Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in North Warnborough, Hampshire, 2013 - 2017

Archaeological test pit excavations in North Warnborough, Hampshire, 2013 - 2017

Catherine Collins

2019

Access Cambridge Archaeology Department of Archaeology University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3ER

01223 761519

[email protected]

http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/

1 Introduction

A total of 54 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated over a five-year period between 2013 and 2017 in the village of North Warnborough in north Hampshire, as part of the Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS), formally known as the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) and run by Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) out of the University of Cambridge. North Warnborough is located c.12km east of Basingstoke and c.9km west of Fleet on the northern edge of the chalk downs. The village today is essentially linear in form, extending to about 1km along a gently curving south-west-north-east orientated street (the southern extent named North Warnborough Street and the northern extent Bridge Road). It lies c.0.5km east of the medieval castle of Odiham and 1km west of the larger settlement of Odiham and further settlement today extends either side of Dunley’s Hill which leads southeast to Odiham.

Compared to the extensively researched history of the royal holding of Odiham, much less is known about North Warnborough, although the name is recorded in late Anglo-Saxon charters with early forms of the name indicating it derives from the nearby river, Warnbourne or Weargaburna, also known as ‘felons’ stream, as it was where criminals were drowned. The tithing of North Warnborough was included with Odiham, a royal manor, in the Domesday Book of 1087 and Odiham Castle, the ruins of which are still present today to the west of the village, was built by King John in 1207, which he frequented often, and hunted in the nearby deer park. The First Edition of the Ordnance Survey map shows the late 19th century settlement to be smaller than it is today and almost exclusively arranged along North Warnborough Street and Bridge Road. There are several inns as well as a mill at the northern end of Bridge Road. The area either side of Dunley’s Hill is entirely occupied by fields, with the exception of a short row of half a dozen dwellings north of the road near Chapel House, sited c.200m east of the main settlement. North Warnborough today is included in Odiham Parish.

1.1 Access Cambridge Archaeology

Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) (http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/) is an archaeological outreach organisation based in the Department of Archaeology in the University of Cambridge, which aims to enhance economic, social and personal well-being through active engagement with archaeology. It was set up in 2004 and specialises in providing opportunities for members of the public to take part in purposeful, research- orientated archaeological investigations including excavation. Educational events and courses range in length from a few hours to a week or more and involve members of the public of all ages.

Since 2015, ACA has been managed by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) and thus have been able to work more closely with the unit to deliver outreach programmes such as the community excavations at Peterborough Cathedral in 2016, community test pitting activities in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The ACA and CAU collaboration has also enabled the continuation of the education outreach projects that involve work with both primary and secondary school pupils.

1.2 The Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA)

The Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) programme aims to raise the aspirations, enthusiasm and attainment of 14-17 year-olds with regard to higher education by making a valuable contribution to current academic research at the University of Cambridge. The three- day learning-extension course has been run by Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) since 2005, aimed at UK students in state schools years 9, 10 and 12. In 2016, the HEFA programme was renamed, the Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS), but the format of the programme remained the same.

On HEFA/ILAFS, participants spend two days running their own small (1m2) archaeological excavation within living villages, with the aim of applying and developing a wide range of learning skills, boosting their academic confidence and giving them a taste of life and learning at university level. They make new discoveries for and about themselves, and, in the process, contribute to the university's currently occupied rural settlement (CORS) research into the development of rural communities and settlements in the past. The third day is spent in the University of Cambridge analysing the excavation results in discursive learning sessions which aim to engage and challenge participants, prepare them to produce a written analysis for assessment as well as provide an inspirational and positive experience of higher education. After the field school, learners receive detailed individual feedback on their data collection, personal, learning and thinking skills developed during the fieldwork as well as their reporting and research skills exhibited in the written assignment, which will support applications to further and higher education.

2 Methodology

The five years of test pitting in North Warnborough were organised by ACA in conjunction with members of the Odiham Society and local residents. The excavation and records followed the standard Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) instruction handbook and recording booklet.

The test pit digging takes place over two days, which begins with an initial talk explaining the aims of the excavation, the procedures used in digging and recording the test pit and the correct and safe use of equipment. Participants are then divided into teams of three or four individuals, and each team is provided with a complete set of test pit excavation equipment, copies of the instruction handbook and a record booklet to enter excavation data into.

The test pits were all 1m2 and the turf, if present, was removed in neat squares by hand. Each test pit was excavated in a series of 10cm spits or contexts, to a maximum depth of 1.2m. The horizontal surface of each context/spit was then drawn at 1:10 scale before excavation, a photograph taken, and the colour of the soil recorded with reference to a standardised colour chart. A pro-forma recording system was used by participants to record their test pit excavation. This comprised a 16-page Test Pit Record booklet which was developed by ACA for use by people with no previous archaeological experience. Each pit and context are described and noted using the site code NWA/year, so NWA/13 for 2013, NWA/14 for 2014, NWA/15 for 2015, NWA/16 for 2016 and NWA/17 for 2017.

During the excavation, 100% of the spoil is sieved through a 10mm mesh (with the occasional exception of very heavy clay soils which have to be hand-searched). All artefacts are retained, cleaned and bagged by context. Cut and built features are planned at 1:10 and excavated sequentially with latest deposits removed first. Pottery and most other finds are identified promptly by archaeological experts on site who visit the test pits regularly providing advice and checking that the excavation is being carried out and recorded to the required standard. Test pits are excavated down to natural or the maximum safe depth of 1.2m, whichever is encountered first. A minority of test pits will stop on encountering a feature, (ancient or modern) which archaeological staff deem inadvisable or impossible to remove, and occasionally excavation may cease at a level above natural due to time constraints. On completion of each test pit excavation, all four sections are drawn at 1:10 along with the unexcavated base of the test pit prior to backfilling by hand and the turf replaced neatly to restore the site.

After the two days of excavation are completed, the archaeological records and finds (all of which are kept and cleaned on site) are retained by ACA at the University of Cambridge for analysis, reporting, archiving and submission to HER’s, publication and ongoing research into the origins and development of rural settlement. Ownership of objects rests in the first instance with the landowner, except where other law overrides this (e.g. Treasure Act 1996, 2006, Burials Act 1857). ACA retain all finds in the short term for analysis and ideally also in the longer term in order that the excavation archives will be as complete as possible, but any requests to return finds to owners will be agreed.

3 Results from the test pitting in North Warnborough

The approximate locations of the 54 test pits excavated in North Warnborough between May 2013 and June 2017 can be seen in figure 1 below (please note that the test pits are not to scale). Yearly this breaks down to 11 pits excavated in 2013, 10 in 2014, 12 in 2015, 11 in 2016 and nine pits excavated 2017, which all dug as part of the University of Cambridge’s HEFA/ILAFS programme. The data from each test pit is discussed in this section and set out in numerical order and by year. Most excavation was in spits measuring 10cm in depth, but in cases when a change in the character of deposits indicated a change in context, a new spit was started before 10cm.

Figure 1: Location map of all the North Warnborough test pits. Purple is 2013, red is 2014, green is 2015, blue is 2016 and yellow is 2017 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2019. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service 1: 5,000

4 2013 Test Pits (site code NWA/13)

The 2013 test pit excavations in North Warnborough were undertaken over the 20th and 21st of May, when a total of 11 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated by 43 Year 9 school pupils from Maiden Erlegh School, Robert Mays School, Cove School and Fort Hill Community School (school names correct at the time of participation). The test pits were excavated as part of the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA), run by ACA and funded by Cambridge Admissions Office out of the University of Cambridge.

The excavations were directed by Carenza Lewis, with onsite supervision provided by Catherine Collins, Clemency Cooper and Paul Blinkhorn, who also analysed the pottery. The test pits were mainly sited across the north of the village and were found by John Champion and Elizabeth Good of the Odiham Society.

Figure 2: North Warnborough 2013 test pit location map (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2019. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service 1: 5,000

Test Pit one (NWA/13/1)

Test pit one was excavated in the enclosed front garden of a Grade II Listed 18th century farmhouse set along the main road in the far south of the village (Adam’s Farm, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 472841 151144).

Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.44m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/13/1 dates to the 16th century and later with Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Harlow-type Slipware and 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares all identified.

Figure 3: Location map of NWA/13/1 GRE BW HSW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 1 2 2 8 1 4 1 1 1550-1900 1 3 3 17 12 33 1550-1900 1 4 5 27 1550-1600 1 5 1 3 1 4 1600-1700 Table 1: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/1 The limited finds and pottery that were excavated from NWA/13/1 suggest that the southern extent of the village was only settled into the 16th century and later, based on the results from the test pitting strategy. The majority of the land to the south of the core of the village was mostly farmland and likely remained as such on site until the current house was built in the 18th century. The few finds also recorded consist of tile, ceramic building material (CBM), clay pipe, coal, iron nails, mortar, a possible coin, pieces of scrap metal and slag, which is suggestive of metal working on or close to site.

Test Pit two (NWA/13/2)

Test pit two was excavated on scrub land to the rear of an 18th century Grade II Listed house which is set along the main road in the south of the village. The test pit was also close to the track of Tunnel’s Lane (Orchards, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 472955 151575).

Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of medieval Surrey Whiteware was recorded from NWA/13/2, whilst the rest of the pottery identified dates to the 16th century and later. The pottery found consists of Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Cologne Stoneware, Harlow-type Slipware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware.

Figure 4: Location map of NWA/13/2

SWW GRE BW WCS HSW SMW SWSG TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 2 1 1 6 1 9 1 1 1550-1750 2 2 4 46 1550-1600 2 3 4 20 1 7 1550-1600 2 4 1 50 2 77 3 8 1 2 1550-1750 2 5 1 1 1 5 1 2 1230-1700 2 6 2 23 1550-1600 Table 2: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/2 The single sherd of medieval pottery that was excavated from NWA/13/2 most probably suggests that the site was open fields at that time, as it is situated to the south of the likely medieval core of the village, as identified through test pitting. The large amount of post medieval pottery and the finds that were also recovered suggest more intense activity from the 16th century and likely until the current house was built in the 18th century and the land was divided. The site has also likely been utilised for the disposal of rubbish in more recent times. The finds consist of tile, CBM, mortar, concrete, fragments of tarmac, coal, glass, oyster shell, iron nails, a horseshoe, snail shells, burnt tile, lead tubing and a metal bracket.

Test Pit three (NWA/13/3)

Test pit three was excavated in the long enclosed rear garden of a Grade II Listed 17th century house, set back from the main road in the centre of the village (Clevedge House, Bridge Road, North Warnborough. SU 473087 151628).

Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.62m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/13/3 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Single sherds of Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware were also recorded from context two.

Figure 5: Location map of NWA/13/3

EMW GRE SMW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 3 1 3 19 1800-1900 3 2 1 3 1 4 1 1 16 116 1070-1900 3 3 40 200 1800-1900 3 4 13 62 1800-1900 3 5 8 44 1800-1900 3 6 11 62 1800-1900

Table 3: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/3

The limited pre-19th century finds and pottery suggest that the site was likely left as open fields until the current house was built, possibly due to its location to the south of the village core. The finds consist of tile, CBM, coal, slate, glass, mortar, iron nails, a horseshoe, pieces of scrap metal and a number of pieces of slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site. Natural was thought to have been reached but finds were still coming out of the natural clay, suggesting that much of the soil may have been bought in from elsewhere, particularly as the garden is a lot higher that the land closer to the house.

Test Pit four (NWA/13/4)

Test pit four was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house, which extended to the south behind the neighbouring properties (Wycliffe House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 473190 151790).

Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.5m, at which natural was probably found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A wide range of pottery types were excavated from NWA/13/4, the majority of which dates to the 16th century and later. These have been identified as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Delft Ware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Additional sherds of both Early Medieval Sandy Ware and Surrey Whiteware were both also recorded with a single sherd of Roman pottery.

Figure 6: Location map of NWA/13/4

RB EMW SWW GRE BW DW SMW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 4 2 1 12 1550-1600 4 3 1 10 2 9 1 17 5 10 1070-1900 4 4 2 8 2 9 2 63 1 3 3 10 5 17 1070-1900 4 5 2 10 1 11 1 3 3 9 1230-1900 Table 4: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/4 The Roman pottery found at NWA/13/4 was the only Roman pottery recorded from the village so far, through the test pitting strategy. The single sherd may suggest that the land was only fields at that time, but it may be related to the Roman house and road that have previously been identified in the village. The medieval activity on site is also limited but does suggest potential occupation on site between the 11th and 14th centuries. This occupation continued on site again into the 16th century and through to the present day. A small mix of finds were also recovered and consist of glass, CBM, tile, metal mesh material, pieces of scrap iron, and coal.

Test Pit five (NWA/13/5)

Test pit five was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a Grade II Listed 17h century former public house, set along the main road in the north of the village (The Cat, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 473216 151871).

Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.8m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A wide range of 16th century and later pottery types were recorded from NWA/13/5, the majority of which date as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Other wares identified include Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware. A single sherd of medieval Surrey Whiteware was also found from context five. Figure 7: Location map of NWA/13/5

SWW GRE BW SMW EST SWSG VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 5 1 1 16 2 20 2 4 62 190 1550-1900 5 3 6 34 1 3 1 5 63 171 1550-1900 5 4 3 23 1 20 1 3 52 130 1550-1900 5 5 1 1 8 63 1 4 40 147 1230-1900 5 6 4 270 5 12 1550-1900 5 7 3 15 21 281 1 1 6 14 1550-1900 5 8 6 36 1800-1900 Table 5: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/5 The majority of the finds and pottery date to after the construction of the house during the 17th century and consist mainly of building rubble, metal work and glass. Other finds recorded are clay pipe, pieces of fabric, horseshoe fragments, iron nails, scrunched foil, melted glass, slate, a slate pencil and a large metal fixing. A large amount of disturbance was also noted during the 19th century. The limited medieval pottery found, suggests that the site may have been open fields during the 13th century, despite its quite central location in the village.

Test Pit six (NWA/13/6)

Test pit six was excavated in the enclosed side garden adjacent to an 18th century addition, to 16th century Grade II Listed buildings set along the road in the north of the village (10 Castle Bridge Cottages, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 473241 151934).

Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Figure 8: Location map of NWA/13/6 The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/13/6 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, but a range of both medieval and post medieval wares were also recorded. These consist of Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Surrey Whiteware, German Stoneware, Late Medieval Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware.

EMW SWW GS LMT GRE BW SMW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 6 1 1 1 1 3 8 13 1450-1900 6 2 1 8 1 20 40 98 1550-1900 6 3 1 3 46 81 1550-1900 6 4 2 5 1 2 1 5 21 91 1070-1900 6 5 2 7 1 6 28 101 1070-1900 6 6 4 15 1 8 1 2 1 1 6 11 1230-1900 6 7 1 4 1 1 3 12 1070-1600 Table 6: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/6 The pottery results suggest that there was occupation on site during the high medieval period until sometime in the 14th century. Activity is evident again on site when the probable two original farmhouses were built in the 16th century, with a particular high volume of disturbances evident from the 18th century, when the buildings were likely divided up and the southern extension added. The finds also found consist of glass, plastic tubing, pieces of scrap metal, CBM, coal, slate, metal fixings, tile, concrete, clay pipe, a half penny coin dated 1948, iron nails and pieces of plastic.

Test Pit seven (NWA/13/7)

Test pit seven was excavated in the large enclosed rear garden of a Grade II Listed 18th century house set back from the road and opposite the River Whitewater (Whitewater House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 473232 152098).

Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.6m, at which natural was probably found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A large amount of medieval pottery was recorded from NWA/13/7, with both Early Medieval Sandy Ware and Surrey Whiteware identified. Single sherds of both Glazed Red Earthenware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware were also recorded with 21 sherds of Figure 9: Location map of NWA/13/7 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, found through the upper half of the test pit.

EMW SWW GRE SMW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 7 1 1 2 1 5 1680-1900 7 2 1 12 1 1 1 1 18 52 1070-1900 7 3 3 37 2 4 2 4 1070-1900 7 4 10 70 1070-1230 7 5 6 39 1070-1230 Table 7: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/7 The pottery evidence suggests that there was occupation at NWA/13/7 between the 11th and 13th centuries that may be due to its prominent location along the riverside. After the high medieval period there was likely a shift in occupation patterns in the village as the site most probably became open fields until the current house was built in the 18th century. The site of the test pit away from the house may also account for the small amount of finds and later pottery that was also recovered, suggesting little in the way of recent disturbances. The finds consist of glass, CBM, coal, oyster shell, tile, clay pipe, modern screws, concrete, iron nails, possible burnt CBM, a metal tube container and slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site.

Test Pit eight (NWA/13/8)

Test pit eight was excavated in the enclosed front garden of a modern house set on the northern bank of the River Whitewater in the north of the village (Chantries, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 473128 152180).

Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.5m, at which natural was probably found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/13/8 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, although two sherds of Glazed Red Earthenware Figure 10: Location map of NWA/13/8 were also recovered.

GRE VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 8 1 18 46 1800-1900 8 2 1 24 15 29 1550-1900 8 3 1 24 13 39 1550-1900 8 4 1 1 1800-1900 Table 8: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/8 From the test pitting so far undertaken in North Warnborough there is no evidence for medieval occupation to the north of the River Whitewater and the limited post medieval pottery recorded from NWA/13/8 suggests that this area was likely still open fields until the 18th or 19th century. A small mix of finds were also recorded with later pottery through the test pit and consist of tile, clay pipe, coal, iron nails, glass, CBM, a metal button and pieces of scrap metal.

Test Pit nine (NWA/13/9)

Test pit nine was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set immediately northeast of Odium Castle and north of the River Whitewater (Castle House, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 472790 152037).

Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to the presence of the water table, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Two sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were only excavated from NWA/13/9.

VIC TP Context No Wt Date Range 9 2 1 2 1800-1900 9 3 1 6 1800-1900 Table 9: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/9 Figure 11: Location map of NWA/13/9

Despite the location of NWA/13/9 just to the northeast of Odium Castle, which was built in the early 13th century, the test pit was also sited to the north of the River Whitewater. Other test pits that have been excavated on the northern side of the river have yielded no pre-16th century pottery and it seems highly likely that this area was left as open fields until the later 20th century when the cluster of modern houses were built. A very small number of finds were also recovered from the test pit and consist of tile, CBM and glass.

Test Pit 10 (NWA/13/10)

Test pit 10 was excavated towards the south-west corner of a grass meadow, just outside the scheduled area for Odium Castle, sited immediately to the west (Castle Meadow, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 472673 151827).

Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.3m, at which natural and the water table were both found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of Border Ware was recorded with two sherds of Victorian pottery.

Figure 12: Location map of NWA/13/10

BW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 10 2 1 7 1 3 1550-1900 10 3 1 1 1800-1900 Table 10: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/10 All the finds and pottery that were excavated from NWA/13/10 date from the 19th century and later apart from a single sherd of post medieval pottery. This suggests that the site has likely always remained as open fields, despite its proximity to the early 13th century castle. From this test pit there is no evidence for any activity or occupation in relation to the castle. The few finds found consist of plastic food wrappers, coal, tile, CBM and bottle glass.

Test Pit 11 (NWA/13/11)

Test pit 11 was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a likely 18th/19th century cottage set immediately north of the canal crossing in the west of the village (1 Castle View, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 472850 151787).

Test pit 11 was excavated to a depth of 0.45m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/13/11 are 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, with a range of post medieval wares. These have been identified as Glazed Red Earthenware, Figure 13: Location map of NWA/13/11 Border Ware, Delft Ware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and English Stoneware. An additional three sherds of medieval pottery were also found, including both Early Medieval Sandy Ware and Surrey Whiteware.

EMW SWW GRE BW DW SMW EST VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 11 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 1550-1900 11 2 1 4 1 2 2 13 2 5 14 58 1070-1900 11 3 1 5 1 2 1 3 29 57 1550-1900 11 4 1 6 1 28 1 44 29 115 1070-1900 11 5 5 16 1800-1900 Table 11: The pottery excavated from NWA/13/11 The limited medieval pottery suggests that there may have been occupation during the 11th - 14th centuries on site and again after the 16th century when the castle went out of use. The current cottages were originally built for textile workers and dyers, and the later pottery and finds suggest that there was a greater deal of disturbances evident on site after the current cottages were built. The finds consist of brick, CBM, tile, iron nails and bolts, modern bolts and screws, pieces of scrap metal, glass, coal, concrete, mortar, clay pipe, a metal button, metal mesh material, a bullet casing, slag, scrunched foil and a small decorative metal cross (figure 14).

Figure 14: Decorative cross found from NWA/13/11, context 1 (scale in cm) © ACA 18

5 2014 Test Pits (site code NWA/14)

On the 25th and 26th of June 2014, a second year of archaeological test pit excavations were undertaken in North Warnborough by 40 Year 9 pupils from Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College, The Robert Mays School, The Costello School and Fort Hill Community School (school names correct at time of excavation). The test pits were excavated as part of the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA), run by ACA and funded by Cambridge Admissions Office out of the University of Cambridge.

The excavations were directed by Carenza Lewis, with onsite supervision provided by Catherine Collins, Clemency Cooper and Paul Blinkhorn, who also analysed the pottery. Ten test pits were dug in 2014, to add to the 11 that were opened in 2013, to bring the total so far dug in North Warnborough to 21. This year however, the majority of the test pits were concentrated in the south of the village and were found by John Champion and Elizabeth Good of the Odiham Society.

Figure 15: North Warnborough 2014 test pit location map (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2019. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service 1: 5,000

Test Pit one (NWA/14/1)

Test pit one was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set on the main road to Odiham in the east of the village (Danetree Cottage, Dunley’s Hill, North Warnborough. SU 73386 51399).

Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A wide range of pottery types were excavated from NWA/14/1, although the vast majority date from the 16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Delft Ware, Harlow-type Slipware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware, English Stoneware, Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware and as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. An additional four sherds of Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Surrey Figure 16: Location map of NWA/14/1 Whiteware and Late Medieval Transitional Ware were also recorded from the test pit with a single sherd of Later Bronze Age pottery (see table 12 below).

The single sherd of late Bronze Age pottery is the first to be found through the test pitting strategy in North Warnborough and does show that there was a probable settlement in the area at that time, although its exact location and proximity to NWA/14/1 is still unknown. Possible small isolated settlements may also have been in existence here during the medieval period south and east of the core focus of medieval settlement as identified through test pitting. More consistent activity was however noted on site from the 16th century onwards, likely as part of an expansion to the village, particularly along the road to Odiham. A mix of finds were also recorded through the test pit, also showing that there has likely been quite a bit of disturbances also on site. These consist of tile, CBM, clay pipe, part of a small china dolls house bowl, oyster and snail shell, iron nails, coal, strips of metal, slate, glass, mortar, iron bolts, and metal fixings with pieces of scrap metal. A 1911 sixpence coin was also found in context three (figure 17).

Figure 17: Silver sixpence dated 1911 found from NWA/14/1, context 3 (scale in cm) © ACA

BA EMW SWW LMT GRE BW DW HSW SMW EST SWSG VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 1 1 1 4 1 21 1 3 1550-1900 1 2 1 6 1 21 1 5 15 133 19 36 1200BC-1900 1 3 11 54 2 13 11 18 1550-1900 1 4 7 54 2 4 2 4 1 3 1 8 1550-1750 1 5 1 8 1 13 1 19 1 4 2 48 1 2 1 1 1100-1750 Table 12: The pottery excavated from NWA/14/1

Test Pit two (NWA/14/2)

Test pit two was excavated in the open front garden between a Grade II listed likely original late 16th century cottage and the main road to Odiham in the east of the village (Stratford Lodge, Dunley’s Hill, North Warnborough. SU 73340 51423)

Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to the presence of the water table, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/14/1 dates to the 16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Chinese Porcelain and as a number of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

Figure 18: Location map of NWA/14/2

GRE CP VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 2 1 1 1 3 11 1550-1900 2 3 20 47 1800-1900 2 4 2 28 1 5 6 26 1550-1900 Table 13: The pottery excavated from NWA/14/2

Similarly to the results of NWA/14/1 just to the east, the focus of activity from NWA/14/2 also dates from the 16th century and later when there was a probable expansion of the village, especially along the road to Odiham, which is also from when the current house also dates. Disturbances in the 19th century and later are evident from the test pit, particularly as a mix of finds were also recorded through the test pit. These consist of tile, CBM, slate, iron nails, glass, clay pipe, oyster shell and fragments of burnt tile.

Test Pit three (NWA/14/3)

Test pit three was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern bungalow set in the south of the village (Milronda, Queens Road, North Warnborough. SU 73253 51393).

Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Four sherds of Roman pottery were recorded from HIN/14/3 that were also mixed in with medieval and post medieval wares. These have been identified as Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Surrey Whiteware, Glazed Red Earthenware and as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. .

Figure 19: Location map of NWA/14/3

RB EMW SWW GRE VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 3 1 1 6 3 11 100-1900 3 2 1 3 1 4 6 28 35 82 100-1900 3 3 1 6 2 2 100-1900 3 4 1 2 1 8 2 4 100-1900 3 5 1 6 1 5 4 27 1100-1900 Table 14: The pottery excavated from NWA/14/3

Although only a small amount of Roman pottery was recorded from NWA/14/3 it is possible that the area was utilised for settlement at that time, perhaps as isolated farmsteads as this test pit is one of only two excavated in North Warnborough that have so far yielded Roman pottery, through the test pitting strategy. The limited medieval and post medieval finds also suggest that there was marginal activity here at that time and the land has likely remained as open fields until the current housing estate was built in the later 20th century. The majority of the finds also recorded are more recent in date and are likely relating to manuring of the fields, particularly from the 19th century, and consist of modern CBM, fragments of breeze block, coal, twine, plastic, iron nails, tile, CBM, asbestos, plastic wrappers, metal wire, mortar/cement, glass and oyster shell.

Test Pit four (NWA/14/4)

Test pit four was excavated in the side garden of a probable 19th-20th century cottage set along the main road in the south of the village (The Old Post Office, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU72974 51312).

Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.3m, at which a mortar, chalk and flint wall was encountered. Excavations continued around the wall to between 0.46 and 0.67m in depth, at which natural was found. Excavations were then halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares although an additional two sherds of medieval Surrey Whiteware were also recorded from context one.

SWW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range Figure 20: Location map of NWA/14/4 4 1 2 9 3 19 1230-1900 4 2 2 2 1800-1900 4 3 2 15 1800-1900 4 4B 1 1 1800-1900 Table 15: The pottery excavated from NWA/14/4

A wall was encountered towards the base of the NWA/14/4 and was orientated north-south also running parallel to the current road (figures 21 and 22). It was mainly constructed out of mortar, chalk and flint and had a similar orange clay soil on either side, so in the limited time available it was not known if the wall was that of a structure and if so what side would have been internal to the building. This wall was also at an oblique angle to the current house so it presumably pre-dates it but given the large amount of disturbances also recorded above the wall, relating to the occupation of the current house, a definite date for the wall is unknown at this stage. The single sherd of medieval pottery may represent earlier occupation on elsewhere on site, but the single sherd is not enough to prove that there was occupation here in this case. A small mix of finds were also recorded with the Victorian pottery and consist of fragments of concrete, tile, CBM, glass, modern drain, clay pipe, pieces of scrap metal, central battery core, plastic tubing, a metal button and a piece of painted mortar/cement.

Figure 21: The top of the possible wall feature in NWA/14/4 © ACA

Figure 22: The wall trench after excavation in NWA/14/4 © ACA

Test Pit five (NWA/14/5)

Test pit five was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far south of the village (16 Laurel Close, North Warnborough. SU 73019 51221).

Test pit five was excavated to a depth of between 0.5m and 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A small amount of pottery was excavated from NWA/14/5 and has been identified as Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware and as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

EMW GRE VIC Figure 23: Location map of NWA/14/5 TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 5 1 1 5 1 3 1550-1900 5 2 1 15 1 5 1100-1600 5 3 2 5 1800-1900 5 5 3 24 1550-1600 5 6 1 3 1100-1250 Table 16: The pottery excavated from NWA/14/5

Although only a limited amount of medieval pottery was excavated from NWA/14/5, it may have been part of a small area of settlement in the south of the current village as so far identified through the test pitting. It is also possible that occupation was again evident in the 16th century as well, as the village expanded, this area may have originally been part of a farm, prior to the construction of the current housing estate in the later 20th century. A small mix of finds were also recorded from NWA/14/5, which also suggest that there was quite a bit of disturbances evident, particularly from when the house was built. These consist of tarmac, coal, Bakelite, iron nails, tile, CBM, pieces of scrap metal, brick, glass, long strips of metal, slate and fragments of modern brick.

Test Pit six (NWA/14/6)

Test pit six was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a 15th century Grade II listed cottage along the main road in the south of the village (Cruck Cottage, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 72896 51255).

Test pit six was excavated to a depth of between 0.59m and 0.66m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single small sherd of Early Medieval Sandy Ware was recorded from NWA/14/6, while the rest of the pottery dates from the 15th century and later, after the current house was built. A wide range of pottery types have been identified and consists of Late Medieval Transitional Ware, Tudor Green Ware, German Stoneware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Delft Ware, Harlow-type Slipware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware with a number of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares (see table 17 below).

The vast majority of both the finds and pottery date to after the construction of the current house during the 15th century, after which it seems to have been in constant occupation. An increase in disturbances were evident during the 19th century and later, which have also been why so many of the later finds were also mixed through the test pit. These consist of tile, CBM, plastic wrappers, breeze block fragments, cement/concrete, strips of metal, plastic, glass, U shaped metal tacks, metal rods, iron nails, clay pipe, plastic drinks bottle cap, metal draw handles, painted concrete, coal, modern nails, slate, mortar, fragments of modern drain, milk bottle tops, oyster shell, a china dolls house lid for a container, metal bolts, part of a horseshoe and the springs from clothes pegs. The limited medieval activity that was also noted suggests that the site may have been peripheral to the small focus of medieval settlement in the south of the village as noted by the test pitting strategy.

EMW LMT TG GS GRE BW DW HSW EST SWSG VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 6 1 4 17 2 5 1550-1900 6 2 1 3 3 27 21 64 1100-1900 6 3B 1 5 8 90 1 1 1 2 32 74 1400-1900 6 4 1 8 1 10 2 10 1 4 3 6 13 48 1400-1900 6 6 1 5 1 216 5 16 1 1 1 10 66 179 1450-1900 Table 17: The pottery excavated from NWA/14/6

Test Pit seven (NWA/14/7)

Test pit seven was excavated in the open front garden of a likely 19th century cottage set back from the main road in the south of the village (Vine Cottage, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 72936 51287).

Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.42m, at which a mortar, flint and chalk possible wall was found. Excavations continued around the wall to 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of medieval Surrey Whiteware was recorded from NWA/14/7, although the rest of the pottery excavated from the test pit dates from the mid-16th century and later. Glazed Red Earthenware, Figure 24: Location map of NWA/14/7 Border Ware, Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware and 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were all identified.

SWW GRE BW SWSG VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 7 1 4 19 1 2 19 40 1550-1900 7 3 3 28 2 2 22 43 1550-1900 7 4 1 9 3 40 21 42 1230-1900 7 5 2 2 2 5 2 7 1550-1900 7 5B+C 1 1 1800-1900 Table 18: The pottery excavated from NWA/14/7 A possible wall was found towards the base of NWA/14/7 and was orientated at right angles to the current house and the road in a northwest-southeast direction (figures 25 and 26). The soil to the right of the wall (north) was heavy with flint, clay and chalk and may have been part of a floor surface internal to the building. Much like the wall that was identified in NWA/14/4, a date for this feature in the limited time available was not able to be decided upon. A large amount of 16th century and later pottery was also recorded from the test pit which may suggest that it pre-dates this and the location of the wall suggests it could have had its frontage right on the road. Further work would be needed to confirm this. A mix of later finds were also recorded above the wall and consist of tile, CBM, clay pipe, coal, iron nails, glass, slate, metal buttons, slag, pieces of scrap metal, possible glazed tile, a plastic button and oyster shell.

Figure 25: Top of the possible wall feature in NWA/14/7 © ACA

Figure 26: Wall under excavation in NWA/14/7 © ACA

Test Pit eight (NWA/14/8)

Test pit eight was excavated in the enclosed front garden of an 1820’s cottage on the northern bank of the canal in the west of the village (Little Grebe Cottage, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 72899 51776).

Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of between 0.4m and 0.5m. Natural was not found but due to time constraints and the presence of the water table, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/14/8 dates to 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. These were all mixed in with a number of 15th century and later wares that have been identified as Late Medieval Transitional Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and English Stoneware.

Figure 27: Location map of NWA/14/8 LMT GRE BW SMW EST VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 8 1 1 7 13 50 1550-1900 8 2 1 2 2 16 1 4 76 246 1400-1900 8 3 1 1 1 5 59 195 1550-1900 8 4 3 47 1 1 1 1 47 148 1550-1900 8 5 6 119 42 157 1550-1900

A great deal of disturbances are noted on site, particularly from the 19th century and after the current house was built as a mix of both finds and pottery were found mixed through the test pit. A pipe was also recorded from context four, which would also have disturbed a lot of the ground, particularly if this close to the canal the water table is always as high as it was during the excavation, digging generally across the garden may only have been able to a certain depth before the water table was reached. The large mix of finds consist of tile, CBM, concrete, cement, oyster shell, coal, slag, slate, glass, a small cutlery handle, metal drinks bottle cap, pieces of scrap metal, iron nails, mortar, fragments of horseshoe, metal wire and burnt CBM. Earlier pottery also recovered from the test pit suggests that there was activity on site during the 15th and 16th century also, potentially one of only four sites so far identified in the village to have survived the Black Death and other socio-economic upheavals of the 14th century.

Test Pit nine (NWA/14/9)

Test pit nine was excavated in the enclosed front garden of a Grade II listed 17th/18th century cottage set back from the main road in the north of the village (The Thatched Cottage, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73174 51945).

Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.4m, at which a pipe was found in the western half of the test pit. Excavations continued in the eastern half of the pit only to 0.54m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/14/9 dates from the mid-16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Delft Ware, Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware and as Victorian.

Figure 28: Location map of NWA/14/9

GRE BW DW SWSG VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 9 2 3 18 1 1 1 1 14 29 1550-1900 9 3 1 2 8 23 1550-1900 9 4 1 22 1 2 15 23 1550-1900 9 5 1 30 8 16 1550-1900

All the pottery and finds date to around the time of the construction of the current house during the 17th century, prior to which the land was likely open fields. A great deal more disturbance is noted into the 19th century and from when the majority of the finds seem to date. These consist of CBM, coal, concrete, glass, tile, clay pipe, slag, pieces of scrap metal, a toy metal bus/train, asbestos and iron nails. .

Test Pit 10 (NWA/14/10)

Test pit 10 was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of what was originally likely two farmhouses built in the 16th century (Grade II listed) that were later joined and extended in the 18th/19th century, and are situated along the main road in the north of the village (8 Castlebridge Cottages, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73245 51955).

Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.7m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test Figure 29: Location map of NWA/14/10 pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/14/10 dates as Victorian, although a small number of both medieval and post medieval wares were also recorded. These have been identified as Surrey Whiteware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware.

SWW GRE BW SMW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 10 1 4 111 1 2 19 75 1550-1900 10 2 1 35 39 115 1550-1900 10 3 7 18 1800-1900 10 4 1 3 1 2 29 109 1550-1900 10 5 1 7 15 21 1550-1900 10 6 1 8 1 8 5 15 1230-1900

Over 60+ horn cores were recorded from the lower two contexts of NWA/14/10, with plenty more still visible in the sides of the test pit (figures 30 and 31). There was no evidence for a pit or trench cut within the confines of the test pit, but the layout of the bones suggest that it may have been deposited in a ditch as the bones were found diagonally through the test pit (northwest to southeast). Local records state that there was a tannery in this area, and the remains from the test pit prove that to be the case here, most likely during the 19th century, when also the majority of the finds and pottery also date. The rest of the finds consist of tile, CBM, coal, plastic cap, rubber tube casing, glass, mortar, brick, fragments of modern drain, part of a horseshoe, iron nails, slate, oyster shell, a tiny metal ringer ring, strips of metal, pieces of scrap metal, foil, part of a small white figurine, a china dolls head, clay pipe and slag. Earlier pottery remains are also evident from when the cottages were originally built during the 16th century and do suggest that the buildings have been continuously occupied. The limited evidence of medieval pottery may also suggest the possibility of activity in the area at that time, although it may be peripheral to more intense settlements along Hood Road.

Figure 30: A small sample of the horn cores excavated from the lower contexts of NWA/14/10 © ACA

Figure 31: Some of the horn cores that came out of NWA/14/10 during excavation © ACA

6 2015 Test Pits (site code NWA/15)

2015 was the third year of test pitting in North Warnborough and was undertaken over the 25th and 26th of March, when 12 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated by 48 Year 9 students from Connaught School, The Costello School, Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College, The Robert Mays School and Fort Hill Community School (school names correct at time of participation). The test pits were excavated as part of the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA), and run by ACA, funded by Cambridge Admissions Office out of the University of Cambridge.

The excavations were directed by Carenza Lewis, with onsite supervision provided by Catherine Collins, Laure Bonner and Paul Blinkhorn, who also analysed the pottery. The test pits were sited in two clusters, one in the north of the village around Mill Corner and the other to the south of the Basingstoke Canal. All the sites were found by John Champion and Elizabeth Good of the Odiham Society.

Figure 32: North Warnborough 2015 test pit location map (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2019. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service 1: 5,000

Test Pit one (NWA/15/1)

Test Pit one was excavated in the enclosed front garden of a modern house set in the far north of the village and just north of the River Whitewater (Meadow View, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 73128 52199).

Test Pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/15/1 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

VIC TP Cntxt No Wt Date Range Figure 33: Location map of NWA/15/1 1 2 4 14 1800-1900 1 4 1 1 1800-1900 1 5 5 23 1800-1900 1 6 2 7 1800-1900 Table 19: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/1

The large amount of modern building debris, including large metal objects and concrete that were likely spread over the front garden of Meadow View suggests a great deal of disturbance of land, likely in relation to a probable earlier house on the site, as indicated by later 19th century maps of the village as well as to the construction of the current house. As the mix of 19th century and later pottery and finds were found through all the contexts excavated, any potential earlier activity was not able to be found in the time available. The rest of the finds also recorded consist of modern glazed tile, asbestos, iron nails, tile, CBM, glass, an engine cap from a Ford vehicle, a plastic handle, an empty tube of glue, a plastic screw cap for CALOR, a metal hook and chain, fragments of modern drain, plates or corroded iron, a metal can pull, iron rods, twisted wire and a foil denture packet.

Test Pit two (NWA/15/2)

Test Pit two was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a grade II listed 17th century former barn at right angles to the main road in the north of the village (The Barn House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73217 52046).

Test Pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of high medieval Figure 34: Location map of NWA/15/2 Surrey Whiteware was recorded from NWA/15/2 that was found with three sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

SWW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 2 1 1 4 1800-1900 2 2 2 2 1800-1900 2 3 1 6 1230-1400 Table 20: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/2

The small amount of both finds and pottery that were excavated from NWA/15/2 suggest that the site may have had peripheral use to more intense settlement elsewhere, particularly during the medieval period, but until the barn was built during the 17th century. After this time, it seems likely that there has been little in the way of activity on the land even after it was incorporated into the garden as seen today. The few finds found consist of CBM, tile, glass, and slate and oyster shell.

Test Pit three (NWA/15/3)

Test Pit three was excavated in the open front garden of a modern semi-detached house to the north of a large modern estate built in the east of the village, on land that used to be part of a deer park (30 King Johns Road, North Warnborough. SU 73363 51727).

Test Pit three was excavated to a depth of between 0.7m and 0.78m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Single sherds of both Glazed Red Earthenware and 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were both excavated from NWA/15/3.

GRE VIC Figure 35: Location map of NWA/15/3 TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 3 4 1 2 1800-1900 3 6 1 17 1550-1600 Table 21: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/3

The site of the modern estate here is reputed to have been part of a deer park during the medieval period, which may explain the lack of pre-16th century finds from the test pit. There seems to be a small amount of activity in the area during the 16th and 19th centuries, but it would have been peripheral to the main focus of activity in the village both to the south and west. The majority of the finds date from the construction of the estate during the later 20th century and consist of tile, CBM, fragments of tarmac, modern brick and CBM, iron nails, pieces of concrete, glass and an unidentified metal disc fragment.

Test Pit four (NWA/15/4)

Test Pit four was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern semi-detached property in the middle of a modern estate set to the east of the village, on land that used to be part of a deer park (12 Castle Rise, North Warnborough. SU 73368 51579).

Test Pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/15/4 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares but two sherds of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware were also recorded. Figure 36: Location map of NWA/15/4 GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 4 1 2 11 1800-1900 4 2 1 15 4 14 1550-1900 4 3 1 20 2 5 1550-1900 4 4 1 2 1800-1900 Table 22: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/4

Much like the results from NWA/15/3, the excavation results from NWA/15/4 suggest that as the site was also part of the deer park during the medieval period, there is no evidence for activity prior to the post medieval period. After that time the site is still peripheral to the main focus for activity, which is to the south and west although there seems to have been an increase of activity into the 19th century, perhaps the land was farmed prior to the construction of the current estate during the later 20th century. The few finds also recorded consist of CBM, tile, a fragment of blue linoleum, a metal button and pieces of bottle glass.

Test Pit five (NWA/15/5)

Test Pit five was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern semi-detached house set along the eastern fringes of a modern estate to the east of the village, on land that used to be part of a deer park (4 Chapel Pond Drive, North Warnborough. SU 73394 51531).

Test Pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/15/5 dates to the 16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware and Verwood Ware. An additional five sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were also recorded. Figure 37: Location map of NWA/15/5

GRE BW VER VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 5 1 1 2 1800-1900 5 3 2 14 1800-1900 5 4 1 12 1550-1900 5 6 3 30 1 4 3 10 1550-1900 Table 23: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/5

The results from NWA/15/5 are similar in date to those that were recorded from both NWA/15/3 and NWA/15/4, both also situated on the same modern estate that was originally part of a medieval deer park. Again, it looks as if there was no activity on this part of the estate until the post medieval period, when the land may have been used for farming and likely still peripheral to the main focus of settlement to the west and south. A larger number of finds were also found from test pit five, suggesting that there has actually been more a disturbance in the land and to a greater depth, likely when the current house was built. The finds consist of modern brick and CBM fragments, tile, CBM, mortar, iron nails, painted mortar/plaster, plastic wire covering, glass, pieces of tarmac, slate, cement, coal, a fragment of a metal toy car and a glass marble.

Test Pit six (NWA/15/6)

Test Pit six was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern property set in the far southeast of the village next to open fields (Deer Park Lodge, Dunley’s Hill, North Warnborough. SU 73454 51455).

Test Pit six was excavated to a depth of between 0.4m and 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Single sherds of Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware and Staffordshire Figure 38: Location map of NWA/15/6 White Salt-Glazed Stoneware were all recorded from NWA/15/6 with two sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

EMW GRE SWSG VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 6 2 1 9 2 6 1720-1900 6 4 1 2 1 1 1100-1600 Table 24: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/6

The land at NWA/15/6 may have been peripheral to the deer park during the medieval period or just inside it and may explain why there are little in the way of finds at this time. It is likely that the land has been kept as open fields again through the post medieval, until this part of the village was developed during the later 20th century. The few finds also recorded consist of CBM, clay pipe, coal, tile, a horseshoe and fragments of scrap metal.

Test Pit seven (NWA/15/7)

Test Pit seven was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far southeast of the village (Danetree Cottage, Dunley’s Hill, North Warnborough. SU 73395 51402).

Test Pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.85m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/15/7 dates from the 16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Harlow-type Slipware, Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware and as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Figure 39: Location map of NWA/15/7

GRE BW HSW SWSG VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 7 1 1 21 1 3 3 19 1550-1900 7 2 3 45 11 26 1550-1900 7 3 1 7 13 19 1550-1900 7 4 3 14 7 11 1550-1900 7 5 7 58 3 48 1 1 1 2 1550-1900 7 6 8 194 1 2 1550-1700 7 7 2 11 3 16 1550-1600 Table 25: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/7

Despite the presence of medieval pottery found in a previous test pit excavated within this garden (NWA/14/1), the possible build-up of land and later disturbances meant that only 16th century and later finds were recorded from this test pit excavation, but does suggest that there was settlement on site from this time. The mix of finds also recorded consist of CBM, clay pipe, coal, oyster shell, glass, iron nails, a metal hoop, brick, tile, slate and a keyhole plate.

Test Pit eight (NWA/15/8)

Test Pit eight was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern set back from the main road and behind the village hall in the centre of the village (4 The Willows, North Warnborough. SU 73227 51614).

Test Pit eight was excavated to a depth of between 0.38m and 0.46m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A small amount of pottery was excavated from NWA/15/8 and has been identified as Glazed Red Earthenware and 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares in date.

Figure 40: Location map of NWA/15/8

GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 8 1 1 2 1800-1900 8 2 1 5 2 6 1550-1900 8 3 1 4 1550-1600 Table 26: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/8

These houses on The Willows were built on an old coal yard and a compact chalk floor surface (figure 41), likely associated with the land use as a coal yard was identified from 0.2m in depth. It was able to be partially excavated but was too thick to excavate through in the time allotted for the test pitting. The finds relate to the site, particularly given the large amount of coal that was recorded, but also consist mainly of the modern disturbances that were recorded on site after the coal yard was destroyed. Fragments of plastic were found with glass, CBM, tile, a piece of lino and modern glazed tile and the two sherds of post medieval pottery may also hint at earlier occupation on site, more of which may be undisturbed at a greater depth if excavated past the chalk layer.

Figure 41: The chalk floor under excavation at NWA/15/8 © ACA

Test Pit nine (NWA/15/9)

Test Pit nine was excavated in the north western corner of the recreation ground set opposite the old Methodist Chapel in the centre of the village. It was the northern of two test pits excavated here; see also NWA/15/10 (The Recreation Ground, Bridge Road, North Warnborough. SU 73100 51693).

Test Pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/15/9 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares but a range of both medieval and post medieval wares were also recorded. These have been identified as Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Late Medieval Figure 42: Location map of NWA/15/9 Transitional Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware Verwood Ware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware.

EMW LMT GRE BW VER SWSG VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 9 1 2 20 5 20 1500-1900 9 2 5 26 1800-1900 9 3 1 1 17 92 1720-1900 9 4 2 6 1 2 3 26 1550-1900 9 5 1 1 1 5 4 39 1100-1900 9 6 1 2 1 17 2 3 1100-1900 9 7 1 3 2 7 1 8 1400-1600 Table 27: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/9

There is evidence for medieval activity at NWA/15/9, but in reasonably small quantities that may suggest that the recreation ground was peripheral to more intense medieval activity elsewhere in the village, as identified through the test pitting strategy. This site is also however one of only a handful that have also yielded late medieval activity so that despite the major decline of activity in North Warnborough during the 14th century, this site had more or less continual activity through to the 20th century. The small amount of finds also recorded mainly reflect the later disturbances of site and consist of fragments of modern drain, CBM, coal, slate, glass, the metal end of a shotgun cartridge, brick and a lump of scrap metal.

Test Pit 10 (NWA/15/10)

Test Pit 10 was excavated towards the south western corner of the recreation ground set opposite the old Methodist Chapel in the centre of the village. It was also the southern of two test pits excavated here; see also NWA/15/9 (The Recreation Ground, Bridge Road, North Warnborough. SU 73095 51684).

Test Pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/15/10 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Four pre-19th century sherds were also recorded as Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware and Border Ware. Figure 43: Location map of NWA/15/10

EMW GRE BW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 10 2 5 87 1800-1900 10 3 1 5 2 21 29 217 1550-1900 10 4 7 33 1800-1900 10 5 1 32 3 14 1100-1900 Table 28: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/10

Similarly to the results of NWA/15/9, the pottery and finds that were excavated from NWA/15/10 just to the south are albeit fewer in number but still support the notion of activity on site from the high medieval period onwards, although with a gap in activity during the late medieval. The southern half of the field may have been more sparsely utilised until the 19th century, when a great deal of disturbance has been noted from both test pits on the recreation ground. The finds from NWA/15/10 also mainly date to this later phase of activity and consist of tile, CBM, glass, coal, a shoelace, pieces of scrap metal, tile, oyster shell and clay pipe.

Test Pit 11 (NWA/15/11)

Test Pit 11 was excavated on open grassland to the west of a Grade II listed 18th century former watermill, now a public house. The test pit was the western of two excavated to the north of the River Whitewater; see also NWA/15/12 (The Mill House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73035 52139).

Test Pit 11 was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A small amount of pottery was excavated from NWA/15/11, although all of which dates from the 16th century and later as either Border Ware or as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Figure 44: Location map of NWA/15/11

BW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 11 1 2 7 1800-1900 11 2 3 14 1800-1900 11 4 4 25 1500-1600 Table 29: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/11

Excavation from context three onwards was increasingly difficult given the large cobbles and stones and clay that were found within the test pit. Given the proximity to the River Whitewater that today is just to the south, these may represent part of the original riverbed, possibly more along the bank given the high level that the stones were encountered. There were also limited finds recoded from the test pit but may relate to the use of the site in relation to the water mill, possibly as farmland along the river edge from the 16th century onwards. The finds consist of tile, CBM, slate, brick, clay pipe, a metal hoop and glass.

Test Pit 12 (NWA/15/12)

Test Pit 12 was excavated on open grassland to the west of a Grade II listed 18th century former watermill, now a public house. The test pit was the eastern of two excavated to the north of the River Whitewater; see also NWA/15/11 (The Mill House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73049 52139).

Test Pit 12 was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware was excavated from context three of NWA/15/12.

Figure 45: Location map of NWA/15/12

GRE TP Cntxt No Wt Date Range 12 3 1 2 1550-1600 Table 30: The pottery excavated from NWA/15/12

Much like the results from NWA/15/11, the presence of large cobbles, stones and clay in NWA/15/12 may also represent the earlier course of the River Whitewater, although these were mainly found at a greater depth that test pit 11 so may have originally been less on the bank than it as well. Despite the closer proximity to the old water mill, there were less in the way of finds recorded from test pit 12 than 11, potentially due to the increased number of cobbles present in the pit. There was further post medieval pottery found, suggesting limited activity at the time and the finds consist of tile, CBM, coal, mortar, glass, pieces of scrap metal, cement and an iron nail, all of which may relate to manuring on site.

7 2016 Test Pits (site code NWA/16)

The fourth year of test pitting in North Warnborough took place over the 15th and 16th of June 2016, when a total of 12 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated, bring the total so far in the village to 45. The test pits were excavated by 48 Year 9 and Year 10 pupils from the Robert Mays School, Fort Hill Community College, Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College, Testwood Sports College and The Costello School (school names correct at time of participation). The test pits were excavated as part of the Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS), renamed from the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA), and run by ACA, funded by Cambridge Admissions Office out of the University of Cambridge.

The excavations were directed by Alison Dickens, with onsite supervision provided by Emily Ryley and Paul Blinkhorn, who also analysed the pottery. The test pits were spread through the village, in areas where there have been no previous excavations, and two test pit sites (NWA/16/10 and NWA/16/11) were sited far to the north of the village in the Bartley Heath area. The test pit sites were found by John Champion and Elizabeth Good of the Odiham Society.

Table 31: North Warnborough 2016 test pit location map (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2019. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service 1: 5,000

Test Pit one (NWA/16/1)

Test pit one was excavated to the rear of a Grade II listed 19th century house and 18th century stable block set back from the main road in the far south of the village, although the house itself may have origins in the 16th century. It was the eastern of two pits excavated on the property; see also NWA/16/2 (Hockley House, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 73057 51362).

Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.55m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/16/1 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. A small amount of post medieval wares were also recorded as Glazed Red Earthenware and Chinese Porcelain. Figure 46: Location map of NWA/16/1

GRE CP VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 1 1 1 7 6 80 1750-1900 1 2 2 6 1800-1900 1 4 3 10 1800-1900 1 5 3 26 7 33 1550-1900 1 6 1 1 1800-1900 Table 32: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/1

Despite the presence of medieval pottery that was identified from NWA/16/2 at the front of the property, the initial evidence for activity at NWA/16/1 dates from the mid-16th century onwards, likely due to a change in settlement patterns after the high medieval period to open fields. The finds suggest that there was little land use until the stable house then house were built, after which there was quite a lot of disturbances evident. A mix of finds were also recorded through the test pit with the later pottery, consisting of CBM, clay pipe, modern glazed tile, brick fragments, tile, glass, modern nails, slag, pieces of scrap metal, iron nails, coal, slate, mortar, pieces of plastic and Perspex, plastic wrapping and a number of pieces of animal bone.

Test Pit two (NWA/16/2)

Test pit two was excavated in the large open front garden of a Grade II listed 19th century house set back from the main road in the far south of the village, although the house itself may have origins in the 16th century. It was also the western of two pits excavated on the property; see also NWA/16/1 (Hockley House, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 73008 51360).

Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.48m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A small amount of both medieval and post medieval pottery wares were excavated from NWA/16/2 that have Figure 47: Location map of NWA/16/2 been identified as Early Medieval Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware and Manganese Ware. The majority of the pottery recorded however has been dated as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

EMW GRE SMW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 2 1 2 6 1800-1900 2 2 1 13 1 4 2 9 1100-1900 2 3 1 3 2 23 1 1 3 11 1100-1900 2 4 4 11 1800-1900 2 5 1 1 1800-1900 Table 33: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/2

Unlike the test pit excavated to the rear of Hockley House, NWA/16/2 yielded two sherds of medieval pottery that does hint at the presence of high medieval activity closer to the road, although it may also still have been as open fields as the land seems to have been utilised as until the 18th century. Again the majority of the finds and disturbance on site date to after the current house was built and were mixed through the test pit with finds of CBM, tile, clay pipe, glass, iron nails, a thin strip of copper and a piece of slag with coal, slate, oyster shell and animal bone. Two pieces of burnt stone were also recorded from the lower half of the test pit that may be later prehistoric in date, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit three (NWA/16/3)

Test pit three was excavated in the small enclosed rear garden of a Grade II listed 19th century house fronting the main road in the south in the village (Springwell Cottage, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 73036 51464).

Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/16/3 dates to the mid-16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware and Manganese Figure 48: Location map of NWA/16/3 Ware. A large amount of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were also recorded through the test pit.

GRE SMW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 3 1 1 18 11 28 1550-1900 3 2 3 143 15 74 1550-1900 3 3 1 20 8 14 1550-1900 3 4 1 4 29 75 1680-1900 3 5 1 26 24 84 1550-1900 3 6 1 42 7 15 1550-1900 Table 34: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/3

All the pottery and finds that were excavated from NWA/16/3 date to the mid-16th century and later and hints that there was some sort of activity on site prior to the construction of the current house during the 19th century. A large mix of building rubble in particular were found mixed through the test pit with the later pottery, consisting of tile, CBM, clay pipe, brick fragments, a small headless figurine, glass, iron nails and bolts, thick metal wire, a Farthing coin dated to 1920, pieces of scrap metal, coal, a single small piece of oyster shell and animal bone.

Test Pit four (NWA/16/4)

Test pit four was excavated in the large enclosed garden, opposite the tennis court and the north of a Grade II listed 18th century house (which may have 16th century origins) in the south and west of the village. It was also the southern of two pits excavated in the property; see also NWA/16/5 (Springwell House, Tunnel Lane, North Warnborough. SU 73037 51556 – Guestimate).

Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.5m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level was recorded and backfilled.

A small amount of pottery was excavated overall from NWA/16/4 and has been dates as Early Medieval Ware, Surrey Whiteware, Glazed Red Earthenware, English Stoneware and Manganese Ware. The majority of the pottery found however has been identified as 19th century ‘Victorian’ Figure 49: Location map of NWA/16/4 wares.

EMW SWW GRE EST SMW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 4 1 1 14 2 2 1680-1900 4 2 1 18 3 4 1230-1900 4 3 1 7 1 6 2 2 1 1 1100-1900 4 4 2 7 1800-1900 Table 35: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/4

The limited medieval pottery sherds that were identified from both NWA/16/4 and NWA/16/5 just to the north suggest that there was activity on site from the 12th century, although it may only have been utilised as open fields, which also likely continued through the post medieval. Although the location of the test pit is quite a distance from the house that is sited further south and along the main road, this area of the garden would certainly have been utilised for the disposal of rubbish at that time, with more recent finds mixed through the depth of the test pit. The finds recorded consist of tile, and CBM, glass, coal, slate, mortar/plaster, iron nails and bolts, chain links, modern screws, metal washers, a horseshoe and thick metal loop. A single small piece of burnt stone was also identified from context three that may be later prehistoric in date, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit five (NWA/16/5)

Test pit five was excavated in the large enclosed garden, within a small orchard and adjacent to a small allotment north of a Grade II listed 18th century house (which may have 16th century origins) in the south and west of the village. It was also the northern of two pits excavated in the property; see also NWA/16/4 (Springwell House, Tunnel Lane, North Warnborough. SU 73017 51574 – Guestimate).

Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.45m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/16/5 dates to the mid-16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Verwood Ware and as 19th century Figure 50: Location map of NWA/16/5 ‘Victorian’ wares. Additional single sherds of Early Medieval Ware, Newbury Ware and Late Medieval Ware were also recorded through the lower layers of the test pit.

EMW NEW LMT GRE VER VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 5 1 3 29 1 1 1550-1900 5 2 1 1 1550-1600 5 3 1 5 1 2 1 12 5 51 1100-1900 5 4 1 9 1 5 1200-1550 Table 36: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/5

The pottery that was excavated from NWA/16/5 suggests that there was probable continual activity on site from the 12th century through to the present day. The location of the test pit far to the north of the house and towards the rear of the property boundary may be why there was slightly less found in the way of material culture, although relatively recent finds were identified through all the contexts of the test pit. These consist of CBM, clay pipe, tile, glass, a metal rod with a hook, iron nails and bolts, a large metal nut, coal, a button and animal bone. An additional five pieces of burnt stone and a single possible worked flint were also excavated from the test pit that may well represent later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis of the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit six (NWA/16/6)

Test pit six was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a likely early 20th century house along the main road to Odiham (4 Dunley’s Hill, North Warnborough. SU 73289 51515).

Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.38m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of medieval Newbury Ware was recorded from NWA/16/6 that was mixed through the test pit with 15 sherds identified as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

Figure 51: Location map of NWA/16/6 NEW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 6 3 1 1 1 2 1200-1900 6 4 7 49 1800-1900 6 5 7 17 1800-1900 Table 37: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/6

The finds and pottery excavated from NWA/16/6 suggest that there was little on site until the 19th and 20th centuries; the latter especially was when a lot of the houses along this road were built. Prior to this the land was open fields, although with limited use given that a single sherd of pre-19th century pottery was recorded from context three. The majority of the finds also recorded are relatively modern in date and consist of CBM, tile, modern tile, glass, a one penny coin (date not legible), a metal clothes peg, iron nails, a flattened metal tube, coal, slate, mortar, plant tags (one dated 1998), charcoal, melted plastic, concrete and part of a plastic clothes peg. A single small piece of animal bone was also recorded with one piece of burnt stone, the latter of which may be later prehistoric in date, although additional analysis of the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit seven (NWA/16/7)

Test pit seven was excavated in the encloses side garden to a mainly 19th century Grade II listed house, although the property may have origins from the 16th century, set along the main road in the north of the village (Albion House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73220 51913).

Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.4m, but due to the presence of two pipes and time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/16/7 dates to the post medieval and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware and as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Additional medieval wares were also recorded from context two as Early Medieval Ware and Tudor Green Ware. Figure 52: Location map of NWA/16/7

EMW TG GRE BW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 7 1 5 29 1 6 2 8 1550-1900 7 2 1 3 2 6 11 78 32 111 1100-1900 7 3 12 180 24 71 1550-1900 Table 38: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/7

The amount of mid-16th century and later pottery that was excavated from NWA/16/7 supports the notion that the house may have had origins of that time as suggested in its listing description. The site also had activity from the 12th century, but it was quite limited so may suggest that the land was open fields prior to the construction of the house. The presence of the two pipes and the mix of finds through the layers mean that there has been quite a bit of disturbance on site, the finds excavated consist of CBM, tile, clay pipe, glass, coal, slate, tarmac, cement, mortar, iron nails, a metal rod, band of aluminium, a metal button, pieces of scrap metal, a thick metal nut, a very degraded coin, potentially a Victorian penny, oyster shell and animal bone. An additional three pieces of burnt stone were also recorded that may suggest the presence of later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis of the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit eight (NWA/16/8)

Test pit eight was excavated within a chicken run adjacent to the garage and opposite a likely 19th century cottage set just northeast of the castle (Gorse Cottage, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 72796 52115).

Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints and the presence of a large pipe, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware was excavated to NWA/16/8 that was mixed with three sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ pot. Figure 53: Location map of NWA/16/8

GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 8 4 1 11 3 26 1550-1900 Table 39: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/8

Prior to the construction of the house, likely during the 19th century there was little evidence for any earlier activity on site, suggesting that the land was likely open fields until more recently. The presence of a large pipe however that was seen through NWA/16/8 has shown how disturbed this land is and there could therefore be the potential for the recovery of earlier finds. The few finds that were also excavated consist of CBM, tile, glass, and a modern nail, a lump of metal, slate, coal, possible concrete fragments and animal bone. An additional four pieces of possible worked flints were also excavated from context four that may be later prehistoric in date, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit nine (NWA/16/9)

Test pit nine was excavated in the enclosed rear extended garden of a modern house set in the far north west of the village (Little Gables, Mill Lane, North Warnborough. SU 73072 52220).

Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.52m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/16/9 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, but single sherds of Early Medieval Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware and Verwood Ware were also all identified.

Figure 54: Location map of NWA/16/9

EMW GRE VER VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 9 1 8 19 1800-1900 9 2 5 115 1800-1900 9 3 1 31 7 55 1550-1900 9 4 1 2 1 3 1100-1900 9 5 1 31 1650-1750 Table 40: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/9

The excavations from NWA/16/9 suggest that the land here was likely open fields through the medieval and post medieval periods, until a probable change of land use during the 19th century when the land was subdivided. A large number of finds were also found through the test pit relating to this more recent activity on site, consisting of CBM, tile, brick fragments, mortar, glass, iron nails, metal wire, a large metal rod, clothes peg spring, slate, asbestos, pieces of plastic, oyster shell and animal bone. Two possible pieces of worked flint were also identified from context one that may be later prehistoric in date, although additional analysis of the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test pit 10 (NWA/16/10)

Test pit 10 was excavated in the large front garden of an early 20th century house set in the very far north of the parish. It was also the southern of two pits excavated within the property; see also NWA/16/11 (Rough’s Cottage, Bartley Heath, North Warnborough. SU 72171 52535).

Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.44m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of Glazed Red Earthenware was excavated from NWA/16/10 that was mixed through Figure 55: Location map of NWA/16/10 NWA/16/10 with three sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ pot.

GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range 10 1 2 7 1800-1900 10 2 1 22 1 1 1550-1900 Table 41: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/10

Very little in the way of finds were excavated from either of the test pits excavated here, although NWA/16/10 here yielded evidence for activity from the post medieval onwards, but the land would have most certainly been open fields until the current house was built. A number of pieces of CBM were also found with a fragment of tile and oyster shell.

Test Pit 11 (NWA/16/11)

Test pit 11 was excavated in the large rear garden of an early 20th century house set in the very far north of the parish. It was also the northern of two pits excavated within the property; see also NWA/16/10 (Rough’s Cottage, Bartley Heath, North Warnborough. SU 72933 52587 - Guestimate).

Test pit 11 was excavated to a depth of 0.4m, with a sondage in one corner down to 0.5m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Two sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ ware pot were recorded from NWA/16/11.

VIC TP Cntxt No Wt Date Range 11 1 1 6 1800-1900 11 3 1 1 1800-1900 Figure 56: Location map of NWA/16/11 Table 42: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/11

Much like the results from NWA/16/10, there was little evidence for much in the way of activity on site here and only dated from the 19th century and later. A slightly greater mix of finds were also found through the upper three contexts of the test pit and identified as CBM, bottle glass, a metal hoop and coal. A single piece of burnt stone was also recorded that may suggest the presence of later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis of the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit 12 (NWA/16/12)

Test pit 12 was excavated in a garden extension to the rear of a modern house set back from the main road in the north of the village (Wycliffe House, Bridge Road, North Warnborough. SU 73194 51788).

Test pit 12 was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A wide range of pottery wares were excavated from NWA/16/12 that have been identified as Early Medieval Ware, Surrey Whiteware, Tudor Green Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Midland Blackware and Verwood Ware. The majority of the pottery recorded however dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares and was found through the upper half of the test pit. Figure 57: Location map of NWA/16/12

EMW SWW TG GRE BW MB VER VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 12 1 1 15 1800-1900 12 2 12 87 1800-1900 12 3 2 20 2 29 1 6 1 17 1550-1900 12 4 1 5 1 5 1 23 1 30 2 13 1100-1900 12 5 1 5 1 3 1380-1600 12 6 4 21 1230-1400 Table 43: The pottery excavated from NWA/16/12

The pottery results from NWA/16/12 suggest that there was occupation on site between the 12th and 16th centuries, with then a gap until the 18th century and later when there was likely a change in land use and may have been incorporated into another property. A wide mix of finds were also recorded through the test pit, suggesting quite a bit of disturbance evident on site, consisting of tile, CBM, a large amount of glass, a large metal buckle, oyster shell and animal bone. An additional five pieces of burnt stone were also excavated from the lower contexts of the test pit that may also be evidence for later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

8 2017 Test Pits (site code NWA/17)

2017 was the fifth and final year of test pitting in North Warnborough and was undertaken over the 14th and 15th of June, when nine 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated by 35 Year 9 students from The Costello School, Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College and The Robert Mays School (school names correct at time of participation). The test pits were excavated as part of the Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS), renamed from the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA), and run by ACA, funded by Cambridge Admissions Office out of the University of Cambridge.

The excavations were directed by Alison Dickens, with onsite supervision provided by Catherine Collins, Emily Ryley and Ginny Pringle. Paul Blinkhorn analysed the pottery. The test pits were again spread through the village and filling in gaps from the previous excavations. The test pit sites were found by John Champion and Elizabeth Good of the Odiham Society.

Test Pit one (NWA/17/1)

Test pit one was excavated in the large enclosed rear garden of a relatively modern house set along the southern banks of the River Whitewater in the far north of the village. The test pit sited to the southeast of a Grade II listed 18th century barn (Whitewater Cottage, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73242 52123).

Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/17/1 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, but an additional three sherds of medieval and post medieval pottery were also recorded. Figure 58: Location map of NWA/17/1 These have been identified as Surrey Whiteware, Newbury Coarseware and Glazed Red Earthenware.

SWW NEWB GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 1 1 1 10 1800-1900 1 2 1 7 5 35 1550-1900 1 3 9 43 1800-1900 1 4 1 3 1230-1400 1 5 1 7 1050-1250 Table 45: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/1

The finds excavated from NWA/17/1 suggest that there was little in the way of activity on site until the current house was built during the 18th century that may be due to the proximity of the land here to the River Whitewater just to the north, and the potential for seasonal flooding. The limited sherds of both medieval and post medieval pottery that was found suggest that this area was likely utilised as open fields with little direct occupation until more recently. The finds are also all more recent in date, consisting of CBM, coal, glass, tile, iron nails, part of a horseshoe, a possible piece of slag, pieces of scrap metal, tarmac and clay pipe with animal bone, oyster shell and mortar. The presence of both burnt stone and likely worked flints also recorded through the test pit, point at likely later prehistoric activity alongside the river, although analysis of the lithics would be needed to prove this.

Test Pit two (NWA/17/2)

Test pit two was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a Grade II listed 16th century house set along the main road in the north of the village (Albion House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73191 51801).

Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/17/2 dates to the mid-16th century and later with a large number of sherds recorded. These have been identified as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Harlow Slipware and Verwood Ware. In additional a number of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were also found through the test pit.

Figure 59: Location Map of NWA/17/2 GRE BW HSW VER VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 2 1 2 6 5 25 1550-1900 2 2 1 6 11 45 1550-1900 2 3 3 6 17 23 1550-1900 2 4 3 15 7 23 1550-1900 2 5 6 37 2 6 1 10 1 4 7 9 1550-1900 Table 46: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/2 The excavations from NWA/17/2 suggest that there was very little activity evident on site prior to the construction of the current house during the 16th century. The presence of a probable cat burial that was excavated in context five has shown the high level of disturbances evident across this part of the garden and why the finds were so mixed up. The finds excavated consist of tile, CBM, glass, coal, clay pipe, iron nails, pieces of concrete, slag, a strip of aluminium, a possible fragment of an old battery core and shell. Pieces of both worked flint and burnt stone were also found mixed through the test pit and hint at the presence of later prehistoric activity also on site.

Test Pit three (NWA/17/3)

Test pit three was excavated in the enclosed rear garden extension to a modern house set along the main road to the north of the Basingstoke Canal (Wycliffe House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. SU 73191 51801).

Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.59m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/17/3 either dates to the post medieval as Glazed Red Earthenware or as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, although an additional two sherds of medieval pottery were also recorded from the lower half of the test pit. These have been identified as Early Medieval Ware and Surrey Whiteware.

Figure 60: Location Map of NWA/17/3

EMW SWW GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 3 1 2 3 1800-1900 3 2 2 16 6 13 1550-1900 3 3 1 3 2 22 10 26 1100-1900 3 5 1 3 1230-1400 Table 47: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/3

Much like the previous year’s excavations within the same property (see also NWA/13/4 and NWA/16/12) the results from NWA/17/3 suggest that there has been limited activity during the medieval period on site, perhaps peripheral to more intense activity elsewhere that increased into the post medieval, before another likely change of land use prior to the expansion of settlement along Hook Road during the 19th century. A mix of finds were recorded through the upper four contexts of the test pit with only a small piece of scrap metal found from context five. The rest of the finds have been identified as glass, iron nails, coal, CBM, tile, a plastic screw cap, a metal button and clay pipe. Additional finds of burnt stone were also recorded that may hint at later prehistoric activity also on site.

Test Pit four (NWA/17/4)

Test pit four was excavated in the enclosed side garden of a Grade II listed 17th century house set in the centre of the village. The test pit was the western of two excavated here, just to the west of a Grade II listed 18th century barn; see also NWA/17/5 (Clevedge House, Bridge Road, North Warnborough. SU 73116 51582).

Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test Figure 61: Location Map of NWA/17/4 pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of Newbury Coarseware medieval pottery was recorded from NWA/17/4 that was mixed in with the rest of the pottery that dates to the post medieval and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Verwood Ware and a large number of sherds that were recorded as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

NEWB GRE VER VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 4 1 2 10 2 7 1650-1900 4 2 1 7 2 4 27 145 1550-1900 4 3 1 5 3 30 4 32 73 436 1050-1900 4 4 1 53 37 230 1550-1900 4 5 3 10 36 217 1650-1900 Table 48: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/4

The vast majority of the finds excavated from NWA/17/4 date from after the house was built in the 17th century, which since then there has been an increase in the amount of disturbances evident on this part of the garden as evident by the large amount of 19th century and later pottery found through the depth of the test pit. The finds are also mixed through the test pit consisting of tile, CBM, coal, pieces of plastic, animal bone, glass, strips of metal, pieces of rubber, iron nails and a vitrified fragment of CBM or slag. The presence of both worked stone and burnt flint also hints at the presence of later prehistoric activity also on site.

Test Pit five (NWA/17/5)

Test pit five was excavated in the enclosed front garden of a Grade II listed 17th century house set in the centre of the village. The test pit was the eastern of two excavated here; see also NWA/17/4 (Clevedge House, Bridge Road, North Warnborough. SU 73150 51591).

Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.6m, with a sondage to 0.71m in corner 3, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares and was found mixed through NWA/17/5. An additional three sherds of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware and a single sherd of medieval Surrey Whiteware were also found Figure 62: Location Map of NWA/17/5 from the lower layers of the test pit.

SWW GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 5 1 1 10 1800-1900 5 2 3 33 1800-1900 5 3 6 24 1800-1900 5 4 5 58 1800-1900 5 5 2 63 1550-1600 5 6 1 7 1 5 5 42 1230-1900 Table 49: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/5

The pottery excavated from NWA/17/5 is the same date as what was found from NWA/17/4 just to the southwest, but much less of the earlier post medieval pottery was found here, probably because this would have been a formal front garden and not an area greatly utilised for the disposal of rubbish. This idea seems to have changed into the 19th century when evidence for a lot more disturbance has been found through the depth of the test pit and a relatively sparse mix of finds. These mainly include fragments of CBM and tile, perhaps demolition rubble, with glass, clay pipe, a metal fixing, oyster shell and animal bone.

Test Pit six (NWA/17/6)

Test pit six was excavated on the side garden to a Grade II listed 16th century cottage set along the main road to Odiham in the east of the village (Stratford Lodge, Dunley’s Hill, North Warnborough. SU 73340 51442).

Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.4m, at which a gas pipe was encountered in the northern corner of the test pit. The test pit was then extended to the south by 0.5m which was subsequently excavated to a depth of 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Two sherds of medieval pottery were only excavated from NWA/17/6, Newbury Coarseware and Late Medieval Transitional Ware that were mixed through the test pit with four sherds of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware and a number of 19th century ‘Victorian’ Figure 63: Location Map of NWA/17/6 wares.

NEWB LMT GRE VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 6 1 5 15 1800-1900 6 2 1 3 2 11 7 43 1400-1900 6 3 1 10 1 2 1050-1900 6 4 2 21 14 108 1550-1900 Table 50: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/6

The proximity of the test pit to the house may be why a lot of disturbance was noted through NWA/17/6. The find of a probable gas pipe in the northeast corner of the test pit meant that the excavations were extended to the south. In this new extension, concrete was found at 0.6m in one corner and then at 0.7m in depth in the opposite side of the pit was found a possible brick path. These were not mortared in but laid out neatly which suggests the presence of a path rather than a dump of building material. This may relate to the earliest occupation of the house during the 16th century, although further excavation would be needed to prove this or maybe more recent in date given the presence of concrete just above it and the range of finds that were excavated through the depth of the test pit. These finds consist of a number of pieces of tile, CBM and brick with slate, coal, mortar, iron nails, glass, pieces of plastic, fragments of wire, a small sheet of lead, oyster shell, animal bone and concrete. The presence of a number of pieces of worked flint and burnt stone that were also recorded through the test pit does hint at the presence of later prehistoric occupation also on site, perhaps due to this area of the village being on the rise of a hill to Odiham.

Test Pit seven (NWA/17/7)

Test pit seven was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a likely 19th/20th century cottage set along the main road to Odiham in the far east of the village (Danetree Cottage, Dunley’s Hill, North Warnborough. SU 73388 51402).

Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.9m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit recorded and backfilled.

A large amount of pottery and a wide range of types were excavated from NWA/17/7, all of which date to the mid-16th century and later. These have been identified as German Stoneware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Delft Ware, Harlow Slipware, Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware and as Figure 64: Location Map of NWA/17/7 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

GS GRE BW DW HSW SWSG VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 7 1 1 2 1550-1600 7 2 4 10 11 25 1550-1900 7 3 1 9 1 3 12 29 1550-1900 7 4 1 25 1 4 1 20 1550-1650 7 5 9 88 1 4 1 21 1 3 1550-1750 7 6 5 66 3 30 1 9 1 4 1550-1750 7 7 2 27 1 3 1 13 3 4 1550-1900 Table 51: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/7

The results from NWA/17/7 suggest that there was occupation on site during the early post medieval period perhaps for the first time as the village began to expand at this time. The current house is likely much more recent in date but does show that there has likely been continual occupation on site since the 16th century and the results are similar to those from previous years’ test pit excavations also within the property (see also NWA/14/1 and NWA/15/7). Perhaps surprisingly there is less in the way of more recent disturbances, the proximity of the test pit to the house may have meant that the majority of the rubbish was deposited further away, but the ground has been turned over to at least 0.7m in depth. A mix of finds were also found through the test pit, consisting of a metal rod, pieces of scrunched foil, a modern nail, glass, Perspex, tile, CBM, clay pipe, iron nails and animal bone. One of the pieces of tile may have been burnt and the presence of a single possible worked flint may hint at the presence of later prehistoric activity on site, also as noted in previous years.

Test Pit eight (NWA/17/8)

Test pit eight was excavated in the long enclosed rear garden of a modern house set along the main road in the far south of the village (Spring Field, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 72981 51456 - Guestimate).

Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded Figure 65: Location Map of NWA/17/8 and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from NWA/17/8 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares although a number of post medieval wares were also identified through the test pit as Glazed Red Earthenware, Border Ware, Harlow Slipware and Verwood Ware. A single additional sherd of Early Medieval Ware was also found from context eight.

EMW GRE BW HSW VER VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 8 1 1 7 6 16 1550-190 8 2 27 86 1800-1900 8 3 2 20 1 1 19 88 1550-1900 8 4 23 85 1800-1900 8 5 1 5 1 13 5 18 1550-1900 8 8 1 13 2 18 2 8 1100-1600 Table 52: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/8

The excavations suggest that there was probable occupation on site during the 16th and 17th centuries and then again from the 19th century, in between which the site was likely marginal to medieval and later post medieval occupation as the settlement shifted. The location of the garden to a small body of water to the west, perhaps a spring that connects through a series of drains to the River Whitewater may also have affected activity in the area as the soil through the lower half of the test pit in particular was wet. A large number of animal bones (including multiple dog jaws) were found from the lower contexts that were also black in colour which signifies that they had spent a long time in wet conditions to go that colour. Through the upper contexts of the test pit, large flint nodules and stones were excavated, and these may have been deposited on site as a way to try and stabilise the ground due to the probable often wet conditions. A mix of finds were also found with the animal bone and also shows that a lot of this part of the garden has been greatly disturbed and turned over. The finds consist of a curtain rod, Perspex, concrete, tarmac, glass, including complete bottles, a small modern glass mosaic tile, slate, coal, CBM, tile, fragments of brick, pieces of plastic, clay pipe, iron nails, a small metal disc and oyster shell. Both worked flints and burnt stone were also recovered through the upper half of the test pit and may also indicate the presence of later prehistoric activity on site.

Test Pit nine (NWA/17/9)

Test pit nine was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set along the main road in the south of the village (Spring Cottage, North Warnborough Street, North Warnborough. SU 72997 51446).

Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

All the pottery excavated from NWA/17/9 dates to the mid-16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Delft Ware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware. The vast majority of the Figure 66: Location Map of NWA/17/9 pottery recorded however from the test pit dated as Victorian.

GRE DW EST SMW VIC TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 9 1 2 23 13 38 1550-1900 9 2 7 61 1800-1900 9 3 1 2 1 5 13 50 1550-1900 9 4 1 2 11 255 1680-1900 9 5 1 14 1 1 17 78 1550-1900 9 6 1 2 1800-1900 Table 53: The pottery excavated from NWA/17/9 Despite the proximity of NWA/17/9 to the NWA/17/8 in the adjacent garden immediately to the north, the excavation has shown the extreme differences in the soil conditions. The land here was extremely dry and hard to dig that was further complicated by the presence of multiple large flint nodules, which, like at test pit eight, may have at one time been utilised to stabilise a once wetter ground, again due to the neighbouring body of water. The pottery also shows a similar date of activity on site in the early post medieval and then during the 19th century and later and suggests that the land here and next door at test pit eight would have once had the same land use, before being divided up for housing in more recent times. A large mix of finds were also found through the depth of the test pit and the more recent pottery to show the level of disturbance evident through the garden, and consist of slate, coal, glass, including a tiny complete likely perfume bottle, tile, CBM, iron nails and bolts, mortar, pieces of plastic, linoleum, an S shaped metal hook, a possible military button (figure 67), shell, animal bone, a small metal cog wheel, fragments of brick and sewer drain, strips of metal and clay pipe. Pieces of both burnt stone and worked flint were also recorded that hint at the presence of later prehistoric activity also on site.

9 Conclusions

The 54 archaeological test pits that were excavated in North Warnborough between 2013 and 2017 have yielded extensive archaeological evidence for settlement in the parish dating from the Late Bronze Age through to the modern day. All the test pit results have also added to the ‘bigger picture’ of the development of North Warnborough, as well as providing new insight into the level of archaeological remains that are still present under the current village.

The earliest evidence for activity found through the test pitting strategy was a single sherd of Late Bronze Age pottery and found during the 2014 excavations at NWA/14/1. The location of this test pit, on the western slopes of Dunley’s Hill and overlooking the river valley to the north and west, may hint at the presence of later prehistoric activity. This was supported by the presence of a number of lithics, both in the form of worked flints and burnt stone that even though at the time of writing, an analysis of the lithics have not been undertaken, are likely to be of a later prehistoric (Neolithic and/or Bronze Age) date. The presence of Bronze Age urns that were found further to the south at Chosley Farm (recorded on the Historic Environment Record (HER) ID No. 34846) as well as additional lithic remains that have been identified to the south of North Warnborough, which with the test pit excavations, hint that later prehistoric activity in this area could be more widespread than previously thought, particularly to the north.

Evidence for Romano-British activity was only found from two test pits, with only a single sherd excavated from NWA/13/4 near the present canal at Swan Bridge and at NWA/14/3 in the south of the village, on the slightly higher ground, at Queen’s Road, where four sherds of Romano-British pottery were also identified. These may indicate the presence of two separate areas of activity at this time, although the pottery from the pit at Swan Bridge was found with a lot of medieval and later material which may have been redeposited, perhaps from the digging of the canal. In general though, the test pit results suggest there appears to be little in the way of Romano-British settlement in North Warnborough, this landscape may instead have been utilised as open fields, perhaps either contemporary to the known villa site to the north of the River Whitewater at Lodge Farm (HER ID No: 28864), although the two test pits excavated in this area (NWA/16/10 and NWA/16/11), did not produce any material of a Roman date, so it may be associated with the Roman activity also identified around Chosley Farm (HER ID No: 29442) on the high ground to the south.

No pottery of Anglo-Saxon date was recovered from any of the North Warnborough test pits. Odiham was an Anglo-Saxon settlement with a probable minister and would have been the focus of settlement at that time at the centre of the hundred. The settlement of North Warnborough developed during the high medieval period, likely as a result of the construction of Odiham Castle by the early 13th century. A total of 30 of the 54 test pits yielded pottery of this date and mainly derived from test pits sited along the north-south road through the village as well as east along Dunley’s Hill. Only one of the test pits excavated close to the castle (NWA/13/11) found pottery of this date. Two sherds here were identified as Early Medieval Sandy Ware that likely represent agricultural activities, such as manuring of open fields closest to the castle and the settlement itself likely developing to the east of the castle, around Warnborough Green and in particular to the south of the river. Of course, further archaeological investigations would be needed across the village, particularly in areas not targeted during the test pitting to confirm this theory, but it does seem likely that the original medieval settlement may have been more dispersed than previously thought.

A severe contraction of the settlement is however noted into the late medieval, with only seven test pits yielding pottery of this date. These results suggest that the socio-economic upheavals of the 14th century, including the Black Death, likely all played a part in the desertion of a number of the high medieval sites identified to perhaps a much more contracted, albeit slightly

dispersed, settlement. Although the amount of pottery excavated from the test pits cannot be equated to population numbers at that time, the northern part of the settlement certainly seemed to have suffered the most. Into the post medieval the results suggest the village expanded and grew again, extending over the length of the current settlement, which likely began to the take the shape that can still be seen today. This includes the construction of the Basingstoke canal by the late 18th century and the rise of industries, including a tannery, as recorded from NWA/14/10 along Hook Road.

10 Maps

Much of the value of the test pit data from currently occupied rural settlements are derived from a holistic consideration across the entire settlement. Maps showing a range of the data from the test pit excavations in North Warnborough between 2013 and 2017 are included below.