T H A M E S V A L L E Y AARCHAEOLOGICALRCHAEOLOGICAL S E R V I C E S
Sonning Eye Quarry, Phases A-C, Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire
An archaeological excavation
By Susan Porter and Andrew Weale
SEQ09/42
(SU7460 7640)
Sonning Eye Quarry, Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire, Phases A to C
An Archaeological Recording Action
For Lafarge Aggregates
by Susan Porter and Andrew Weale
Thames Valley Archaeological Services
Ltd
Site Code SEQ 09/42
October 2012
Summary
Site name: Sonning Eye Quarry, Phases A-C, Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire
Grid reference: SU7460 7640
Site activity: Recording action
Date and duration of project: 1st June 2009 to 13th January 2012
Project manager: Steve Ford
Site supervisors: Andrew Weale, Tim Dawson, James McNicholl, David Platt, Susan Porter
Site code: SEQ 09/42
Area of site: c.5.1ha
Summary of results: The majority of the site occupied low-lying ground subject to flooding at least in more recent times, with extensive tracts of alluvium present along with a large deep peat- and alluvium-filled river palaeochannel. Pollen analysis suggests that the wetland environment has been an enduring aspect of this landscape. Few cut features of archaeological origin were identified but a small number of artefacts including Mesolithic flintwork, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman pottery along with a fragment of shale bracelet point to sporadic low-level activity in these times. Some undated wooden stakes were recovered from waterlogged contexts. The exception to the low level of interest is the discovery of a burnt mound whose use is radiocarbon dated to a long period within the Middle Bronze Age.
Location and reference of archive: The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited at Oxfordshire Museum Service in due course with accession code OXCMS: 2009.79
This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. All TVAS unpublished fieldwork reports are available on our website: www.tvas.co.uk/reports/reports.asp.
Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford9 10.10.12 Steve Preston9 11.10.12
i Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47–49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading RG1 5NR Tel. (0118) 926 0552; Fax (0118) 926 0553; email [email protected]; website: www.tvas.co.uk
Sonning Eye Quarry, Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire, Phases A to C An Archaeological Excavation
by Susan Porter and Andrew Weale
With contributions by Aidan Colyer, Ceri Falys, Steve Ford, Malcolm Lyne, Rosalind McKenna, Danielle Milbank and Karen Wicks Report 09/42
Introduction
This report documents the results of three phases of archaeological recording action carried out at Sonning Eye
Quarry, Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire (SU7460 7640) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Dr
Andrew Richmond of Phoenix Consulting Archaeology Limited, on behalf of Lafarge Aggregates.
Planning permission had been gained from Oxfordshire County Council to extract sand and gravel from the site. Preliminary desktop study (JSAC 2002) and field evaluation (Ford 2004) undertaken in the area revealed only a small amount of archaeological deposits. The consent was subject to a condition relating to archaeology which requires the implementation of a programme of archaeological works to excavate and record archaeological deposits prior to extraction.
This was in accordance with the Department of the Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance, Archaeology and Planning (PPG16 1990), and the Oxfordshire minerals and waste plan Policy PE8 on archaeology. The field investigation was carried out to a specification approved by Mr Hugh Coddington of Oxfordshire County
Archaeological Services and was undertaken in three phases between June 2009 and January 2012. Phase A fieldwork was supervised by Andrew Weale and was undertaken by James Earley, Aidan Colyer and Henrietta
Longden between 1st and 25th June 2009. Phase B fieldwork was supervised by Susan Porter and was undertaken by Aiji Castle, Aiden Colyer, Chris Crabb, Steve Crabb, Tim Dawson, James McNicholl, Jackie Pitt, and David Platt between 14th July 2011 and 6th October 2011. Phase C fieldwork was undertaken by Tim
Dawson and Susan Porter between 14th October 2011 and 13th January 2012. The Phases will be referred to hereafter as Areas to avoid confusion.
The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with Oxfordshire Museum Service in due course, with the accession code OXCMS: 2009.79 and the site code is
SEQ 09/42.
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Location, topography and geology
The site is located to the north of Sonning village on the north bank of the river Thames. It lies on the floodplain at a height of 36m above Ordnance Datum (Fig. 2) rising up slightly toward the west. The underlying geology is mapped as alluvium with a thin band of loam to the east (BGS 1947). The geology observed on site was predominantly alluvium measured to a depth of 4m in the palaeochannel towards the north of the area and 3.5m at the southern extent, with peat deposits also to the north and west. This suggests that much of the site was occupied by relatively modern (Holocene) river channel. A palynological assessment of the site details transition phases in the alluvium suggesting that the freshwater conditions in the channel underwent various environmental changes leading to the deposition of progressively more terrestrial sediments (Wicks, below). This analysis suggests that the area may once have formed part of a river bed, or prehistoric marshland with small islands of higher ground that would have been seasonally dry.
Archaeological background
The site lies in the archaeologically rich Thames Valley, with many sites recorded during the process of gravel extraction (Manning and Moore 2011), via aerial photography (Gates 1975), field survey (Ford 1987) and latterly by planning-led archaeological interventions (Barnes et al. 1997).
Several of the more notable sites in the vicinity of the site are of prehistoric date. On the south side of the river lies a Neolithic ceremonial complex comprising a cursus monument, mortuary enclosure (Slade 1964) and possibly oval barrows (Gates 1975). Several levelled round barrows (ring ditches) of Bronze Age date are also present within the complex as is a Roman enclosure. Adjoining the site to the south-east is another ring ditch cemetery (Gates 1975). To the east of the site is a possible Neolithic causewayed enclosure. This site was previously trial trenched and discounted as a monument but has been re-assessed as a possible example (Oswald et al. 2001, 154). An extensive excavation at Thames Valley Park to the south west revealed a Beaker burial and an Iron Age enclosure (Barnes et al. 1997).
The 2004 evaluation of the site itself recorded deposits of flint nodules, human remains, timbers preserved by waterlogging and a few stray finds of prehistoric pottery and struck flint (Ford 2004).
Objectives and methodology
The purpose of the fieldwork was to excavate and record all archaeological deposits and features threatened by the extraction, to produce dating and phasing in an attempt to establish the character of the deposits and therefore
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define any functional areas of the site. Further research objectives, should features be revealed, were to determine when the site was first occupied and how the landscape relates to the occupied areas, what activities were taking place and their relationship to the environs of the site, and when the site was abandoned.
Due to the practicalities of removal of the waterlogged alluvial levels below the topsoil, the site was excavated in strips. The topsoil was removed with a ditching bucket to reveal the surface of the alluvium. This was the level at which most archaeological features were observed. Once the strip of topsoil had been removed
(an average strip being 3-4m wide and typically c.30m in length, although in Area A strips were typically 10m wide and 40-50m in length), the machine was brought back across the alluvium and this was removed with a toothed bucket. This excavation was observed at all times, however; no archaeological feature was recorded as coming from within or beneath the alluvial deposits.
Where present, certain and possible archaeological deposits were hand cleaned and excavated. A small number of unstratified finds were also recorded (Fig. 2). Where appropriate, samples were taken in order to recover any possible organic remains.
Results
The topsoil stripping and extraction took place in three phases A-C with the archaeological recording following these subdivisions.
Area A Within Area A the topsoil was removed in areas approximately 10m wide and between 40m and 50m long.
Possible archaeological features were excavated and recorded within these areas sequentially prior to extraction.
The practical arrangements on-site were determined in consultation with the project consultant and Mr
Coddington.
The Palaeochannel After the 0.04m of topsoil had been removed, a palaeochannel (1) aligned north-west to south-east was revealed at the eastern part of the site, the base of which was around 33.0m aOD. It was at least 50m wide with the base of the channel rising gently to the west on to a sand ridge or island approximately 140m wide at around 34.0m aOD in the centre and dropping to 33.5m aOD further to the west (Fig. 2). The channel was cut though the natural gravel and filled with a series of layers. Beneath the topsoil a typical sequence would comprise a brown silty clay (51) up to 0.27m thick; beneath this was a grey blue clay (52) up to 0.58m thick; beneath this was a brown organic-rich (peat) silty clay (53) up to 0.40m thick; this overlay a black organic-rich (peat) silty clay (54) up to
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0.44m thick and finally beneath this was the natural gravel (55). The exact thickness of the strata varied across the site relative to the depth of the palaeochannel. No features were seen to cut into any of the alluvial layers, nor artefacts observed from within them. A column sample was taken though the palaeochannel on the southern temporary limit of excavation in the south-east corner of Area A (Fig. 2; Appendix 7).
On the slightly higher ground to the west were a gully, three pits, three post holes and numerous tree holes of which 59 were partially examined. None of these contained dateable artefacts.
Gully Gully 121 (excavated as slots 102, 103, 104 and 117) was aligned south-west to north-east with a right angled return from north-west to south-east. It was 0.34–0.49m wide and 0.09–0.19m deep, with a concave base. It contained a single fill of mid grey red/brown sandy clay but no dating evidence. Gully 121 cut treehole 105.
Pits and Postholes Pit 2 was sub-circular in plan, 1.30m in diameter, 0.20m deep, with a flat base. It contained a single fill (56) of mottled grey red brown silty clay which contained a piece of burnt flint. Pit 36 was oval in plan, 2.34m long,
0.70m wide and 0.28m deep. It contained a single fill (90) of mottled grey red brown sandy clay but no dating evidence. Pit 37 was sub-oval in plan 0.94m long, 0.60m wide and 0.40m deep with a flat base. It contained two fills (91) and (92). Fill (91) was mottled red brown grey, silty clay. Below was (92) a mid to dark blue grey silty clay. No dating evidence was recovered.
Posthole 108 was 0.20m in diameter and 0.20m deep and contained a single fill (166) of mid grey clay but no dating evidence. Posthole 109 was 0.20m in diameter and 0.10m deep and contained a single fill (167) of dark grey clay and 3 pieces of burnt flint. Possible posthole 110 was 0.10m in diameter and 0.05m deep and contained a single fill (168) of dark grey clay and 5 pieces of burnt flint.
Tree Holes A total of 59 features were examined that on excavation are considered to be tree holes/throws (3–35, 38–49,
100, 101, 105–7, 111–16, 118–20) most were oval or irregular in plan, between 0.60m to 2.66m long 0.30 to
1.98m wide, 0.06 to 0.44m deep with irregular sides and bases mottled grey red brown to light grey brown silty clay fills. Treehole 111 contained 1 piece of burnt flint, treehole 118 ten pieces, and treehole 48 1 piece. No dating evidence was recovered from any of the treeholes.
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Area B To the north in this area the alluvium was measured to a depth of 4m and clearly comprised several phases of accumulation. Similarly, at the southern end of the site this alluvium was consistently 3m in depth and again comprised several deposits. The depth was not uniform across this site and areas where the underlying gravel was higher (2m approx) tended to be where archaeological activity was observed. This archaeological activity seemed to be uniformly resting on the uppermost layer of the alluvium and was clearly visible upon removal of the topsoil. The area where human remains were recorded in previous evaluation (Ford 2004) was not located within the extraction area.
The Burnt Mound (Figs 5 and 6; Pls 1–3) Located on the west side of the site was a dense spread of fire-cracked flint considered to be the remains of a burnt mound (Raymond 1987). The full extent of the burnt mound was not uncovered by the excavation as it was located at the margins of the stripped area adjacent to an ecological stand-off zone which would not be extracted.
The mound comprised a very slight domed area no more than 0.16m high, 22m long and at least 11m wide as exposed. Auguring outside the area of excavation at 1m intervals for a distance of 5m suggests that the mound continues at least that far to the west. It was buried by silty clay topsoil and a dark grey silty clay alluvium up to
0.1m thick (Pl. 3).
The excavated portion of the mound was divided into eight segments of roughly 4m width to produce one long (north-south) section and three full cross-sections (west-east) and one partial (Fig. 6). Five of these slots
(A–E) were dug by hand with the remaining three (F, G and H) being machine excavated. There was no evidence in the excavated area for a trough.
These eight sections revealed that the mound was broadly composed of burnt stone and charcoal in dark orange/brown silty clay matrix. In places these were separated by silty clay deposits without burnt flint, to suggest significant breaks in the formation of the mound (either the formation of soil or alluvium differentiating these layers), so the layers presumably reflect episodic use of the site and mound formation (Fig. 6).
Pre-mound features Some activity prior to formation of the mound material was recorded. Towards the centre of the area excavated was a oval patch of burning (284) with fragments of burnt flint and which was up 2m across yet with the burning having only a depth of 0.02m (Pl. 2). This hearth lay beneath layer 280, the base of the mound. It is possible that it may be one of the first areas used for heating and burning the flint.
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To the south west was pit 218 (Pl. 3). This pit was 0.6m across and 0.16m deep with three fills. The lower fill (273) was a dark brown grey silty clay with burnt flint similar in composition to the main mound material.
However it was overlain by a brown silty clay (274) with little burnt flint which partially filled the feature. The feature was still partially open until the upper portion became infilled with main mound material (275). No artefactual dating evidence was recovered from it. However, a radiocarbon date of 1621–1498 cal BC
(KIA46452) was obtained on charcoal recovered from layer 273.
Pit 219 in slot C was 0.47m in diameter, 0.11m in depth, with a bowl shaped profile containing a dark black, grey clay fill (279) and burnt clay. No dating evidence was recovered except that it was below burnt mound layer 280 and cut into silt 278.
The mound
The burnt mound comprised at least three layers of burnt flint. The earliest layers (280, 274, 276, and possibly
294) were located in segments A, B, C, D and perhaps G, comprising loose dark grey clay with frequent burnt flint inclusions. This first deposit was capped in slot C by a thin layer of firm mottled mid grey yellow clay (281) and in slot D by dark grey brown silty clay (287), possibly indicative of flood deposits. A sherd of flint- tempered pottery and four struck flints were recovered from 287. A radiocarbon date was obtained on charcoal from layer 274 of 1416–1266 cal BC (KIA46453). Two sherds of flint-tempered pottery and two struck flints were recovered from layer 281. Above 281 was another layer of burnt flint (282), again comprising a firm dark grey, brown silty clay with regular inclusions of 5-40mm angular burnt flint. Above this layer came another alluvial clay deposit, of yellow-grey silty clay (286, 288).
The final layer of the mound (275 = 277 = 283 = 289 = 294 = 296), appears to be a homogenous layer comprising loose dark brown grey silty clay with frequent 5-40mm angular burnt flint, across the whole mound.
A single sherd of Bronze Age/Iron Age pottery was recovered from layer 277 with a flint flake and a possible knife from layer 283, and a narrow flake and two fragments of bone from layer 285. Segments F, G and H only have this single layer whereas segments A and B have just two burnt flint layers, and it is not clear if the lower one is the first or second layer, but the upper one is homogenous across the entire mound. Segment E had two burnt flint layers and two clay deposits, and only segments C and D had all three flint layers.
The radiocarbon dates from two successive stratigraphic episodes have provided an indication of the time over which this monument might have formed. The pit below the mound (218), which was still partially open to receive early mound material, dating to 1621–1498 cal BC is significantly earlier than layer 274 (1416–1266 cal
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BC), suggesting that at least 80 years separate two of the formation episodes with this gap being perhaps in excess of 300 years. However, in order to obtain any absolute (radiocarbon) dates for these and similar sites, it is necessary to use undifferentiated wood charcoal with uncertainty as to the age of the wood prior to its combustion. There may not, therefore, be any great separation in time between the two dates obtained.
Nevertheless, the monument is firmly of middle Bronze Age date. The single Late Bronze Age pottery sherd from the top layer could suggest this third phase extends the chronology or it could have been pressed into the mound form above after it had gone out of use.
Post-mound features Posthole 220 was 0.25m in diameter, 0.22m in depth containing a dark brown, grey, silty, clay fill (290). No dating evidence was recovered except that it cut burnt mound layer (287).
Gully terminal 221 at the northern end of the site corresponds with a former field boundary on Ordnance
Survey maps and extant until clearance for the recent quarry operation.
Burnt Flint patch 205 A patch of burnt flint (205) lay 24m to the east of the burnt mound (Fig. 2). It was 2.30m in diameter, but only
0.05m in depth containing a single fill (258), dark brown, grey, silty, clay with very frequent burnt flint inclusions. A 40 litre sample was taken which recovered wood charcoal but no dating evidence was recovered.
Ditches and gullies Ditch 122 was aligned north-south but was discontinuous. It was 1.05-0.5m wide and 0.7-0.2m in depth, with a flat base. No dating evidence was recovered.
Seven other linear features were investigated but are considered to be wheel ruts. These and two postholes which contained the remains of in-situ wooden posts are of modern origin.
Area C In the north of Area C the alluvium was measured to a depth of 3.5m and clearly comprised several phases, at the southern end this alluvium was consistently 2–2.5m in depth and as in Areas A and B comprised several phases.
Phase C yielded nothing of archaeological interest.
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Finds
Pottery by Malcolm Lyne
The Assemblages
The 21 sherds (293g) of pottery from this site have a wide Late Bronze Age to Roman date range but are largely unstratified. The earliest piece is an abraded Late Bronze Age fragment from the burnt mound top layer (277) and is probably residual: Layers 281 and 287 produced two and one fresh sherds respectively that are possibly of
Iron Age date (see Appendix 2).
The Late Iron Age is represented by seven sherds from three unstratified locations (Fig. 2), comprising a large fresh fragment from a necked-jar in ‘Belgic’ grog-tempered ware (25BC–AD43), five sherds in crumbly underfired sandy fabric fired black (c. AD1–43) and one in a calcined-flint and quartz-sand tempered Silchester
Ware variant (c. AD30–60).
Roman pottery comprises 10 fresh unstratified fragments from a greyware girth-cordoned jar of c. AD150–
250 date, probably from the Colne Valley kilns near Gerrards Cross.
Fabrics
Late Bronze Age
LBA. 1. Handmade lumpy oxidized fabric with profuse ill-sorted 0.30 to 3.00 mm. calcined-flint filler protruding through the walls of the vessel
Middle Iron Age
MIA.1. Handmade black fabric with profuse 0.30 to 1.00 mm. calcined-flint filler
Late Iron Age
LIA.1. Handmade dirty buff grey fabric fired polished black externally with profuse grog filler and occasional <2.00 mm. calcined-flint inclusions LIA.2. Handmade lumpy black with profuse ill-sorted <3.00 mm protruding calcined-flint and <0.10 mm. quartz sand filler LIA.3. Handmade underfired black fabric with profuse <0.50mm multi-coloured quartz sand filler and angular <1.00 mm. calcined-flint.
Roman
R.1.Very fine wheel-turned grey fabric fired smooth grey-black with profuse <0.10 mm. quartz-sand, a few much larger grains of the same material and occasional grog filler. A Colne Valley kilns product.
Animal Bone by Ceri Falys A small assemblage of animal bone was recovered from three separate contexts within the excavated area. A total of 16 fragments of bone were present for analysis, weighing 114g (Appendix 3). The preservation of the remains was exceptionally poor. The majority of fragments were small in size and demonstrating highly
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exfoliated cortical bone surfaces. The poor preservation hindered identification. The only identifiable bone was a single mid-shaft portion of a right cattle radius-ulna. No further information could be derived from these poorly preserved remains.
Struck Flint by Steve Ford
Ten struck flints were recovered during the fieldwork, as listed in Appendix 4. The collection comprised eight flakes, a blade (narrow flake) and a retouched piece, probably a knife. The pieces appear to have been made from the local gravel flint. The pieces are in good condition but some are slightly iron stained.
The blade is likely to be of Mesolithic date, whereas the other pieces are less chronologically distinctive and could be of Mesolithic through to Bronze Age date. The pieces associated with the burnt mound could be contemporary with formation of the structure. The single retouched piece has shallow retouch along one edge and is possibly a knife with a natural cortical back forming the other edge.
Wood by Aidan Colyer Two pieces of wood were recovered from the site recorded as findspots 5 and 6 (Fig. 2). Both pieces are in a good state of preservation.
The piece from findspot 6 was retained for closer inspection, however, on closer inspection there is little evidence of tool marks or shaping thus suggesting it is merely a piece broken from a tree. The one possible tool mark is a smooth edge on one side of the piece suggesting that an axe or similar tool has been used to remove a secondary branch from the original piece. There is still bark evident on the piece and it is a full piece of tree limb. This all suggests that at most it was possibly an upper part of a post although it is more likely that it is merely evidence of tree felling in the vicinity. The dimensions of this piece are 295mm in length and 78mm in diameter.
The piece from findspot 5 is a stake and was found 0.80m into a layer of peat (255). The piece has one straight edge and one that has a slight curve to it. The piece is 483mm in length, 70mm in width and 23mm in depth. It has been roughly shaped forming a triangular cross section and not cleanly flattened suggesting the use of hand tools rather than a mechanical process. Also its rough nature suggests a simple practical use rather than a use for a high status construction. The end furthest from the point shows some pre-depositional damage. There are no clear tool marks although a few linear indentations are present. These indentations could have occurred post deposition. There is no bark present on the piece and the wood is sap and heart wood.
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Shale bracelet by Susan Porter
This piece from findspot 2 (Fig. 2) is a small hoop of polished shale. The piece has an internal diameter of 25mm and an overall diameter of 45mm. This size suggests a practical purpose rather than a piece of jewellery and so perhaps it may have functioned as a spindle whorl or belt fastener. Unfortunately there is nothing available with which to date the piece, however, the smooth surface suggests that it may have been made on a lathe which suggests a date from the Late Iron Age onward (Adkins and Adkins 1998).
Fired Clay by Danielle Milbank Fired clay fragments were recovered from six contexts encountered during the excavation, with a total weight of
202g (Appendix 5). The majority of the fragments were very small, but were fairly consistent in terms of fabric, which was a mid to dark red fired clay with occasional small (<1mm) rounded quartz sand inclusions. There are no visible straw marks or other moulded characteristics, and the pieces all appear to be evenly fired. These fragments were encountered in layers, all but one associated with the burnt mound. The exception is a piece from
Pit 219 (deposit 272) which was slightly softer, and paler orange in colour, with more frequent inclusions. None of the fragments were identified as daub, loomweights or fired clay lining, though the latter appears most likely.
Radiocarbon dating Two samples of charcoal from the burnt mound were submitted to the University of Kiel for radiocarbon dating.
Details of methodology are in the archive; in summary the results are considered reliable. Calibrated dates were calculated using CALIB rev 5.01 (Data set: IntCal04, Reimer et al. 2004). The results are given in Appendix 6.
Environmental Column Sample of Palaeochannel by KarenWicks
This report provides the results of a rapid palynological assessment of a sedimentary sequence formed within the palaeochannel on Area A (Fig. 2). The assessment was undertaken to evaluate the potential of pollen preserved in organic deposits in the sequence for reconstructing the vegetation history of the site and its environs, and to identify any evidence for human activity and land use. It complements a detailed long vegetation history from the Late Devensian period to the present day reconstructed from pollen evidence preserved in a palaeochannel at
Thames Valley Park situated on the opposite bank of the Thames to Sonning Eye Quarry (Keith-Lucas 1997).
The sedimentary sequence was sampled using a monolith column sampler, wrapped in cling film and labelled as
Column 1.
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Methods Lithostratigraphy
The column sample was unwrapped in the laboratory and carefully cleaned by removing 1-2 mm of the exposed sediment in a perpendicular motion to the long axis of the column. The sedimentary sequence was photographed
(Appendix 7) and lithostratigraphy was described using standard procedures for recording unconsolidated sediments. Physical properties, humification and composition are described following the modifications by Aaby and Berglund (1986) of the Troels-Smith (1955) sediment description system.
Results and discussion Lithostratigraphy
The column contained 1.79m of stratified sediments (Appendix 7) comprising sub-rounded flint pebbles and gravels at the base of the column from 1.79–1.73m possibly representing local drift geology. Drift geology is overlain by black, organic-rich silty clay with sub-rounded flint granules and pebbles from 1.73–0.89m. Well- preserved ligneous stems, charcoal and fragments of shell inclusions constitute < 5%. The organic-rich silty clay is likely to represent a shift in freshwater environmental conditions within the channel leading to the deposition of progressively terrestrial sediments.
Several alternative processes operating at both a local and regional scale may account for the change in local depositional regime. Local processes such as a lateral shift in the course of the channel away from the site and/or rapid sedimentation to above the level of periodic inundation may be implicated, while regional processes such as a fall in relative sea level or a regressive stage in the rate of relative sea-level rise are possible causes for environmental change.
A very gradual transition to very dark grey clays and silts from 0.89–0.31m marks a change in sedimentation to deposition of fine-grained particles, which are likely to have formed at the margins of slow moving waters in the channel. A very gradual transition (>20 mm) at 0.31m marks a change in colour and texture to dark yellowish brown silty clay with shelly fragments (c. 2%) perhaps deposited in slightly more energetic waters indicating a continuity in fluvial environmental conditions. A change in lithology is marked by a sharp transition at 0.04m to silty sand perhaps indicative of an upsurge in alluvial sedimentation in increasingly agitated waters. Local environmental processes driving these changes perhaps include the lateral migration of the river channel towards the site. Regional scale processes such as a rise in relative sea level or a transgressive stage in the rate of relative sea-level rise may have resulted in the deposition of coarser particles in deeper, more energetic waters.
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Rapid Palynological Assessment Two samples of organic-rich silty clay taken at 1.57m and 1.00m were assessed for pollen, along with one sample of alluvium at 0.12m (Appendix 8). Pollen concentrations were low (< 75 grains) in all samples, while preservation ranged from poor to moderate at the base of the organic-rich silty clay and alluvium, to good at the top of the organic-rich silty clay. Predominantly open conditions are indicated by the frequencies of herbaceous taxa throughout the sequence. The presence of pollen taxa from plants favouring disturbed ground such as plantains, docks and members of the daisy family indicate the presence of cultivated fields surrounding the site or perhaps of unstable floodplain habitats created by intermittent fluvial action. Frequencies of arboreal taxa are low perhaps indicating a regional pollen rain component or that woodland was located some distance from the channel possibly colonizing the floodplain edge on more elevated valley slopes. Principal taxa forming woodland around the site include pine, oak and elm, with hazel and birch perhaps forming more open, scrub woodland at the periphery. Ferns may have formed a significant component of woodland understorey, while alder trees may have formed a component of woodland on the valley floor in wetter areas. Increasing fluvial influence is indicated by the occurrence of members of the goosefoot family in the alluvium.
Charred plant remains by Rosalind McKenna A programme of soil sampling was implemented during the excavation, which included the collection of soil samples from 20 sealed contexts, 20L in size. Following standard flotation treatment, subsamples were examined in the laboratory: details of methodology are in the archive. The flot was examined under a low-power binocular microscope at magnifications between x12 and x40.
The single seed identified was an indeterminate cereal grain, although plant macrofossils that were modern contaminants were also present in five samples (elder, goosefoot/orache, cinquefoils and violets). This report therefore concentrates on the charcoal.
Charcoal fragments were present in eighteen samples, mainly in low quantities. The majority of the charcoal present in the samples was too poor to enable identification, and so only a limited amount of environmental data can be gained from the samples. Twelve of the samples produced remains with identifiable material. Appendix 9 shows the results of the charcoal assessment.
The total range of taxa comprises willow/poplar (Salix/Populus), hazel (Corylus) and oak (Quercus).
Willow/poplar is by far the most numerous of the identified charcoal fragments in eleven samples, with hazel being identified in two samples and oak in six. It is possible that these were the preferred fuel woods obtained from a local environment containing a broader choice of species.
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These charcoal remains showed the exploitation of several species, including oak and hazel and with the prevalence of salix/poplar being selected and used as fire wood. Willow/Poplar are species that are ideal to use for kindling. They are anatomically less dense than for example, oak and ash and burn quickly at relatively high temperatures (Cutler and Gale 2000, 34, 236; Grogan et al. 2007, 29-31). This property makes them good to use as kindling, as the high temperatures produced would encourage the oak to ignite and start to burn. Hazel is recorded as a good fuel wood and was widely available within oak woodlands, particularly on the fringes of cleared areas (Grogan et al. 2007, 30). Oak has good burning properties and would have made a fire suitable for most purposes (Edlin 1949). Oak is a particularly useful fire fuel as well as being a commonly used structural/artefactual wood that may have had subsequent use as a fire fuel (Rossen and Olsen 1985).
Discussion
The features present on the site (with the exception of the burnt mound, see below) are few and for the most part undated. Artefacts are similarly rare with only 21 sherds of pottery recovered, mostly unstratified, with Bronze
Age, Iron Age and Roman periods represented. Likewise the flint finds range in date from the Mesolithic to the
Bronze Age. Unusually, the finds include a fragment of shale bracelet of probable later Iron Age or Roman date.
The column sample from the large palaeochannel in Area A records a slow process of environmental change and suggests that the area was frequently flooded, and may have been an area of marsh, or when dry, grazing land. In general the evidence points to a low level of use other than, presumably for grazing in both prehistoric and historic times.
The main archaeological feature discovered was that of a burnt mound, which is a site type that is most frequently to be found in low-lying settings. Burnt mounds are a monument type infrequently recorded in the archaeological literature for southern England, but are commonly found in the highland zones of England and
Ireland (Ehrenberg 1991; Topping 2011). They are typically found close to water, and typically comprise a crescentic mound of burnt stone surrounding a trough (Raymond 1987). They are often compared to their more numerous and well-studied counterparts in Ireland and highland zones of Britain (Buckley 1990), yet frequently the comparison is only general with many distinctive defining features being absent. Although described as
‘mounds’ many survive only as spreads of burnt stone, some, but not all levelled by later ploughing. They are predominantly a Bronze Age phenomenon but with some Neolithic and Iron Age examples recorded. Some Irish examples have very extended chronologies from the Neolithic through to the late Bronze Age as at Cahiralla Beg
(Bermingham et al. 2012, 31ff). The interpretation of burnt mounds is that their primary purpose was for the heating of water but it is unknown what this water was used for. The general opinion is that the water was used
13
for cooking though other theories include bathing, brewing and dyeing (O’Drisceoil 1988; Barfield 1991;
Bermingham et al. 2012).
The Sonning site does not conform to the ‘model’ type of burnt mound site, which would be crescentic in plan and surrounding a trough (Raymond 1987) though it is of course possible that a trough is to be found here in the unexcavated part of the site. However, the characteristics of Sonning are broadly similar to others now recorded for the Middle Thames region, several of which have been radiocarbon dated. A large plough-levelled mound was recorded at Green Park, Reading (Fig. 1) which was dated by association with Late Bronze Age pottery and sealed a pit with a radiocarbon date of 1220–860 cal BC (Brossler et al. 2004, 39 and appendix 1).
Further west in the Kennet Valley three more sites have been recorded. At Anslows Cottages a small mound was associated with a Late Bronze Age date of 840–410 cal BC (Butterworth and Lobb 1992). Another small mound was recorded at Turnpike School, Newbury and produced a Late Bronze Age radiocarbon date of 996–807 cal
BC (Pine 2010, table 1.1) whereas the mound at Dunston Park, Thatcham produced a date of 1380–900 cal BC
(Fitzpatrick 2011, 99).
To the south-east of the Sonning site, the mound at Barkham Square, Wokingham was dated by two radiocarbon determinations of 1375–895 and 820–510 cal BC (Torrance and Ford 2003, 93) indicating a lengthy use as seen here, and at Jennetts Park, Bracknell dates were produced of 1630–1450 and 1420–1260 cal BC
(Simmonds et al. 2009, 13). At Little Marlow in the Thames Valley to the east, three burnt mounds and five burnt flint patches were excavated (Richmond et al. 2006). Radiocarbon dating of each of these three sites produced dates of 2475–2140, 2140–1920 and 1745–1385 cal BC, again indicating a very long span of use from the late Neolithic through to the middle Bronze Age. Two of these sites had no obvious trough.
One other feature related to burnt mounds also commonly encountered in Ireland are burnt spreads- small patches of burnt flint without any other features (Bermingham et al. 2012, 35). There is a single example at
Sonning (205) whereas at Little Marlow five were revealed (Richmond et al. 2006).
The dating of the Sonning Eye burnt mound to the Middle Bronze Age with two dates of 1621–1498 and
1416–1266 cal BC adds another component to the settlement record at this time, when occupation sites are infrequently recorded .
References Aaby, B and Berglund, B E, 1986, ‘Characterization of peat and lake deposits’, in (ed) B E Berglund, Handbook of Holocene Palaeoecology and Palaeohydrology. Chichester, 231–46 Adkins, L and Adkins, R, 1998, Handbook of British Archaeology, London Barnes, I, Butterworth, C A, Hawkes, J W and Smith, L, 1997, Excavations at Thames Valley Park, Reading, Berkshire, 1986–88, Wessex Archaeol Rep 14, Salisbury
14
Bermingham, N, Hull G, and Taylor, K, 2012, Beneath the Banner, Archaeology of the M18 Ennis Bypass and N85 western relief road, County Clare, National Roads Authority Scheme Monogr 10, Dublin BGS, 1947, British Geological Survey, 1:50,000, Sheet 268, Drift Edition, Keyworth Barfield, L H, 1991, ‘Hot Stones: Hot Food or Hot Baths?’ in (eds) M A Hodder and L H Barfield, Burnt Mounds and Hot Stone Technology, Sandwell, 59–68 Brossler, A, Early, R, and Allen, C, 2004, Green Park (Reading Business Park), Phase 2 excavations1995 – Neolithic and Bronze Age Sites, Oxford Archaeology, Thames Valley Landscapes Monogr 19, Oxford Butterworth, C A and Lobb, S J (eds), 1992, Excavations in the Burghfield Area, Berkshire, Wessex Archaeol Rep 1, Salisbury Cutler, D F and Gale, R, 2000, Plants in Archaeology – Identification Manual of Artefacts of plant origin from Europe and the Mediterranean, , Kew Edlin, H L, 1949. Woodland crafts in Britain: an account of the traditional uses of trees and timbers in the British countryside, London Ehrenberg, M, 1991, ‘Some Aspects of the Distribution of Burnt Mounds,’ in (eds) M A Hodder and L H Barfield, Burnt Mounds and Hot Stone Technology, Sandwell, 41–58 Fitzpatrick, A, 2011, Early Iron Age ironworking and the 18th century house and park at Dunston Park, Thatcham, Berkshire: archaeological observations 1993-9, Berkshire Archaeol J, 80, 81–112 Ford, A, 2004, Sonning Eye Quarry, Northern Extension, Caversham, Oxfordshire, Oxford Archaeol Rep SOCOE 02, Oxford Ford, S, 1987, East Berkshire Archaeological Survey, Berkshire County Counc Dept Highways and Planning Occas Pap 1, Reading Gates, T, 1975, The Thames Valley, An archaeological Survey of the River Gravels, Berkshire Archaeol Comm Pubn 1, Reading Grogan, E, Johnston, P, O’Donnell, L, 2007, The Bronze Age Landscapes of the Pipeline to the West: An Integrated Archaeological and Environmental Assessment, Bray, Co Wicklow. JSAC 2002, ‘An Archaeological desk-based assessment of land to the north of the B487 Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire’, John Samuels Archaeological Consultants, Newark Keith-Lucas, D, M, 1997, ‘Pollen’, in I Barnes, C A Butterworth, J W Hawkes and L Smith, Excavations at Thames Valley Park, Reading, 1986-88. Wessex Archaeology Report 14, 99–106 Manning, A and Moore, C, 2011, ‘Excavations at Lea Farm, Hurst, 1998’, Berkshire Archaeol J 80, 31–71 Moore, P D, Webb, J A and Collinson, M E, 1991, Pollen Analysis (2nd edn) Oxford O’Drisceoil, D, 1988, ‘Burnt mounds: cooking or bathing?’ Antiquity, 62, 671–80 Oswald, A, Dyer, C, and Barber, M, 2001, The Creation of Monuments: Neolithic causewayed enclosures in the British Isles, Swindon Pine, J, 2010, ‘A Late Bronze Age burnt mound and other prehistoric features, and Roman occupation at Turnpike School, Gaywood Drive, Newbury’, in (ed) S Preston, Archaeological investigations along the line of Ermin Street, in West Berkshire, 1992-2008, TVAS Monogr 12, Reading, 1–17 PPG16, 1990, Archaeology and Planning, DoE Planning Policy Guidance 16, HMSO Raymond, F, 1987, Monument Protection Programme Single Monument Class Description: Burnt Mounds, London Reille, M, 1992, Pollen et Spores d’Europe et d’Afrique du Nord, Marseille Reimer, P J, Baillie, M G L, Bard, E, Bayliss, A, Beck, J W, Bertrand, C J H, Blackwell P G, Buck, C E, Burr, G S, Cutler, K B, Damon, P E, Edwards, R L, Fairbanks, R G, Friedrich, M, Guilderson, T P, Hogg, A G, Hughen, K A, Kromer, B, McCormac, G, Manning, S, Bronk Ramsey, C, Reimer, R W, Remmele, S, Southon, J R, Stuiver, M, Talamo, S, Taylor, F W, van der Plicht, J and Weyhenmeyer, C E, 2004, ‘IntCal04 terrestrial radiocarbon age calibration, 0–26cal kyr BP’, Radiocarbon, 46(3), 1029–58 Richmond, A, Rackham, J and Scaife, R, 2006, ‘Excavations of a prehistoric stream-side site at Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire’, Recs Buckinghamshire 46, 65–101 Rossen, J, and Olson, J, 1985, The controlled carbonisation and archaeological analysis of SE US wood charcoals, J Field Archaeol 12, 445–56 Schweingruber, F H, 1978 Microscopic wood anatomy, Birmensdorf Simmonds, A, Cook, S, Biddulph, E and Score, D, 2009, Archaeology in the Park: Excavations at Jennett’s Park, Bracknell, Berkshire, Oxford Archaeol Occas Pap 18, Oxford Slade, C, F, 1964, ‘A late Neolithic enclosure at Sonning, Berkshire’, Berkshire Archaeol J 61, 4-19 Stace, C. 1997, New Flora of the British Isles, Cambridge Torrance, L and Ford, S, 2003, ‘A late Bronze Age burnt mound at Barkham Square, Wokingham, 1992’ in S Preston (ed), Prehistoric, Roman and Saxon sites in Eastern Berkshire, TVAS Monogr 2, Reading, 87–97 Troels-Smith, J, 1955, ‘Characterisation of unconsolidated sediments’, Danmarks Geologiske Undersogelse Arborg Series IV 3 (10)
15 APPENDIX 1: Catalogue of all excavated features
Cut Deposit Group Type Area Date Dating Evidence 50 Topsoil A 1 51 Brown alluvium A 1 52 Blue alluvium A 1 53 Brown peat A 1 54 Black peat A 1 55 Gravel A 2 56 Pit A 3 57 treebole A 4 58 treebole A 18 59 treebole A 5 60 treebole A 6 61 treebole A 7 62 treebole A 8 63 treebole A 9 64 treebole A 10 65 treebole A 11 66 treebole A 12 67 treebole A 13 68 treebole A 14 69 treebole A 15 70 treebole A 16 71 treebole A 17 72 treebole A 19 73 treebole A 20 74 treebole A 21 75 treebole A 22 76 treebole A 23 77 treebole A 24 78 treebole A 25 79 treebole A 26 80 treebole A 27 81 treebole A 28 82 treebole A 29 83 treebole A 30 84 treebole A 31 85 treebole A 32 86 treebole A 33 87 treebole A 34 88 treebole A 35 89 treebole A 36 90 Pit A 37 91, 92 Pit A 38 93 treebole A 39 94 treebole A 40 95 treebole A 41 96 treebole A 42 97 treebole A 43 98 treebole A 44 99 treebole A 45 150 treebole A 46 151, 152 treebole A 47 153 treebole A 48 154, 155, 156 treebole A 49 157 treebole A 100 158 treebole A 101 159 treebole A 102 160 121 Gully A 103 161 121 Gully A 104 162 121 Gully A 105 163 treebole A 106 164 treebole A 107 165 treebole A 108 166 Post hole A 109 167 Post hole A 110 168 Post hole A 111 169 treebole A 112 170 treebole A 113 171 treebole A 114 172 treebole A 115 173 treebole A 116 174 treebole A 117 175 121 Gully A Cut Deposit Group Type Area Date Dating Evidence 118 176 treebole A 119 177 treebole A 120 178 treebole A 120 179 treebole A 120 180 treebole A 200 250 Treebole B 201 251 Treebole B 202 252 Ditch B 202 252 Ditch B 203 253 Ditch B 254 Alluvium B 255 Peat B 204 256 Ditch B 204 257 Ditch B 205 258 Burnt flint lens B 205 258 Burnt flint lens B 206 259 Posthole B 206 260 Posthole (wood) B 206 260 Posthole (wood) B 207 261 posthole B 207 262 Posthole (wood) B 208 263 Gully B 209 264 Gully terminus B 209 264 Gully terminus B 210 265 Gully B 211 266 Gully B 212 267 Gully B 213 268 Gully B 214 269 Gully B 215 270 Gully B 216 271 Gully B 217 272 Ditch B 218 273 Burnt Mound Sec A Pit B Middle Bronze Age C14 date 274 Burnt Mound Sec A Lower Burnt Flint Layer B Middle Bronze Age C14 date 275 Burnt Mound Sec A Upper Burnt Flint Layer B 276 Burnt Mound Sec B Lower Burnt Flint Layer B 277 Burnt Mound Sec B Upper Burnt Flint Layer B Late Bronze Age Pottery 278 Alluvium B 219 279 Burnt Mound Sec C Pit B 280 Burnt Mound Sec C Lower Burnt Flint Layer B 281 Burnt Mound Sec C Redeposited natural B Prehistoric Pottery, Flint flake 282 Burnt Mound Sec C Burnt flint deposit B 283 Burnt Mound Sec C Upper Burnt Flint Layer B Prehistoric Flint Blade 284 Burnt Mound Sec D Burnt hollow/hearth B 285 Burnt Mound Sec E Upper Burnt Flint Layer B Prehistoric Flint Flake 286 Burnt Mound Sec E Lower Burnt Flint Layer B 287 Burnt Mound Sec D Soft Clay Layer B Prehistoric Pottery, Flint Flake 288 Burnt Mound Sec D Redeposited natural B 289 Burnt Mound Sec D Upper Burnt Flint Layer B 220 290 Burnt Mound Sec D posthole B 221 292 Burnt Mound Sec G Ditch B 293 Peat B 294 Burnt Mound Sec G Burnt Flint Layer B 221 295 Burnt Mound Sec G Ditch B 296 Burnt Mound Sec F Burnt Flint Layer B
APPENDIX 2: Catalogue of Pottery
From excavated contexts
Context Fabric Form Date-range No. sherds Wt (g) Comments Find spot 1 LIA 3 Jar 1 BC–AD43 5 37 Fresh. From top peat layer Find spot 3 R1 Girth-cordoned jar AD150–250 10 65 Fresh. 1 jar Find spot 4 LIA1 Necked jar 25BC–AD43 1 132 Fresh LIA2 Jar AD30–60 1 17 Fresh Late Iron Age 2 149 281 MIA1 ?Saucepan-pot 300–50BC? 2 36 Redeposited natural 287 MIA1 Jar 300–50BC? 1 4 Fresh. Layer
From sieved environmental samples
Context Sample Fabric Form Date-range No. sherds Wt (g) Comments 277 <58> LBA 1 1500–600BC 1 2 Abraded
APPENDIX 3: Inventory of Animal Bone
Cut Deposit No. Frags Wt (g) Cattle Unidentified 47 153 13 12 - 13 - 285 2 14 - 2 find spot 8 1 88 1 - Total 16 114 1 15
APPENDIX 4: Catalogue of Struck Flint
Location Catalogue Find spot 7 Broken flake 281 Intact flake; Broken flake 283 Intact flake; knife? 285 Intact narrow flake 287 2 Intact flakes, 2 broken flakes
APPENDIX 5: Catalogue of Burnt Clay
Cut Deposit Type Sample No Wt (g) 274 Layer 55 1 6 219 279 Pit 1 30 281 Redeposited natural 1 24 282 Burnt flint deposit 9 76 283 Burnt flint deposit 10 44 288 Redeposited natural 2 22 APPENDIX 6: Radiocarbon dates
KIA46452 Burnt mound pit 218 (273) wood charcoal Fraction Corrected pMC Conventional Age δ13C(‰) Charcoal, alkali 66,47 ± 0,21 3280 ± 25 BP -24,25 ± 0,13 residue, 1.8 mg C Radiocarbon Age BP3281 ± 26 calibrated age Probability Two Sigma Range cal BC 1621 - 1498 95.4% (Probability 95.4%)
KIA46453 Burnt mound layer 274 wood charcoal Fraction Corrected pMC Conventional Age δ13C(‰) Charcoal, alkali 68,20 ± 0,27 3075 ± 30 BP -24,87 ± 0,14 residue, 1.1 mg C Radiocarbon Age BP3075 ± 32 calibrated age Probability Two Sigma Range cal BC 1416 - 1266 95.4% (Probability 95.4%)
APPENDIX 7: Environmental Column Sample of Palaeochannel
Photograph of Column 1 <4> showing palaeochannel sediments, Sonning Eye Quarry, Oxfordshire (Site Code: SEQ09/42)
Methodology Three sub-samples of sediment (1 cm3/sample) were taken from selected depths in Column 1 for pollen assessment. Pollen samples were prepared using standard laboratory techniques as outlined in Moore et al. (1991) and summarized as follows. • Tablets containing Lycopodium spores were added to permit calculation of pollen concentrations • HCl (7%) treatment to remove carbonates • NaOH (10%) treatment to remove humic colloids • Sieving to remove particles >180 µm, while retaining all particles > 10 µm • HF (60%) treatment to remove silicious material • Acetolysis to remove cellulose • Sub-samples were stained with 0.2% safranin and mounted in Kaiser's glycerol jelly
Quality control was maintained by periodic checking of pellets and the assembly of sample batches from random depths to check for systematic laboratory effects. Pollen grains and spores were identified using the University of Reading pollen type collection and the following sources of keys and photographs: Moore et al. (1991); Reille (1992). Plant nomenclature follows Stace (1997). The assessment procedure consisted of scanning four transects on the prepared slides (equal to 10% of the slide). Concentrations and preservation of pollen grains (including spores) were assessed using a 0-4 point scoring system and principle taxa were recorded (Appendix 8). Presence or absence of microcharcoal was also recorded. Samples were initially assessed for pollen preservation and taxa present in order to evaluate whether a full pollen count would be of significance.
Lithostratigraphic description of Column 1 Depth (m) Geological Unit Texture Sediment Description
1.79 to 1.73 Drift geology Sands and 10YR 4/3 (brown) Gg(maj.)2, Gg(min.)1, Ga1; strf 1; elas 0; sicc 4; very gravels diffuse (10 mm) contact with 1.73 to 0.89 Terrestrial sediment Organic-rich 10YR 2/1 (black), As2, Ag1, Sh1, Dg+, [part test (moll.)+] [anth+]; strf silty clay 2; elas 1; sicc 2/3; very diffuse (> 20 mm) contact with 0.89 to 0.31 Alluvium Clay 10YR 3/1 (very dark grey) As3, Ag1, [part test (moll.)+]; strf 1; elas 0; sicc 2/3; very diffuse (> 10 mm) contact with 0.31 to 0.04 Alluvium Silty clay 10YR 4/4 (dark yellowish brown) As3, Ag1, [part test (moll.)+]; strf 1; elas 0; sicc 2/3; sharp (1 mm) contact with 0.04 to 0.00 Alluvium Sandy clay 10YR 4/3 (brown) As2, Ga2, [part test (moll.)+], Dh+; strf 1; elas 0; sicc 2/3
Appendix 8: Pollen assessment
Depth (m) Sedimentary Pollen Taxa: Pollen taxa: No. Concentration Preservation Microcharcoal Unit Scientific Name Common Name 0-5 0-5 1.57 to 1.54 Organic-rich Betula Birch 2 1 2/3 Present silty clay Alnus Alder 3 Corylus avellana-type Hazel 2 Poaceae Grasses 3 Polypodium Polypody 1 Sphagnum Moss 1 Lycopodium clavatum Club Moss ‘spike’ 3 Degraded 7 1.00 to 0.99 Organic-rich Betula Birch 1 1 3 Present silty clay Pinus Pine 2 Alnus Alder 1 Quercus Oak 2 Ulmus Elm 1 Corylus avellana-type Hazel 8 Poaceae Grasses 10 Lactuceae Dandelions 1 Asteraceae Daisies 2 Plantago lanceolata Plantain 1 Rumex Dock 1 Rosaceae Roses 1 Pteropsida (monolete undiff.) Ferns 2 Polypodium Polypody 3 Pteridium Bracken 7 Lycopodium clavatum Club Moss ‘spike’ 16 Degraded 53 0.12 to 0.11 Alluvium Pinus Pine 5 1 2 Present Corylus avellana-type Hazel 1 Poaceae Grasses 7 Cyperaceae Cyperaceae 7 Chenopodiaceae Goosefoots 1 Lactuceae Dandelions 13 Urtica dioica Common Nettle 4 Pteropsida (monolete undiff.) Ferns 3 Pteridium Bracken 1 Lycopodium clavatum Club Moss ‘spike’ 28 Degraded 69 Key: Concentration of TLP: 0 = 0 grains; 1 =1-75 grains, 2 = 76-150 grains, 3 =151-225 grains, 4 = 226- 300, 5 =300+ grains Preservation of TLP: 0 = none, 1 = very poor, 2 = poor, 3 = moderate, 4 = good, 5 = excellent
APPENDIX 9: Burnt Mound Environmental Data Table 1. Complete list of charcoal taxa recovered. Taxonomy and nomenclature follow Schweingruber (1978). Numbers are identified charcoal fragment for each sample or % where more than 100 present.
Sample 51 54 55 56 58 59 60 Cut 205 218 219 Deposit 258 273 274 275 277 279 280 Feature type Burnt Pit Burnt Burnt Burnt Pit Burnt mound mound mound mound mound No fragments 100+ 50+ 78 36 50+ 51 21 Max size (mm) 21 14 31 22 14 31 14
Name Vernacular Corylus avellana Hazel - - 1 - - - - Salix / Populus Willow / Poplar 43 19 22 11 13 22 4 Quercus Oak - 8 24 - 2 8 - Indeterminate 57 23 31 25 35 21 17
Sample 61 62 63 64 67 Cut Deposit 281 282 283 284 289 Feature type Redeposited Burnt Burnt Burnt Burnt natural mound mound mound mound No fragments 50+ 29 100+ 100+ 18 Max size (mm) 20 30 28 14 19
Name Vernacular Corylus avellana Hazel - - 7 - - Salix / Populus Willow / Poplar 2 21 45 - 6 Quercus Oak 13 - - 34 - Indeterminate 35 8 48 66 12
OXFORDSHIRE
77500 6 A 5m 4 0 7 4 ) d a o SITE R th 5m a 6 B ( 4 Caversham A Sonning R Sonning neolithic . T m h 5 am complex 6 e 75000 s m 65
A 329 Thames Valley Tilehurst Park Abbey Woodley
72500 A 3 29 A 32 6 9 ( 5 M) Calcot m
A4 Holy Brook Earley et Kenn Green Park Whitley BERKSHIRE 70000
M4 (Motorway)
k n o o o d Burghfield r d B o L m Common y . r R 5 d 6
u
o
F 67500 Grazeley m 5 Arborfield 6 Shinfield 65m
3 3 A Spencers Wood
SU65000 67500 70000 72500 75000 77500
SEQ 09/42 Sonning Eye Quarry, Playhatch Road, Caversham, N Oxfordshire, Extraction phases A-C, 2009-2011 Archaeological Recording Action
Figure 1. Location of sites in the immediate environs of Reading
0 5km 76600
AREA A 76500 shale bracelet 5 LIA sherds Treeholes Palaeochannel peat
10 Roman sherds wood 2 LIA sherds 76400 peat Peat sample wooden column stake bone AREA C 122 flint
G 205 Burnt 76300 Mound
AREA B
76200 peat
SU74400 74500 74600 74700 74800
SEQ 09/42
N Sonning Eye Quarry (Phases A-C), Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire, 2009-2011 Archaeological Recording Action
Figure 2. Location of Site
0 100m 76500
5 7 15 4 palaeochannel 8 6 16 14 47 17 11 3 13 2 9 38 39 40 12 76450 19 18 48 20 21 10 22 24 26 23 25 34 37 27 42 33 35 100 101 120 29 41 43 45 28 30 49 32 44 46 36 31 119 116 107 108 117103 106 112 114 109 115 102 104 111 105 113 110 1 121 118
76400
SU74500 74550 74600 74650
0 50m
SEQ 09/42
N Sonning Eye Quarry (Phases A-C), Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire, 2009-2011 Archaeological Recording Action
Figure 3. Area A. Plan of excavated features 121
NE SW NW SE / SW NE
162 161 163
103
105 104
121
NW SE SSE NNW SE NW
160 175 166
108 117 102
E W SE NW
167 168 110 109
SEQ 09/42 Sonning Eye Quarry, (Phases A-C), Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire, 2009 Archaeological Recording Action
Figure 4. Sections (Area 1)
0 1m y ar nd ou 76330 b ld fie d ol
221 ? Peat 34.72m (removed)
n i
a r G H d /
m
a
e r t s
34.88m
Auger holes E F 5 4 3 2 1
284 219 hearth
C D (220) cut through mound ?
218 34.85m A B
76300 74390
05m
SEQ09/42
N Sonning Eye Quarry (Phases A-C), Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire, 2009-2011 Archaeological Recording Action
Figure 5. Detail of burnt mound N S 34.88m a OD 281 286 283 275 274 GE285 284 280 CA
WE
275 274 277 276 AB
WE
283 281 289 282 CD284
W E
296 285 286 EF
WE
221 292 293 G 294 295
0 above sections only 5m
SE NW S N 289 topsoil 288 290 287
subsoil 220 275
274
273
218
0 1m
Figure 6. Sections of burnt mound Plate 1. Burnt mound before excavation, looking west, Scales: 2m and 1m.
Plate 2. Burnt Mound after excavation, looking north, Scales: 2m and 1m.
Plate 3. Pit 218 looking west Scales: 2m and 0.5m
SEQ09/41
Sonning Eye Quarry, Phases A-C, Playhatch Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire Archaeological Excavation (Burnt Mound) Plates 1 - 3 TIME CHART
Calendar Years
Modern AD 1901
Victorian AD 1837
Post Medieval AD 1500
Medieval AD 1066
Saxon AD 410
Roman AD 43 BC/AD Iron Age 750 BC
Bronze Age: Late 1300 BC
Bronze Age: Middle 1700 BC
Bronze Age: Early 2100 BC
Neolithic: Late 3300 BC
Neolithic: Early 4300 BC
Mesolithic: Late 6000 BC
Mesolithic: Early 10000 BC
Palaeolithic: Upper 30000 BC
Palaeolithic: Middle 70000 BC
Palaeolithic: Lower 2,000,000 BC Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47-49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5NR
Tel: 0118 9260552 Fax: 0118 9260553 Email: [email protected] Web: www.tvas.co.uk