any identifiable archaeological remains. Topsoil was stripped by machine using a toothless bucket. This was often followed by further machine stripping in spits, of intermediate layers mainly colluvial / alluvial in origin, before archaeological deposits were exposed. Within the floodplain continual flooding from the base and sides of the trenches caused considerable difficulties in the identification and recording of the archaeological deposits present. (1) Grid ref centred on Site B. See E9459 for geophysical survey, E9460 for fieldwalking.