An area excavation was undertaken in December 2004-May 2005 within the western part of the interior and defences of Metchley Roman fort, Birmingham (central England) in advance of proposals for a new hospital development. This was the largest single excavation of the fort interior undertaken at Metchley, comprising an area of approximately 0.4ha, equivalent to approximately 9% of the total internal area of the Phase 1 and Phase 3 fort. This volume, the fourth in the reports, concentrates on the researches into the western fort interior, defences, and post-Roman activity.

Archaeological works conducted during construction of the Chalgrove to East Ilsley gas pipeline identified two large and thirty-two small sites. These were predominantly late prehistoric in date, with Iron Age deposits being the most abundant. A small amount of Neolithic and Bronze Age activity was recorded, and a single Saxon site was found. Very little Roman activity was encountered outside the two main sites. No medieval and only one postmedieval site was encountered, although many undated ditches and pits recorded during the watching brief were probably from these periods. The largest archaeological site encompassed three or four separate settlement areas. The second largest site appears to have been a single enclosed settlement, probably a farmstead, established in the early Iron Age and occupied until the early Roman period. The watching brief located sixteen datable smaller sites and a further sixteen sites containing only undateable features. The earliest features discovered were two early Neolithic pits. An earlier Bronze Age burial, probably a barrow, was found. The Roman road from Dorchester-on-Thames to Silchester was located. A single high status Saxon burial was discovered. One site contained 17th to 19th century domestic structures. Medieval or post-medieval furrows and field boundaries were identified at eight sites. Contents: Chapter One: Introduction; Chapter Two: Methodologies; Chapter Three: Site 11, Berrick Salome; Chapter Four: Everyday Life Before Berrick Salome; Chapter Five: Site 22, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell; Chapter Six: Everyday Life Before Brightwell-cum-Sotwell; Chapter Seven: Smaller Sites along the Pipeline Route; Chapter Eight: Conclusions: Pottery Tradition and the Pastoral Economy; Chapter Nine: Conclusions: Social Life and Social Change.