Trial trenching During November 2008 Oxford Archaeology carried out an archaeological field evaluation on behalf of Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd along the proposed route of the A421 Improvements: M1 Junction 13 to Bedford, between NGR SP 955 375 and TL 045 465. The evaluation has identified ten areas of archaeological remains. Six of these (Trench 48; Trench 54; Trenches 59-61; Trenches 91-2; Trenches 97-100; Trenches 114-120) are interpreted on the basis of the range of features and finds recorded as being possible settlement sites of late Iron Age or Roman date. Two further areas, where groups of ditches of uncertain date were recorded, may represent field boundaries forming part of a contemporary rural landscape. This pattern is consistent with the general picture established for rural areas of Bedfordshire during the late Iron Age and Roman period, which consists of small settlements interspersed with areas of fields. Only one of these sites, that in Area 7 (Trenches 114-120), has been identified as continuing in use into the later part of the Roman period. This subsequent decline in the number of settlements in relation to the late Iron Age/early Roman period may be attributed to the adoption of a less dispersed settlement pattern, with settlement becoming focused on villa estates. During the medieval period settlement became more nucleated, and this is demonstrated in the case of the current project by the limitation of remains of this period to a small area east of Lower End Farm, approximately defined by trenches 31, 34, 37 and 38. These remains form part of the deserted medieval village of Lower End, which extends into the development corridor at this location. The ubiquitous presence of furrows resulting from ridge and furrow cultivation indicates that much of the area encompassed by the scheme was farmland during this period. In January 2009, Oxford Archaeology undertook an evaluation by trial trenching of the proposed Berry Farm Borrow Area for Balfour Beatty. The site is centred on NGR: 500632, 243638. A total of ten trenches were excavated. The evaluation revealed two separate areas of archaeology. The first area was located in the NE corner of the site. It was comprised of pits and ditches, including a number of very wide linear features, potentially forming the boundary to a settlement. The second area of activity was located along the southern perimeter of the site. In this area the evaluation exposed a series of sub-rectangular...