Land at Castlethorpe Road Hanslope Milton Keynes
Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design
for Triskelion Heritage
CA Project: 669051 CA Report: 18256
March 2019
Land at Castlethorpe Road Hanslope Milton Keynes
Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design
CA Project: 669051 CA Report: 18256
prepared by Ralph Brown, Project Officer
date 30.11.2018
checked by Daniel Stansbie, Post Excavation Manager
date 12.12.18
approved by Martin Watts, Head of Cirencester Office
signed
date 21 January 2019
issue 01
This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.
1 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
CONTENTS
SUMMARY ...... 5
1 INTRODUCTION ...... 6
Location, topography and geology ...... 6 Archaeological background ...... 6
2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 9
3 METHODOLOGY ...... 9
4 RESULTS ...... 10
Fieldwork summary ...... 10 Period 1: 11th century or earlier (Fig. 3) ...... 10 Period 2: 11th century or earlier (Fig. 3) ...... 12 Period 3: 11th to 13th Century ...... 12 Period 4: 13th to 14th Century ...... 14 Unphased Features ...... 16
5 FACTUAL DATA AND STATEMENTS OF POTENTIAL ...... 17
Stratigraphic Record: factual data ...... 17 Stratigraphic record: statement of potential...... 17 Artefactual record: factual data ...... 18 Artefactual record: statements of potential ...... 21 Biological record: factual data ...... 22 Biological record: statements of potential ...... 25
6 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL ...... 26
7 STORAGE AND CURATION ...... 27
8 UPDATED AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 27
Objective 1: Further develop our chronological understanding of the origins of the medieval settlement...... 27 Objective 2: Further develop our chronological understanding of the abandonment of the medieval settlement...... 28
2 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Objective 3: Develop our understanding of the environmental and agricultural base of the medieval settlement, the nature of cereal production and consumption, and the use of woodland resources ...... 28 Objective 4: Further develop our understanding of the spatial and functional organisation of the medieval settlement ...... 29 Objective 5: Investigate the nature of everyday life in the medieval settlement, including craft activities and the social status of the inhabitants ...... 30
9 PUBLICATION ...... 30
Synopsis of proposed summary publication ...... 31
10 PROJECT TEAM ...... 31
11 TASK LIST ...... 33
12 TIMETABLE ...... 33
13 REFERENCES ...... 34
APPENDIX 1: STRATIGRAPHIC ASSESSEMENT BY RALPH BROWN ...... 36
APPENDIX 2: LITHICS BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE ...... 37
APPENDIX 3: POTTERY BY SUE ANDERSON ...... 39
APPENDIX 4: CERAMIC OBJECT BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE ...... 43
APPENDIX 5: FIRED/BURNT CLAY BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE ...... 43
APPENDIX 6: CERAMIC BUILDING MATERIAL BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE ...... 44
APPENDIX 7: METALWORK BY KATIE MARSDEN ...... 45
APPENDIX 8: METALWORKING RESIDUE BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE ...... 47
APPENDIX 9: WORKED BONE/ANTLER BY KATIE MARSDEN...... 47
APPENDIX 10: STONE BY RUTH SHAFFREY ...... 48
APPENDIX 11: PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BY EMMA AITKEN AND SARAH F. WYLES ...... 49
APPENDIX 12: ANIMAL BONE ASSESSMENT BY MATILDA HOLMES ...... 57
3 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
APPENDIX 13: OASIS REPORT FORM ...... 60
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000). Fig. 2 Site plan and evaluation trenches (1:1750). Fig. 3 Site plan (1:400). Fig. 4 Phase 1 plan (1:150). Fig. 5 Phase 2 plan (1:200). Fig. 6 General site photographs, both looking south-west. Fig. 7 Pit/hollow T, section AA (1:20) and photograph, looking south. Fig. 8 Ditches C and H, section BB (1:20) and photograph, looking south-east (scale 1m). Fig. 9 Palaeochannel R, ditch D, ditch H and pit 2157, section CC (1:20) and photograph, looking north-east (scale 2m).
4 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
SUMMARY
Site Name: Land at Castlethorpe Road Location: Hanslope, Milton Keynes NGR: 479825 246969 Type: Excavation Date: April-June 2018 Planning Reference: 16/02106/OUT Location of archive: Buckinghamshire County Museum Accession Number: AYBCM: 2018.44 Site Code: HANS18
A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between April and June 2018, at the request of Triskelion Heritage (on behalf of Bloor Homes), at land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes. An area of 0.33ha was excavated across the development area.
The excavation revealed several phases of early medieval occupation dating possibly from the Middle/Late Anglo-Saxon period until the 14th century. The earliest activity was a series of ditches of uncertain date in the north of the area, which formed an enclosure probably extending to the north-west, beyond the limits of excavation. Contemporaneous with this were a pair of sinuous north-west/south-east ditches which may have formed a droveway along the eastern side of the enclosure. The fills of these features were cut by a straight boundary ditch orientated east/west, containing a small quantity of possibly residual Saxon pottery.
Between the 11th and 13th centuries enclosures likely to belong to the now deserted hamlet of Green End, situated to the immediate west of the site, were established in the west of the excavation area. As well as four possible enclosure ditches from this period, a pit/hollow containing midden-like material and pits containing the remains of domestic refuse were deposited/excavated. During the 13th and 14th centuries the enclosures were reworked and expanded to the east, with seven ditches aligned parallel with and perpendicular to the base of the valley.
This document presents a quantification and assessment of the evidence recovered from the excavation. It considers the evidence collectively in its local, regional and national context, and presents an updated project design for a programme of post-excavation analysis to bring the results to appropriate publication.
5 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Between April and June 2018 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological excavation at land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes (centred on NGR: 479825 246969; Fig. 1). The work followed an evaluation in 2017 (CA 2017a) (Fig. 2) and was undertaken at the request of Triskelion Heritage, on behalf of Bloor Homes, in accordance with a detailed WSI produced by CA (2018a), and a subsequent addendum (CA 2018b). Both documents were approved by the Local Planning Authority (LPA: Milton Keynes Council) acting on the advice of Nick Crank (archaeological planning advisor to the LPA). The fieldwork also followed Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Excavation (CIfA 2014); the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (Historic England 2015a) and accompanying PPN3: Archaeological Excavation (Historic England 2015b). It was monitored by Nick Crank, including site visits on 24/04/18 and 07/06/18.
Location, topography and geology 1.2 The development site is approximately 10ha in extent and is located off Castlethorpe Road, at the western limits of Hanslope (Fig. 1). The site comprises a single arable field, bounded to the north-east by a residential development, by Castlethorpe Road and further residential development to the south-east, and by agricultural land to the south-west and north-west (Fig. 2). The site lies at approximately 114m AOD along its south-eastern boundary, remaining relatively high along its north-eastern boundary but falling away to approximately 102m AOD in its western corner.
1.3 The solid geology of the site comprises Blisworth Limestone Formation, a sedimentary bedrock formed approximately 165 to 169 million years ago in the Jurassic Period. This is overlain by superficial deposits of Oadby Member Diamicton, formed up to 2 million years ago in the quaternary period (BGS 2016).
Archaeological background 1.4 The following section is summarised from a Heritage Desk Based Assessment (DBA) produced by Cotswold Archaeology (CA 2016). For the periods prior to the medieval period this section concentrates on finds and monuments recorded within the site, with more detailed information being given on medieval activity in a 1km- wide area around the site. More detailed information on pre-medieval activity can be found within the Desk Based Assessment.
6 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
1.5 In addition, a geophysical survey and trial trench evaluation of the site were undertaken in 2017 (Sumo 2017; CA 2017a). The geophysical survey revealed several former field boundaries marked on historic mapping and several uncertain linear trends thought to be either natural or agricultural in origin (Sumo 2017). The evaluation trenches, which were targeted on geophysical anomalies, apparently archaeologically blank areas and the location of a building identified on the Watts Estate Map of 1779 (CA 2017b), identified a concentration of archaeological remains within the northern part of the site, which are summarised below.
Prehistoric period (pre-AD 43) and Roman period (AD 43 – AD 410) 1.6 The earliest prehistoric activity within the site comprised a single flake of residual worked flint recovered during trial trenching and dating to the Neolithic or Early Bronze Age (CA 2017).
1.7 The Milton Keynes Historic Environment Record (henceforth MKHER) documents an unknown Iron Age find-spot within the site; the find having been donated to Buckinghamshire County Museum in 1911.
1.8 Three artefacts of Roman date, including a buckle plate, a brooch and a coin, have been recorded within the site. These indicate some Roman activity within or near to the site but are not indicative of extensive Roman occupation.
Early medieval period (AD 410–1066) and medieval period (1066–1539) 1.9 There are no recorded heritage assets or find-spots of early medieval date within the site. The settlement of Hanslope (Hammescle) is recorded by the Domesday Book and was part of the Hundred of Bunsty. The settlement appears at this time to have been very substantial and is recorded as consisting of 55 households.
1.10 The MKHER records an extensive scatter of metal-detected medieval finds within the site. The assemblage comprises 19 coins, five buckles, one brooch, a copper- alloy mount and a possible ‘mortuary cross’. The scatter appeared to be of greater density within the north-western area of the site and find-spots of medieval date have also been recorded immediately to the south of the site near Cuckoo Hill Farm.
1.11 A medieval settlement known as Green End is recorded approximately 50m to the west of the site. The settlement at Green End is recorded in The Easter Book of Hanslope (dating to 1616) as consisting of 24 households but the settlement appears to have shrunk by 1779, when the Watts Estate Map depicts eight houses. The MKHER records several features at Green End Farm relating to the medieval
7 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
settlement of Green End, including a now-demolished 16th-century mansion house, fishponds, a moat and pottery. Before the demolition of Green End farmhouse in 1954, house platforms and a street line were documented as having been preserved adjacent to the farmhouse. The mansion and settlement at Green End were connected to Hanslope by a trackway which ran immediately to the north of the site, depicted on the Hanslope Estate Map as ‘Green Lane’.
1.12 Given that the settlement is documented as having shrunk in size and the evident density of medieval artefacts recorded within the site, it is probable that at its greatest extent the medieval settlement of Green End may have extended into the north-western area of the site.
The Evaluation (Fig. 2) 1.13 During the evaluation ditches containing pottery dating broadly to the Iron Age period were excavated within the northern-central part of the site (CA 2017a), with Roman pottery, most likely residual in nature, recovered from within possible post- medieval ditches.
1.14 A single pit and a midden (located within Trench 4; Fig. 2), both containing pottery of probable medieval date were identified within the northern part of the site. The excavation therefore focused on the area surrounding Trench 4. Further presumed evidence of medieval activity comprised the flanking ditches of a possible trackway within the same trench. The archaeology found in the northern part of the site during the evaluation was characteristic of the periphery of a medieval rural settlement.
1.15 The evaluation identified ditches and agricultural features across the site. The north- east/south-west and north-west/south-east alignment of many of these ditches (Fig. 2) suggested a common field system, although dating and cartographic evidence indicated that not all the elements were contemporary. Based on the finds and cartographic evidence, as well as morphological characteristics, elements of the putative field system seemed to have their origins within the medieval period, with subsequent post-medieval and modern additions and remodelling.
1.16 The remains of a stone building, which appears on the 1779 Watts Estate map, were identified in the western corner of the site during the evaluation, within Trench 21 (CA 2017a; Fig. 2).
8 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
2.1 The aims of the excavation were to establish the character, quality, date, significance and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site.
2.2 The objectives of the excavation were laid out in a Written Scheme of Investigation produced by CA (CA 2018a) and in a subsequent addendum (CA 2018b), in accordance with the relevant standards and guidelines for archaeological excavation (see section 1.1), as follows:
• Investigate the vicinity of medieval remains identified during the evaluation; • sample and analyse environmental remains to create a better understanding of any medieval land use and evidence of economy encountered; • record any evidence of past settlement or other land use; • recover artefactual evidence to date any evidence of past settlement that may be identified.
3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Fieldwork commenced with the removal of topsoil and subsoil from the excavation area by mechanical excavator with a toothless grading bucket, under archaeological supervision. Topsoil and subsoil stripping was hampered occasionally by inclement weather, which produced a stream of water running down the centre of the minor valley in the location of the excavation and severe flooding at the south-western end of the excavation area. This was mitigated by strategic placing of spoil heaps to divert the water flow and the excavation of a sump in the form of an extension to the western limit of the excavation.
3.2 The archaeological features thus exposed were hand-excavated to the bottom of archaeological stratigraphy. The sampling strategy comprised 50% hand excavation of all discrete features (postholes, pits) and up to 10% hand excavation of all linear features. All features were planned and recorded in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (CA 2014). Deposits were assessed for their environmental potential in accordance with CA Technical Manual 2: The taking and processing of environmental and other samples from archaeological sites (CA 2012), and 20 deposits were deemed suitable for environmental sampling. All artefacts recovered from the excavation were retained in accordance with CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of finds immediately after excavation (CA 1995).
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4 RESULTS
Fieldwork summary 4.1 This section provides an overview of the excavation results; detailed assessments of the recorded contexts, finds and environmental samples (biological evidence) are to be found in the appendices. Features have been assigned to four provisional periods based on artefact spot-dating and the morphology, fill characteristics and spatial distribution of features. Given the morphological characteristics and spatial distribution of the features, and the quality of the spot-dating obtained from the ceramics, a high level of confidence can be placed in the provisional interpretation.
• Period 1: 11th century or earlier • Period 2: 11th century or earlier • Period 3: 11th to 13th century • Period 4: 13th to 14th century
Geology and soils 4.2 Palaeochannel R traversed the excavation area following the base of the minor valley within which the excavation area was located (Fig. 3). It measured 110m in length with a maximum width of 16m and it was cut by all archaeological features intersecting it. A small quantity of possible Roman pottery was recovered from its fills, which comprised a mix of silty clays and clay sands.
4.3 All other features were filled with mid grey brown to brown grey silty clays with the exception of the midden and the surrounding ditches from Period 3, which contained a dark brown black clay silt.
Period 1: 11th century or earlier (Fig. 3) 4.4 Archaeological remains belonging to Period 1 comprised six enclosure or boundary ditches. Although no dating evidence was recovered from any of these features, they have all been phased through their stratigraphic relationships, which place them earlier than Period 2 Ditch E (Fig. 3).
4.5 Period 1 contained two distinct groups of ditches, those in the western half of the excavation area (ditches L, M and N) and those in the east (ditches B, C and D). The western group appear to have represented the south-eastern and north-eastern boundaries of an enclosure (Enclosure 1) in the west of the excavation area.
10 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Enclosure 1 measured 45m in length by 18m in width within the excavation area; however, its true size could have been much larger. The boundaries of Enclosure 1 seem to have been recut on several occasions, starting with the earliest ditch (M).
4.6 Ditch M comprised a curvilinear ditch approximately 42.5m in length and 1.31m in width at the corner of Enclosure 1. It had moderate concave sides and a flat base 0.2m in depth, becoming shallower to the north, where it was truncated by Period 2 Ditch E.
4.7 Ditch N was 10.7m in length, 0.35m to 0.93m in width and was orientated south- west/north-east, turning to the east at the south-eastern corner of Enclosure 1 before terminating. It had moderate sides with a fairly flat base, approximately 0.23m in depth.
4.8 Ditch L re-cut the boundary of Enclosure 1, truncating ditches M and N. It was 35m in length, 0.85m to 1.49m in width and 0.26m to 0.4m in depth, with a terminal halfway along the southern edge of Enclosure 1. It was cut by Ditch K to the north but continued beyond the limits of the excavation to the north-west.
4.9 To the east of Enclosure 1 were two sinuous north/south-orientated ditches (C and D). The earlier of the two (Ditch C) was on a similar alignment to the north- west/south-east return of Ditch L and together they perhaps defined the boundaries of a trackway. Ditch C was 30m in length, and 0.70m to 1.5m in width. At its south- eastern end it measured 0.76m in depth with straight moderate sides and a concave base, while to the north it only survived to a depth of 0.09m. Further to the south- east it continued as Ditch B.
4.10 Ditch D was orientated north-west/south-east, extending beyond the limit of excavation to the north-west and curving round to the south-east, before terminating close to the south-eastern limit of excavation. The ditch measured approximately 40m in length, 0.35m to 1.25m in width and between 0.10m and 0.44m in depth; its single fill produced a moderate assemblage of indeterminate and free-threshing wheat grains.
4.11 Ditch B followed the same alignment as Ditch C; it was 19m in length, 1.20m to 2.30m in width and extended beyond the limit of excavation to the south. It varied from 0.23m to 0.42m in depth and had a concave base with moderate sides, which were stepped in places.
11 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Period 2: 11th century or earlier (Fig. 3) 4.10 Ditch E perhaps represents a period of less intensive occupation between two periods of enclosure building and use, possibly marking the line of a field boundary. It was 81m in length, 0.70m to 0.80m in width and orientated north-east/south-west, cutting ditches C, D, L and M. It had straight moderate sides, with a flat base to the north-east becoming more concave to the south-west and varied in depth from 0.18m to 0.43m. Three sherds of Roman pottery, along with a single sherd of Early/Middle Saxon pottery were recovered from its fill, all of which were possibly residual, along with a fragment of ironworking slag. In addition, a probable articulated bone group comprising cattle ribs and foot bones had been deposited within the fill, towards the south-western end of the ditch.
Period 3: 11th to 13th Century 4.11 Period 3 activity consisted of a midden-filled pit or hollow (T), four ditches (Ditches P, Q, T and V), two of which formed a possible Enclosure (Enclosure 2) in the west of excavation area, and five pits.
4.12 Ditch V, which was aligned north-west/south-east, was 7m in length, between 2.5m and 3.3m in width and 0.73m in depth, extending beyond the limit of excavation to the south-east, and ending in a rounded terminal to the north-west. It had irregular stepped sides and an irregular base and contained two fills, which were darker and more artefact-rich towards the top of the ditch. Ditch V completely truncated an earlier pit or ditch (5088), which was therefore only visible in section. Feature 5088 had moderately sloping sides and a concave base and measured 1.45m in width, with a surviving depth of 0.36m. The feature contained two fills, the lower of which produced 14 sherds of 11th to 13th-century pottery.
4.13 Pit/hollow T was irregular in plan, measured 9.4m in length by 5.5m in width and had a maximum depth of 0.25m. It comprised an irregular shallow pit or hollow, filled by a single layer of dark black and grey midden like material, with moderate small stones and charcoal inclusions. Four sherds of residual Roman pottery and 40 sherds of 12th to13th-century pottery were recovered from the fill, along with 27g of amorphous fired clay, a fragment of worked bone and a substantial assemblage of charred cereal remains including, free-threshing wheat, germinated barley and hulled wheat, charcoal, including roundwood and twigs, and charred weed seeds including nettle seeds.
12 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
4.14 Ditch Q was 23m in length, by between 0.75 and 1.40m in width, and was ‘L’- shaped, forming two sides of a possible enclosure (Enclosure 2) with Ditch P to its west forming a third. It had a concave base and straight moderate sides with a maximum depth of 0.41m, becoming shallower to the north-west. Where the Ditch cut through pit/hollow T it was filled with material very similar to the fill of that feature, although no artefacts were recovered from the ditch fill. However, the fill of the south- eastern terminal of the ditch contained a substantial assemblage of charred plant remains, including germinated free-threshing wheat and hulled wheat.
4.15 Ditch P, which formed the western edge of Enclosure 2, was 12m in length by between 0.58m and 1.59m in width, with a terminal to the south. It had moderate concave sides and a concave base, 0.2m in depth. Although no artefacts were recovered from Ditch P, it has been placed in this period because of its spatial relationship with Ditch Q.
4.16 Ditch I was situated to the south of Enclosure 2 on a north-west/south-east alignment, and measured 9.5m in length, extending beyond the limit of excavation to the south-east, with its northern end truncated by a modern field drain. It measured approximately 0.6m in width with moderate concave sides and a concave base 0.21m in depth. A single sherd of prehistoric pottery, one sherd of Roman pottery and four sherds of 11th to 13th-century pottery were recovered from its single fill.
4.17 Two pits were excavated close to pit/hollow T: Pit 5059, a sub-circular pit roughly 1.7m in diameter and 0.39m in depth, and pit 5081, a sub-oval pit measuring 2.88m in length by 2.14m in width and 0.49m in depth. Both contained dark brown/grey silty fills from which 62 and 6 sherds of 13th-century pottery were recovered respectively, along with an iron horseshoe nail and a substantial assemblage of charred plant remains, including free-threshing wheat grains from the fill of pit 5059.
4.18 Pit 5013 was situated to the north-east of pits 5059 and 5081 and was circular with a diameter of approximately 0.68m and depth of 0.14m. A single sherd of 11th to 13th-century pottery was recovered from its fill.
4.19 Pits 2015/2153 and 2055 were located in the eastern half of the excavation area. Pit 2015/2153 was oval and measured 2.25m in length by 1.05m in width, with a depth of 0.36m. Two sherds of 11th to 13th-century pottery were recovered from its
13 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
single fill. Pit 2055 was sub-circular; it measured 1.44m in length by 1.10m in width and 0.15m in depth and contained a single sherd of 11th to 13th-century pottery.
Period 4: 13th to 14th Century 4.20 Activity during Period 4 comprised seven ditches (ditches J, O, S, K, F, H and G), three large pits (2157, 5031 and 2027) and one smaller pit (2037). The ditches probably represent enclosure boundaries, although no complete enclosures can be reconstructed from the plan of the excavated features.
Ditches 4.21 Ditch J, situated in the southern corner of the excavation area was aligned east/west and extended beyond the limits of excavation at both ends. It measured 15m in length, 1.15m in width and 0.21m in depth and had moderate concave sides, and a flat base. A single sherd of 13th to 14th-century pottery and a fragment of worked antler were recovered from its fill.
4.22 To the north of Ditch J, Ditch O was orientated north-west/south-east, extending beyond the north-western limit of excavation and ending in a rounded terminal to the south-east. Ditch O measured 12m in length by approximately 1.7m in width and 0.81m in depth. The fill of the ditch terminal produced a substantial assemblage of charred plant remains, including free-threshing wheat grains.
4.23 Ditch S was orientated north-west/south-east, extending beyond the limit of excavation to the north-west and returning to the south-west at its south-eastern end, following the downward trajectory of the valley slope, and ending in a rounded terminal. It measured 10m in length, averaged 0.55m in width and 0.1m in depth, and had shallow concave sides with a concave base. Four sherds of 13th to 14th- century pottery were recovered from its single fill.
4.24 Ditch K was situated to the north-east of Ditch S, on a similar alignment, and was ephemeral, measuring only 5m in length by 0.36m in width, with depth of 0.08m. One sherd of 13th to14th-century pottery was recovered from its single fill.
4.25 In the eastern half of the excavation area Ditch F followed a curving north- west/south-east alignment, similar to that of Period 1 Ditch D, extending beyond the limit of excavation to the north-west and being truncated by Ditch H to the south- east. It measured 27m in length by 1.35m in width and 0.47m in depth, and had straight moderate sides with a concave base. It contained two fills, which produced a substantial assemblage of 13th to 14th-century pottery comprising 337 sherds,
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weighing 5.5kg, along with a corner fragment from a ceramic roof tile and charred plant remains, including indeterminate cereal grain, and free-threshing wheat rachis. Most of the pottery came from the darker upper fill, which could represent deliberate rubbish deposition.
4.26 Ditch H was orientated broadly north/south, curving round to the south-east towards the centre of the excavation area and truncating Ditch F, before returning to the south-west to follow the line of palaeochannel R. It measured 46m in length with a maximum of width of 1.97m and a depth of 0.96m. Forty-six sherds of 13th to 14th- century pottery were recovered from the ditch fill, along with 4 sherds of Roman pottery likely to have been residual and derived from the cutting of the palaeochannel by the ditch. In addition, the ditch fill produced a single fragment of Roman or medieval stone roofing material with a circular drilled perforation.
4.27 The eastern most ditch (Ditch G) was orientated north-west/south-east, returning to the south-west in line with palaeochannel R. It had a total length of 26m, a maximum width of 0.92m and depth of 0.26m. Its fills contained 38 sherds of pottery dated to between the 13th and 14th centuries and a substantial assemblage of charred plant remains including free-threshing wheat, and hazelnut shells.
Pits 4.28 Pit 5031 was sub-circular measuring 2.65m in length by 2.31m in width and 0.27m in depth. It contained a single fill from which 9 sherds of 13th to 14th-century pottery were recovered.
4.29 Pit 2027, in the eastern half of the excavation area, was sub-oval in plan, measuring 2.43m in length by 1.15m in width and 0.8m in depth. It contained five fills deriving from a mixture of silting and deliberate backfill, from which a large artefact assemblage including 24 sherds of 13th to14th-century pottery and three iron nails, including a horseshoe nail, was recovered. A spindle whorl and part of a copper buckle frame were also recovered from this feature. In addition, the pit fills produced a substantial assemblage of charred plant remains, including free-threshing wheat, hulled wheat and hazelnut shell. Pit 2027 was cut at its north-eastern end by a smaller sub-circular pit 2037, measuring 1.03m in diameter by 0.28m in depth, which also produced 21 sherds of 13th to 14th-century pottery.
4.30 Pit 2157 was cut into the fills of palaeochannel R in the south-eastern corner of the excavation area and was sub-circular in plan, with near vertical sides that became
15 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
moderately sloping halfway up the pit profile, and a flat base. It measured approximately 2.15m in diameter with a depth of 1.14m and contained a single fill, from which a single sherd of 13th to 15th-century pottery was recovered.
Unphased Features 4.31 Features which remain unphased because they contained no dating evidence and did not have any clear spatial or stratigraphic relationship with other dated features include two ditches (Ditches A and U) and twelve pits and postholes (2045, 2047, 2051, 5007, 5003, 5009, 5011, 5067, 2065, 2043, 5005 and 2067).
Ditches 4.32 Ditch A, which was situated in the south-eastern corner of the excavation area, measured 8m in length and was orientated north-west/south-east. It was 0.67m in width had a maximum depth of 0.19m and a concave profile.
4.33 Ditch U which was situated in the south-western corner of the excavation area measured 4m in length with a width of 1.1m and could not be excavated owing to wet ground conditions. It was aligned parallel to nearby Ditches I and P, and the northwest/southeast arm of Ditch Q, and so could have been of a similar date.
Pits/postholes 4.34 There were a total of 12 undated pits and postholes. Six (2045, 2047, 2051, 5007, 5003 and 5011) formed a north-east/south-west alignment across the north-western edge of the excavation area and, although there were large gaps between features, and a lot of variation in size, postholes 2045, 2047 and 2051 perhaps represent the remains of a fenceline. Pits 5003, 5007 and 5011 averaged 0.35m in diameter and were significantly shallower than postholes 2045, 2047 and 2051, which averaged 0.86m in diameter.
4.35 Sub-rectangular pit 5009, was situated just to the south-east of pit 5007 and measured 1.07m in length by 0.33m in width and 0.13m in depth.
4.36 Oval pit 2065 was also positioned in the northern corner of the excavation area and measured 0.98m in length by 0.80m in width, with a depth of 0.33m. Pit 2065 was truncated by posthole 2067, which was sub-circular, measuring 0.25m in diameter with a depth of 0.48m.
4.37 Three other small sub-circular pits or postholes (2043, 5005 and 5067) were identified. These averaged 0.09m in depth, two (2043 and 5005) in the north of the
16 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
excavation area measured 0.3m and 0.65m in diameter respectively and another (5067) to the south-east of pit/hollow T measured 0.4m in diameter.
5 FACTUAL DATA AND STATEMENTS OF POTENTIAL
Stratigraphic Record: factual data 5.1 Following the completion of the fieldwork an ordered, indexed, and internally consistent site archive was compiled in accordance with specifications presented in the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (Historic England 2015a). A database of all contextual and artefactual evidence was also compiled and cross-referenced to spot-dating. The fieldwork comprises the following records:
Context sheets 299 Plans (1:10, 1:20, 1:100) 0 Sections (1:10, 1:20) 97 Digital survey data 1 Sample sheets 20 Digital photographs 392
5.2 The survival and intelligibility of the site stratigraphy was good, with archaeological remains having survived as negative features. Most features have therefore been assigned a preliminary period based on context dates, stratigraphic relationships and/or spatial association.
Stratigraphic record: statement of potential 5.3 A secure stratigraphic sequence is essential to elucidating the form, purpose, date, organisation and development of the various phases of activity represented. This has been achieved through the stratigraphic assessment carried out for this report; however, interrogation of the ceramic dating evidence in relation to a targeted stratigraphic context matrix will enable the further refinement of the dating of the sequence. The refined sequence will then serve as the spatial and temporal framework within which other artefactual and biological evidence can be understood.
5.4 The stratigraphic record forms a complete record of the archaeological features uncovered and the quality of the stratigraphic and spatial relationships between the different elements, combined with good quality ceramic dating from the later periods, means that there is good potential for elucidating the function and development of
17 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
much of the site. Although the excavation area has probably been ploughed since the medieval period (CA 2016, 30), removing vertical stratigraphy and, potentially, evidence for occupation layers, middens and surfaces, the depth of some of the ditches indicate that this has only had a moderate impact. The relative shallowness of Period 1 ditches C and D near the northern edge of the excavation area, compared to the survival of features in the centre, where the ground level falls away in a south-westerly direction, indicates that more truncation may have occurred on the higher ground to the north.
5.5 Evidence for 11th century or earlier activity (Periods 1 and 2), agricultural activity and/or settlement survived as a series of enclosure and boundary ditches that contained relatively sterile fills, with few artefactual and ecofactual remains. The potential of the archive for these periods is limited to further analysis of chronology and the spatial organisation of the enclosures in relation to the wider landscape.
5.6 Settlement activity dating to the 11th to 14th centuries (Periods 3 and 4) survived as a large pit/hollow containing a fill of midden-like material and a series of discrete features (pits and postholes), as well as boundary and enclosure ditches. These features contained occupation debris, including pottery, fired clay and metal artefacts, and charred plant remains and charcoal deriving from settlement. The potential for analysing and interpreting the formation of the sequence, the functioning and organisation of the settlement, and the way of life of the inhabitants of the settlement is therefore good.
Artefactual record: factual data 5.7 All finds collected during the excavation have been cleaned, marked, quantified and catalogued by context. All metalwork has been x-rayed and stabilised where appropriate.
18 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Type Category Count Weight (g) Pottery Prehistoric 5 19 Roman 12 154 Anglo-Saxon 3 8 Medieval 704 9160 Total 724 9341 Flint Worked/burnt 17 238 Fired Clay All 41 292 Brick/tile All 1 116 Metals Iron 12 34 Copper alloy 1 1 Worked bone All 2 Stone Building stone 1 122 Burnt 1 374
5.8 The finds assemblage consists of five sherds of prehistoric pottery and 12 sherds of Roman pottery all of which were recovered either from features also containing later material, or palaeochannel R. In addition, there were three sherds of Anglo-Saxon pottery, as well as 704 sherds of medieval pottery. In addition to pottery, there were also small assemblages of residual worked flints and fired clay. Twelve iron objects were recovered, seven of which could not be assigned to type or dated. Of the remaining five, four were nails and one was a buckle frame fragment. A copper-alloy object was too fragmentary to be identified. There were also two fragments of worked bone: one a piece of an antler with the tip removed and one a long bone with cut marks. One fragment of stone roof tile was found and one fragment of unworked burnt stone.
Lithics 5.9 The lithic assemblage comprises 23 worked items (222g) and four pieces of burnt, unworked flint (15g). Debitage comprises one blade, one bladelet, four chips and 13 flakes, and there is also one core. Retouched tools consist of one retouched flake, one notched flake and one end scraper, also made on a flake. Several aspects of the assemblage hint at Mesolithic or Early Neolithic dating for at least a proportion of the flints.
Pottery 5.10 The pottery assemblage comprised 724 sherds weighing 9.34kg and was collected from 46 contexts. Twenty sherds, including 5 prehistoric, 12 Roman and 3 Early/Middle Anglo-Saxon sherds are certainly, or possibly, of pre-Saxo-Norman date. Fifty-six sherds are of Late Saxon or Saxo-Norman date; all St Neots-type wares. Six rims are present in this material, of which four are from jars and two from bowls; in addition, there was one carinated body fragment of a bowl. The remainder of the assemblage comprises pottery of broadly 11th to 14th-century date. Shell-
19 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
tempered fabrics make up the bulk of the group, but sandy/shelly and sandy wares were also found. Identifiable forms in the shelly ware group included eight bowls, 36 jars, two jugs and a possible spouted pitcher. Most of the assemblage was recovered from ditches, with the largest single group (308 sherds) from intervention 2012 of Period 4, Ditch F.
Ceramic object 5.11 A ceramic spindle whorl (Ra. 2, 14g) was retrieved from Period 4 pit 2027. It is in the form of a flat disc, measuring 40mm in external diameter and 8mm in thickness.
Fired/burnt clay 5.12 A total of 47 fragments (334g) of fired/burnt clay was recovered from 11 separate deposits. The largest proportion (275g) was retrieved from Period 3 pit/hollow T. All the fired/burnt clay fragments are amorphous, without any surfaces or impressions that might indicate an original form or function.
Ceramic building material 5.13 A corner fragment from a roof tile was recorded from Period 4 Ditch F. It is thin (10mm) with thickened, slightly chamfered edges (17mm) and made in a fine, hard firing fabric, with a grey core and buff surfaces. Inclusions are sparse quartz, fine flint and mica.
Metalwork 5.14 A total of 14 metal items, weighing 35g, was recovered from four deposits. The group comprises 12 iron items and one of copper alloy. The majority of the assemblage, including the copper-alloy item and seven iron items, are too fragmentary to be assigned to type or date. Two structural nail fragments were recovered, one from Period 4 Pit 2027 (fill 2029) and one from Period 4 Ditch H (intervention 2132; fill 2133). Nails of this form, with round head and square shank, were introduced in the Roman period and continued in use largely unchanged until industrialisation in the post-medieval period. Consequently, they cannot be closely dated. Two horseshoe nails; ‘fiddle key’ forms of medieval date (Clark 1995, fig. 64a), were recovered from Period 4 Pits 2027 (fill 2029) and Period 3 Pit 5059 (fill 5060, Ra. 5000). The remaining identifiable iron item is a probable buckle frame fragment, recovered from Period 4 Pit 2027 (fill 2029). The double-loop form is dateable from the mid-14th to mid-17th centuries (Whitehead 1996).
20 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Metalworking residue 5.15 A fragment of ironworking slag (84g) was retrieved from the fill of Period 2 Ditch E. It is approximately plano-convex in cross-section and may represent a fragment from a smithing hearth bottom.
Worked bone/antler 5.16 A small assemblage, comprising one worked bone and one worked antler item, was recovered from two deposits. Both objects appear incomplete and fragmentary and dating is not conclusive for either piece. The antler fragment comprises the tine, with tip removed. The fragment is a waste product of antler working. A fragment of worked bone of uncertain species was also recovered. Lateral cut marks are present on one side but it is unclear whether this is from manufacture or butchery.
Worked stone 5.17 A single piece of stone roofing material, with a circular drilled perforation made from a very shelly fine-grained limestone of Roman or medieval date, along with a burnt unworked piece of (reddened) micaceous siltstone were recovered from Period 4 Ditch H and Period 1 Ditch C respectively.
Artefactual record: statements of potential Lithics 5.18 The flint assemblage is of local significance and demonstrates possible Mesolithic or Early Neolithic activity in the area. At least half of the assemblage is demonstrably residual and the true figure may be higher. A proportion of the lithics hint at dating in the Mesolithic or Early Neolithic periods. A short report on the flint assemblage should be included in any publication on the site. This may be an amended version of this report. Further recording and illustrations are not required.
Pottery 5.19 This is a relatively large rural medieval pottery assemblage which is comparable with the much larger groups recovered from previous excavations around Milton Keynes. Much of it appears to be of a limited date range, with little Potterspury ware present; however, it is of local importance, being one of the first medieval assemblages from the parish of Hanslope. In summary, the potential of this assemblage is to provide evidence for dating and phasing of the site; pottery use, consumption and possibly manufacture; trade links both within and outside the county; and status of the occupants.
21 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Ceramic object 5.20 The ceramic spindle whorl potentially represents the production of textiles at the site and is therefore of local significance. It should be included in the publication report in the form of a catalogue description and illustration.
Fired/burnt clay 5.21 The fired/burnt clay is of minimal significance. A sentence describing it and noting its presence should be included in the excavation report.
Ceramic building material 5.22 The roof tile is of minimal archaeological significance. A sentence describing it should be included in the excavation report. No illustrations are required.
Metalwork 5.23 The metalwork group is small and highly fragmented; however, the identifiable objects could be used to infer aspects of craft activity, status and rural life. The items recovered from Period 4 Pit 2027 (fill 2029) support the medieval dating indicated for this feature by associated pottery. A short descriptive report, which could be adapted from this report with minimal effort, should accompany further publication. Illustrations are not necessary.
Metalworking residue 5.24 The metalworking residue fragment is of minimal significance. A sentence on it should be included in the excavation report, as evidence of metalworking activity.
Worked bone/antler 5.25 The worked bone/antler group is small and its ability to inform dating is limited. Its usefulness for informing on site activity is minimal; however, it is recommended that a short statement summarising the evidence it provides for craft activity is included in the publication report.
Worked Stone 5.26 The roofstone fragment should be retained in case of further research into the use of stone for roofing in the region.
Biological record: factual data 5.27 All ecofacts recovered from the excavation have been cleaned, marked, quantified and catalogued by context. A total of 20 bulk samples were taken for the recovery of environmental remains.
22 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Type Category Count Animal bone Fragments 332 Samples Environmental 20
5.28 The biological assemblage comprised a small assemblage of animal bone, predominantly of cattle, sheep/goat, pig, equid, canid, red deer and goose, along with a small quantity of charred plant remains, including free threshing-wheat, seeds of stinking camomile, oraches, a possible cabbage seed, charcoal, and molluscs indicative of open and aquatic environments.
Plant macrofossil 5.29 A series of 20 environmental samples (706 litres of soil) were processed from a range of feature types and periods from across the excavation area.
5.30 Only a small quantity of charred plant remains were recorded from Period 1. These remains included indeterminate cereal grains, free-threshing wheat (Triticum turgidum/aestivum type) grain fragments, and seeds of stinking chamomile (Anthemis cotula), oraches (Atriplex sp.) and a possible cabbage (c.f. Brassica sp.) seed.
5.31 High quantities of charred plant remains were recovered from Period 3. These remains included the charred remains of indeterminate cereal grains, free-threshing wheat grains, which showed some signs of germination and also included spelt wheat (Triticum spelta), hulled wheat (emmer or spelt (Triticum dicoccum/spelta)), barley (Hordeum vulgare) and possible rye (c.f. Secale cereale) grains that showed signs of germination. Alongside the charred cereal grains there were also small quantities of rachis fragments and coleoptiles. In addition, there was a range of charred weed and legume seeds including celtic bean (Vicia faba).
5.32 Moderate to high quantities of charred plant remains were recorded from Period 4. Five samples contained high quantities of charred cereal remains which included indeterminate grains, free-threshing wheat, hulled wheat and barley. Small quantities of rachis fragments were also recorded from within sample 200 (2014). Sample 205 (2060) only contained small quantities of indeterminate grains, which due to their poor preservation state could not be identified to cereal grain type. Other charred remains included hazelnut shell fragments and various weed and legume seeds including cabbage seeds.
23 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Charcoal 5.33 Charcoal from Period 1 samples varied from low to moderate quantities of fragments greater than 2mm. The charcoal assemblages from The Period 3 samples contained high quantities of charcoal greater than 2mm and was also made up of twig and round wood charcoal fragments. Moderate to large amounts of charcoal fragments were recorded from Period 4. The Period 4 charcoal contained fragments of oak (Quercus) wood and also had twig and round wood charcoal fragments present. The preservation level of this charcoal is very poor due to the majority of the charcoal fragments being impregnated with silt and iron.
Molluscs 5.34 From Period 1 a moderate quantity of mollusc shells was noted as belonging to the open country species Vertigo sp., Vallonia sp., and Pupilla muscorum, the intermediate species Trochulus hispidus, and the shade loving species Aegopinella pura. Within sample 5011 there was also the presence of aquatic molluscs which are identified as belonging to Bithynia sp, a species which favours moving water. These assemblages appear to be reflective of dispersed settlement waste.
5.35 Large numbers of terrestrial mollusc shells were recovered from the Period 3 samples which included those of the open country species Vertigo sp., Vallonia sp., and Pupilla muscorum, the intermediate species Trochulus hispidus and Cochlicopa sp., and the shade loving species Aegopinella pura, Carychium sp., Oxychilus cellarius and Ena/Merdigera sp. Within two of the samples (5007 and 5008) a small number of aquatic mollusc shells were noted as belonging to Bithynia sp.
5.36 The Period 4 samples produced low to high quantities of terrestrial mollusc shells which included those of the open country species Vallonia sp., and Pupilla muscorum, the intermediate species Trochulus hispidus, Cochlicopa sp. and Cepaea sp., and the shade loving species Carychium sp., Oxychilus cellarius, Discus rotundatus and Cochlodina sp. A small quantity of aquatic mollusc shells was recorded from within samples 200 and 201. These mollusc shells were identified as Bithynia sp. and Anisus leucostoma. Anisus leucostoma is a species indicative of areas of seasonal flooding and desiccation.
Animal bone 5.37 A small assemblage of animal bone was recovered from several features belonging to Periods 1 to 4. Cattle were the most numerous taxa, followed by sheep/ goat, with a few bones of pig, equid, canid, red deer and goose. A few bones of small mammal
24 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
(including rabbit/ hare), micro-mammal (including mouse) and frog or toad were recovered from samples. There was one potential associated bone group from Period 2 ditch E, intervention 5071 (fill 5072), but other than that no specific deposits of feasting, butchery, craft or processing waste were observed.
Biological record: statements of potential Plant macrofossil 5.38 There is the potential for the analysis of a selection of the charred plant remains assemblages from Period 3 and 4 deposits to provide further information on the range of crops, the nature of the local landscape and the environments exploited. This would add to the wider environmental picture of this area in this period. It is recommended that the charred remains from samples 5003, 5006 and 5008 from Period 3, and samples 200, 201, 5004 and 5010 from Period 4 are examined in more detail.
Charcoal 5.39 There is potential for the analysis of a selection of the charcoal assemblages from Period 3 and 4 deposits to provide some limited information on the range of species and the management and exploitation of the local woodland resource. This would add to the wider environmental picture of this area in this period. It is recommended the charcoal from samples 5003, 5006 and 5008 from Period 3, and samples 200, 201, 5004 and 5010 from Period 4 are examined in more detail.
Molluscs 5.40 There is some limited potential for further detailed analysis of the mollusc assemblages to provide more information on the nature of the local landscape and aquatic environment. It is unlikely that this would enhance the picture of the environment to a great extent. Therefore, no further work is proposed on these assemblages.
Animal bone 5.41 Recovery of animal bone was good, but there is little potential for the assemblage to inform reliably on questions relating to diet, status, economy or animal husbandry as the quantity of bones recovered falls well below the suggested minimum of 100 identified fragments required for reliable statistical analysis (Hambleton 1999). Therefore, no further analysis is recommended.
25 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
6 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL
6.1 The overall potential for further analysis and understanding of the site is good, although Periods 3 and 4 show greater potential than Periods 1 and 2, from which there was a relative paucity of artefactual and ecofactual evidence. There is potential for further integration of the ceramic dating with the stratigraphic sequence and therefore refinement of our understanding of the chronological development of the medieval settlement. There is also potential for further understanding of the spatial organisation of the settlement in terms of status and craft activity by spatial analysis of the distribution of pottery, ceramic objects and metalwork. In addition, further refinement of understanding of the charred plant and charcoal assemblage has the potential to further elucidate the nature of the wider landscape and agricultural activity.
6.2 The site had generally moderate survival of archaeological deposits. The amount of vertical truncation by modern agriculture cannot be reliably estimated but is probably average for rural sites in the region. However, the shallowness of some of the surviving enclosure ditches in the north of the excavation area suggests that there may have been a significant loss of structural evidence or shallow boundaries in that area. The stratigraphic potential of the archive is therefore considered to be moderate.
6.3 The original objectives of the excavation were to: establish the character, quality, date, significance and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site (see section 2.2). All of these objectives have been achieved: a complete record of the features encountered during the excavation has been created, including a record of their stratigraphic relationships to one another. Little evidence for the existence of structural or industrial remains was encountered; however, the presence of the midden-filled pit/hollow T and deliberate waste depositions suggest that the evidence represents settlement activity.
6.4 The original specific objectives of the excavation were to:
• investigate the vicinity of medieval remains identified during the evaluation; • sample and analyse environmental remains to create a better understanding of any medieval land use and evidence of economy encountered; • record any evidence of past settlement or other land use;
26 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
• recover artefactual evidence to date any evidence of past settlement that may be identified.
6.5 The evidence required to meet all four of these specific objectives has been gathered. The excavation recorded medieval remains in the form of enclosure ditches, along with the presence of a midden-filled pit/hollow and pits containing domestic refuse, all of which indicates the presence of settlement. Environmental sampling was undertaken from a range of feature types and periods. Those from Periods 3 and 4 were particularly rich in charred remains and many represent deliberate domestic waste disposal. An artefact assemblage comprising pottery, fired clay and iron, and a copper object was recovered along with a small assemblage of animal bones.
7 STORAGE AND CURATION
7.1 The archive is currently held at CA offices, Milton Keynes, whilst post-excavation work proceeds. Upon completion of the project and with the agreement of the legal landowners, the paper and digital archives, and artefactual collection will be deposited with Buckinghamshire County Museum (accession number: AYBCM : 2018.44), which has agreed in principle to accept the complete archive upon completion of the project.
8 UPDATED AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
8.1 To fulfil the potential of the site data, the following updated objectives have been set out to provide a framework for the proposed further analysis:
Objective 1: Further develop our chronological understanding of the origins of the medieval settlement. 8.2 Limited ceramic dating evidence hints at the possibility of pre-Conquest or even Roman ditched enclosures underlying the Period 3 and 4 medieval enclosure ditches. This suggests the possibility of Anglo-Saxon or Roman origins for the hamlet of Green End, to which the Period 3 and 4 enclosure ditches probably belonged (CA 2016). This possibility should be further investigated through the analysis of the stratigraphic record, in combination with further analysis of the
27 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
pottery assemblage and radiocarbon dating of the articulated animal bone group from ditch E. This objective can be tied in to the following research aims of the Solent-Thames Research Framework for the Historic Environment (Dodd and Crawford 2014; Munby 2014):
• 14.5.5 More information on settlement change and village formation in the mid to late Saxon period in particular is required to test existing possible models
• 16.4.1 The chronology of development and character of field systems and their relationship to settlement across the region needs to be further explored
• 16.6.3 The origins/continuation of dispersed settlement
• 16.6.9 Evolution of ‘farming counties’, possibly origination before the Black Death
Objective 2: Further develop our chronological understanding of the abandonment of the medieval settlement. 8.3 The ceramic chronology established by this assessment suggests that the medieval (Periods 3 and 4) enclosure ditches had been backfilled or silted up by the 14th century, suggesting abandonment of the settlement during this century at a time of widespread settlement shrinkage and abandonment in the region. The combined analysis of the pottery assemblage and stratigraphic record should be employed to refine our understanding of the chronology of settlement abandonment and a survey of the relevant archaeological literature carried out to place the Period 3 and 4 settlement in its wider landscape context, thus fulfilling the following research aim of the Solent-Thames Research Framework for the Historic Environment (Munby 2014):
• 16.6.8 Village shrinkage and abandonment; change from hamlets to farmsteads
Objective 3: Develop our understanding of the environmental and agricultural base of the medieval settlement, the nature of cereal production and consumption, and the use of woodland resources 8.4 The fills of ditches belonging to Periods 1, 3 and 4 and the midden like fill of Period 3 pit/hollow T produced assemblages of charred plant remains, including cereal crops, legume seeds and weed seeds and these should be analysed to further
28 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
understand the chronological development of crop production and consumption, and placed in the context of broader patterns of local agricultural development through a survey of the relevant archaeological literature. The relatively well- preserved charcoal assemblage from pit/hollow T should also be analysed to shed further light on the character and utilisation of local woodland resources in the medieval period. These objectives will help to fulfil the following research aims of the Solent-Thames Research Framework for the Historic Environment (Munby 2014):
• 16.4.14 Use of different cereal grains; introduction of rivet wheat; brewing
• 16.4.15 The production of fodder such as the cultivation of common vetch and the importance of oats require further consideration
• 16.4.17 Rural settlements with anoxic conditions are rare – samples from these should be targeted, and analysed with particular attention to site formation processes
Objective 4: Further develop our understanding of the spatial and functional organisation of the medieval settlement 8.5 Based on map regression analysis carried out for the Heritage Desk-Based Assessment of the development area (CA 2016), it seems likely that the excavated Period 3 and 4 features represent part of the hamlet of Green End, which was located immediately to the north-west of the development area and may have extended along Green Lane towards Hanslope in the medieval period. The analysis of the archaeological archive should therefore address the question of the spatial and functional organisation of the excavated settlement remains; specifically, whether the excavated enclosure ditches represented foci of settlement, or “backplots” used for agricultural, or craft activities. This question should be addressed through analysis of the spatial distribution of finds and environmental remains, specifically the pottery, to identify any parts of the excavation area in which domestic activity may have been concentrated. This objective will help to elucidate the following research aims of the Solent-Thames Research Framework for the Historic Environment (Munby 2014):
• 16.6.1 The origins and nature of nucleated village settlement
• 16.6.3 The origins/continuation of dispersed settlement
29 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Objective 5: Investigate the nature of everyday life in the medieval settlement, including craft activities and the social status of the inhabitants 8.6 The medieval pottery assemblage recovered from the excavated features is extensive for a relatively small excavation, and comparison of the assemblage, in terms of fabric and form with other regional and local assemblages will shed light on the nature of domestic activity, including cookery and food consumption, social status and trade links, as well as craft activities such as pottery manufacture (see Appendix 3). This objective will also contribute to our broader understanding of the development of Green End and thus help to address the following research aims of the Solent-Thames Research Framework for the Historic Environment (Munby 2014):
• 16.6.3 The origins/continuation of dispersed settlement
• 16.14.3 The location of the more persistent and the temporary production sites for pottery
8.7 In addition to addressing a number of research aims within the Solent-Thames Research Framework, these objectives also have the potential to answer a number of research questions within the East Midlands research agenda (Knight et al. 2012), which covers neighbouring areas of Northamptonshire.
9 PUBLICATION
9.1 The results from the investigations of Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, are of regional significance and merit publication. The excavation of what was probably part of the medieval hamlet of Green End sheds light on the development of the local landscape and settlement pattern. In addition, the excavation of a substantial assemblage of pottery, along with an assemblage of plant macrofossils, offers the opportunity to understand wider social networks, agricultural practices, daily life and settlement organisation in the locality in the medieval period. It is proposed that a detailed Excavation Report is published online via the Cotswold Archaeology website and the Archaeology Data Service (ADS), with a summary publication signposting the online report in Records of Buckinghamshire.
30 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Synopsis of proposed summary publication
A medieval hamlet at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Archaeological Investigations in 2018 by Peter Boyer and Ralph Brown Introduction 150 Excavation results 400 The finds and environmental evidence 500 Discussion 400 Acknowledgements 50 Total words 1500 3 pages
Illustrations
Location plan and site plan 1 page Pottery Illustrations 1 page
10 PROJECT TEAM
10.1 The analysis and publication programme will be quality assured by Martin Watts FSA MCIfA (Head of Cirencester Office) and managed by Dr Peter Boyer MCIfA (Post-excavation Manager: PXM), who will contribute to the discussion as senior author and co-ordinate the work of the following personnel:
Ralph Brown (Project Officer: PO): Post-excavation phasing, draft report preparation, research and archive.
Dr Ioannis Smyrnaios ACIfA (Finds Manager: FM): Specialist report preparation and liaison, post-excavation phasing.
Sarah Wyles ACIfA (Senior Environmental Officer: EO) Specialist report preparation plant macrofossil, molluscs and liaison.
Emma Aitken (Environmental Archaeologist: EA) Specialist report preparation plant macrofossil and molluscs.
Dan Bashford (Senior Illustrator: ILL): Production of all site plans, sections and artefact drawings.
31 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Jake Streatfeild-James ACIfA (Geomatics Officer: GO): GIS applications.
10.2 Contributions by the following external consultants will be managed by the Finds Manager:
• Sue Anderson: medieval pottery • Dr Ruth Shaffrey: worked stone
10.3 Contributions by the following external consultants will be managed by the Senior Environmental Officer:
• Dr Matilda Holmes: Zooarchaeology • Dr Dana Challinor: Charcoal • SUERC (East Kilbride): Radiocarbon dating
10.4 The final publication report will be edited and refereed internally by CA senior project management.
32 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
11 TASK LIST
TASK PERSONNEL DURATION/ COST Project Management SPM 8 Stratigraphic Analysis PO 10 FO 1 Research, comparanda PO 2 Pottery Analysis and report Specialist FEE Illustration SI 1.5 Other finds Analysis and report FO 1.5 Illustration SI 0.25 Plant macrofossils Analysis and report EA 6 Charcoal Analysis and report Specialist FEE Radiocarbon dating Analysis Specialist FEE Report preparation FO 0.5 Preparation of publication report Abstract and introduction PO 0.5 SI 0.13 Excavation results PO 4 SI 1 Compilation of specialist reports, tables etc. PO 3 Discussion, conclusions SAuth 1.5 SI 2 Acknowledgements, bibliography PO 0.5 Submission to external referees Editing SPM 2 Revisions PO 1 SUBMISSION OF PUBLICATION TEXT Archive Research archive completion PO 2.5 Archaeology Data Service FEE Deposition FEE Publication Printing NAS FEE
12 TIMETABLE
12.1 For an online excavation report and summary publication project, CA would normally aim to have completed a draft excavation report within nine months of approval of the updated publication project design, and a summary publication draft within a further 3 months. A detailed programme can be produced, if desired, on approval of the updated publication project design.
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13 REFERENCES
BGS (British Geological Survey) 2018 Geology of Britain Viewer http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html Accessed May 2016
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 1995 Treatment of finds immediately after excavation: Technical Manual No. 3
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2012 The taking and processing of environmental and other samples from archaeological sites: Technical Manual No. 2
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2014 Fieldwork Recording Manual: Technical Manual No. 1
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2016 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Heritage Desk-Based Assessment, CA Report No. 16267
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2017a Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Archaeological Evaluation. CA typescript report 17737
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2017b Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2018a Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Written Scheme of Investigation for Archaeological Mitigation
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2018b Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Written Scheme of Investigation for Archaeological Mitigation (Addendum)
CIfA (Chartered Institute of Archaeologists) 2014 Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Excavation
Dodd, A. and Crawford, S. 2014 ‘The Early Medieval Period: Research Agenda’, in Hey and Hind 2014, 227-33
Hambleton, E. 1999 Animal husbandry regimes in Iron Age Britain Oxford: British Archaeological Reports, British Series 282
34 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
HE (Historic England) 2015a The Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MORPHE Project Manager’s Guide
HE (Historic England 2015b) Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: PPN 3: Archaeological Excavation
Hey, G. and Hind, J. (eds) 2014 Solent-Thames Research Framework for the Historic Environment: Resource Assessments and Research Agendas Oxford: Oxford Wessex Monograph No. 6
Knight, D., Vyner, B. and Allen, C. 2012 East Midlands heritage: An updated research agenda and strategy for the historic environment of the East Midlands, Nottingham: University of Nottingham and York Archaeological Trust
Munby, J. 2014 ‘The Later Medieval Period: Research Agenda’, in Hey and Hind 2014, 255- 60
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APPENDIX 1: STRATIGRAPHIC ASSESSEMENT BY RALPH BROWN
A total of 305 contexts were recorded during the excavation. Three context numbers were assigned to topsoil, subsoil and natural substrate, and the remaining contexts were assigned to periods as detailed below:
Table 1: Number of contexts by period Period No. of contexts Unphased 62 Period 1 11th Century or earlier 84 Period 2 11th Century or earlier 32 Period 3 11th-13th Century 35 Period 4 13th-14th Century 89
The preservation of the archaeological sequence and the recovered artefactual evidence means that a comprehensive phasing can be achieved for most excavated contexts. To achieve this, further stratigraphic analysis will be undertaken to refine the dating of those contexts already assigned to provisional periods.
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APPENDIX 2: LITHICS BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE
Introduction The lithic assemblage comprises 23 worked items (222g) and four pieces of burnt, unworked flint (15g). Of these, ten worked lithics (including all of the chips) and one burnt piece were recovered via bulk soil sampling, and the remainder were hand-excavated. The artefacts were recorded according to broad debitage type and catalogued directly onto a Microsoft Access database. Attributes recorded include: raw material; weight; dimensions; degree of edge damage (microflaking), rolling (abrasion) and recortication (a white or blueish surface discoloration resulting from soil conditions [Shepherd 1972, 109]); colour; cortex description; and the presence of breakage and burning; and butt and termination type for flakes and blades.
Raw material, provenance and condition The raw material is flint in all cases. Cortex is present on nine items: it is abraded on seven and chalky on two. This suggests a primary reliance on pebble flint from river gravels, although flint nodules are available from boulder clay to the south of the site (Green and Sofranoff 1985, 23). The burnt flints and 10 worked flints were redeposited in Period 2 (11th century or earlier) or Period 3-4 (11th to 14th century) deposits. Eight items were retrieved from Period 1 (11th century or earlier) deposits from Ditches D, C and L. The remaining five worked lithics were from ploughsoil or unphased pit fills. Seven flints are broken and two struck flints are burnt. In terms of edge damage and rolling, condition is variable and the assemblage is too small to allow condition to be used as a potential indicator of stratification.
Range and variety Primary technology Debitage comprises one blade, one bladelet, four chips and 13 flakes, and there is also one core. Several aspects of the assemblage hint at Mesolithic or Early Neolithic dating for at least a proportion of the flints. The core is a dual-opposed platform type which displays evidence of preparation of the striking platform. Although the scars present all result from flake removals, this core type is most suggestive of Mesolithic or Early Neolithic reduction strategies and the blade and bladelet would also be typical of an industry from these periods. One flake, from Period 1 Ditch D, features a linear butt, which may indicate the use of soft hammer percussion (Inizan et al. 1992, 80), which is also a feature of Mesolithic/Early Neolithic flintworking technology.
Secondary technology Retouched tools consist of one retouched flake, one notched flake and one end scraper, also made on a flake. None of these are chronologically diagnostic.
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Table 1 Breakdown of the lithic assemblage 14 Type 15 Count 16 Primary technology 17 18 Blade 19 1 20 Bladelet 21 1 22 Chip 23 4 24 Core 25 1 26 Flake 27 13 28 Secondary 29 technology 30 Notched flake 31 1 32 Retouched flake 33 1 34 Scraper (end) 35 1 36 Total 37 23
Statement of potential The flint assemblage from Castlethorpe Road is of local significance. At least half of the assemblage is demonstrably residual and the true figure may be higher. A proportion of the lithics hint at dating in the Mesolithic or Early Neolithic periods. Redeposited Mesolithic flints, including a microlith, are known from the Late Neolithic site at Stacey Bushes, Milton Keynes c. 8km south of Hanslope (Green and Sofranoff 1985, 21–3). There are a number of substantial Mesolithic assemblages in Buckinghamshire, but many of these appear to be clustered in the south of the county, including Stratford’s Yard, Chesham (Stainton 1989), Sandstone, Iver (Lacaille 1963), Bolter End (Millard 1965) and Fulmer (Farley 1978).
A short report on the flint assemblage should be included in any publication on the site. This may be an amended version of this report. Further recording and illustrations are not required.
Further work Preparation of report for publication FO 0.5 day
References Farley, M. 1978 ‘Excavations at Low Farm, Fulmer, Bucks. 1: The Mesolithic Occupation’, Records of Buckinghamshire 20(4), 601–16
Green, H. S. and Sofranoff, S. 1985 ‘A Neolithic Settlement at Stacey Bushes, Milton Keynes’. Records of Buckinghamshire. 27, 10–37
Inizan, M-L, Roche, H and J Tixier. 1992 Technology of Knapped Stone. Meudon, France. Cercle de Recherces et d’Etudes Préhistoriques
Lacaille, A. D. 1963 ‘Mesolithic Industries beside Colne Waters in Iver and Denham, Buckinghamshire’, Records of Buckinghamshire. 17(3), 143–81
Millard, L. 1965 ‘A Mesolithic Industry from Bolter End’, Records of Buckinghamshire. 17(5), 343–9
Stainton, B. 1989 ‘Excavation of an Early Prehistoric Site at Stratford’s Yard, Chesham’, Records of Buckinghamshire. 31, 49–74
38 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
APPENDIX 3: POTTERY BY SUE ANDERSON
Introduction The pottery assemblage comprised 724 sherds weighing 9.341kg, and was collected from 46 contexts. Table 1 shows the quantification by fabric; a summary catalogue by context is included as Appendix 1. The pottery is generally in good condition with little abrasion and sherd sizes are large.
Methodology Quantification was carried out using sherd count, weight and estimated vessel equivalent (EVE). The minimum number of vessels (MNV) within each context was also recorded, but cross-fitting was not attempted unless particularly distinctive vessels were observed in more than one context. A full quantification by fabric, context and feature is available in archive. Medieval fabric codes were assigned from the Milton Keynes post-Roman fabric series (Mynard 1992, 1994). Identification of fabrics and forms followed the Milton Keynes type series (ibid.), together with published assemblages from Northampton, West Cotton and Olney Hyde (McCarthy 1979; Blinkhorn 2010; Mynard 1984), although separation of MC1 and MC3 fabrics was difficult due to their similarity. Form terminology for medieval pottery is based on MPRG (1998). The results were input directly onto an Access database, which forms the archive catalogue.
Pottery by ceramic period
Pre-medieval Twenty sherds are certainly or possibly of pre-Saxo-Norman date. One possible prehistoric sherd from fill 5130 of Period 3 Ditch I (5129) was in a fine silty fabric with a red surface and black core and appeared to have combed decoration on the surface. Four small abraded sherds appeared to be handmade but were of uncertain date: a small bodysherd, from fill 2123 of Period 4 Ditch H (2121), in a soft black fabric with voids (leached calcareous?); a small flake in a similar fabric from fill 2071 of Period 1 Ditch D (2069); a bodysherd in a glauconitic sandy fabric from fill 2024 of Period 2 Ditch E (2023) and an upright beaded rim, from fill 2144 of palaeochannel R (2168), in a soft, very fine silty fabric. All is likely to be of prehistoric date, the latter featured sherd possibly later Iron Age.
Twelve sherds representing five vessels were of Roman date, though most or all were re-deposited in later-dated features. These were recovered from fill 2104 of Period 4 Ditch H (2103), palaeochannel R fill 2144, Period 3 Ditch I (5129; fill 5130), fill 5062 of Period 2 Ditch E (5061) and fill 5092 of Period 3 Pit 5088. A small scrap of Central or East Gaulish samian came from Ditch Fill 2104. Most of the remainder were small and abraded body fragments of soft shelly wares which had lost their calcareous inclusions through leaching. Three sherds from Ditch Fill 5062 were part of a large shell-tempered storage jar with a thick, upright everted rim.
Three small bodysherds in fine sandy fabrics with abundant ironstone inclusions may be of Early/Middle Anglo- Saxon date. These were from fill 2039 of ditch Period 2 Ditch E (2038) and fill 5122 of ditch Period 3 Ditch I (5121).
Saxo-Norman Fifty-six sherds were of Late Saxon or Saxo-Norman date, all St Neots-type wares. Six rims were present, of which four were from jars and two from bowls; in addition there was one carinated body fragment of a bowl. The jar rims were all everted types, two lid-seated with a rounded edge, one thickened everted wedge, and one flaring. The bowl rims were beaded and plain upright forms. A body fragment which appeared to have a spout (or possibly a
39 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
handle) attached was probably from a spouted pitcher.
Medieval Most of this assemblage comprised pottery of broadly 11th to 14th century date. Shell-tempered fabrics made up the bulk of the group, but sandy/shelly and sandy wares were also found.
Identifiable forms in the shelly ware group included eight bowls, 36 jars, two jugs and a possible spouted pitcher. The latter was identified based on the rim form, which is paralleled at Great Linton (Mynard 1992, fig. 124.32). Bowl rim types were commonly upright plain forms, sometimes with a carination, but there were also single examples of thickened everted, flat-topped everted and ?inturned forms. The rims were most frequently Milton Keynes types A1 (curving), A2 (angled) and occasionally A3 (upright neck). One jug rim had an upright plain tapered form with a slight carination below, and the other jug comprised a wide strap handle with random stabbing. Several jars had complete profiles and these were generally slightly globular forms, but ‘top hat’ jars with flaring rims and straight- sided bodies were also present.
Only one sandy/shelly ware form was identifiable, this being a jug handle in ‘MSC3’, which was a sub-rectangular section rod with a single line of vertical stabbing centrally.
Two MS3 vessels comprised a ?bowl with a flat-topped, tapering everted rim, and a jar with an upright rim with everted tip.
The distinction between the shelly wares (MC1, MC1/3 and MC3) is largely subjective as there is no clear description of distinguishing features in the Milton Keynes volumes, and elsewhere these wares are grouped together as a single entity. The main dating evidence is in the form of the rims and vessel types, where these can be discerned. Some rim forms occur in both fabric groups at Great Linford and it is clear that there is a degree of overlap which is not reflected in the date ranges of the two fabrics. Blinkhorn (2010, 276) has suggested that some of the forms present at this site, such as the ‘top hat jar’ may have been largely out of use by the middle of the 13th century at Raunds. Several forms which occur in both MC1 and MC3 (e.g. the curving, almost cavetto, rim forms with small beads occur commonly in the early phases of St Peter’s Street House 1, McCarthy 1979, figs 81.53–54 and 82.86) may also be of 12th/13th century date at Hanslope. This would fit with the almost total lack of Potterspury ware in this assemblage, despite the site’s proximity to the source.
Provenance The site is well stratified and much of the material is derived from sealed contexts. A summary catalogue of the pottery by context is provided in Appendix 1, and a spot-dating table is provided in Appendix 2. Table 2 shows the distribution of pottery by feature type.
Most of the assemblage was recovered from ditches in the Phase 2 area, with the largest single group (308 sherds) from Period 4 Ditch F (2012), most of which was of later 13th to 14th century date. Period 4 Ditch H also contained pottery of later 13th to 14th-century date, all of it from interventions north of Palaeochannel R (2057/5059, 2083 and 2103). Period 4 Ditch G was contemporary, and all pottery was recovered from intervention 2040. The small quantity of pottery recovered from Period 1 Ditch C was largely of Roman date and may suggest an early origin for this ditch. Period 2 Ditch E contained only a single sherd of possible Early/Middle Saxon date which was probably residual and seven sherds of medieval shelly wares. The pits in the northeastern part of the excavation area produced a relatively small quantity of pottery, the largest group being from intercutting Period 4 pits 2027 and
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2037 (45 sherds).
Several Ditch Sections in the southwestern part of the excavation area contained pottery, but these were generally small quantities, the largest single group being 13 sherds from Ditch fill 5087 of Period 3 Ditch V (5085). Pits were more prolific in this part of the site, although almost half of the sherds from these features were collected from fill 5060 of pit period 3 5059 (62 sherds). A few sherds were recovered from test pits in Pit/Hollow T.
Assessment of potential This is a relatively large rural medieval pottery assemblage which is comparable with the much larger groups recovered from previous excavations around Milton Keynes. However, it is largely of local importance, being one of the first medieval assemblages from the parish of Hanslope. It may represent rubbish disposal from the hamlet of Green End to the west of the site, and much of it appears to be of a limited date range with little Potterspury ware present.
If it is possible to produce a narrow phasing structure for the site, or if a Harris matrix is available, it will be of value to study the distribution of the main medieval wares and their association with earlier and later fabrics in relation to their stratigraphic positions. This may enable a tightening of date ranges for the forms and/or fabrics which will be of value for the study of future north Buckinghamshire assemblages.
Comparison of the assemblage with groups excavated at Great Linton and around Milton Keynes, and with unpublished groups from other Buckinghamshire and south Northamptonshire rural sites will help to place the group in context.
Spatial distribution of the pottery will almost certainly be of value in determining the growth and decline of areas within the site and use of pottery associated with any structures.
In summary, the potential of this assemblage is to provide evidence for dating and phasing of the site; pottery use, consumption and possibly manufacture; trade links both within and outside the county; and status of the occupants.
Table 1 Pottery quantification by fabric Fabric Code Date range No Wt/g MNV EVE General prehistoric PREH Prehistoric 1 3 1 Unidentified handmade UNHM Prehistoric/Early Anglo-Saxon? 4 16 4 0.12 Roman shelly wares RBSH Roman 11 153 6 0.22 Roman samian (Central or East Gaul) SAM 2nd-mid 3rd century 1 1 1 Early/Middle Saxon ironstone tempered A2 Early/Middle Anglo-Saxon 3 8 2 St Neots-type ware SNC1 10th-12th century 56 424 44 0.51 Early medieval shelly ware MC1 11th-13th century 152 1482 106 2.38 Medieval shelly wares MC1/3 11th-14th century 94 854 78 0.19 Olney Hyde A/Later medieval shelly ware MC3 13th-15th century 323 5483 91 2.70 Sandy and shelly ware MSC1 Late 11th-Mid13th century 1 3 1 Finer sandy and shelly ware MSC2 Late 13th-14th century 8 95 8 Potterspury-type sandy calcareous ware MSC3 12th-13th century 3 55 3 Sandy, sparse fine calc MSC Medieval 9 70 2 Medieval coarse sandy ware MS2 Late13th-Early 15th century 10 95 5 Medieval grey sandy ware MS3 Mid-Late11th-Early15th century 44 574 17 0.21 Potterspury ware MS6 Late13th-16th century 2 18 2 ?Beds medieval coarseware MS8 Late13th-14th century 2 7 2 Totals 724 9341 373 6.33
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Table 2 Pottery distribution by feature type Area Feature type Contexts No Wt/g MNV Period 2 Ditch E 2024, 2039 8 56 8 Ditch F 2005, 2014 340 5458 95 Ditch G 2041, 2042 44 346 22 Ditch H 2058, 2060, 2086, 2088, 2104, 2123, 2133, 2161 49 585 32 Other ditches 2150 28 145 12 Pits 2028, 2029, 2056, 2154, 2158 49 687 33 Palaeochannel 2144 3 12 3 Period 1 Ditches 5010, 5016, 5022, 5034, 5062, 5086, 5087, 5092, 5118, 65 864 39 5121, 5128, 5130, 5132 Pits 5004, 5008, 5014, 5032, 5060, 5082, 5110, 5112 123 1109 115 Midden 5108, 5114, 5116 13 79 13
References Blinkhorn, P. 2010, ‘The Saxon and medieval pottery’. In Chapman, A., 2010, 259–334
Chapman, A. 2010 West Cotton, Raunds. A study of medieval settlement dynamics AD 450–1450. Northamptonshire County Council/Oxbow Books
McCarthy, M. 1979 ‘The pottery’. In Williams, J.H. 1979, 151–240
MPRG. 1998 A Guide to the Classification of Medieval Ceramic Forms. Medieval Pottery Research Group Occasional Paper 1
Mynard, D.C. 1984 ‘A medieval pottery industry at Olney Hyde’. Records of Buckinghamshire 26, 56–85
Mynard, D.C. 1992 ‘The medieval and post-medieval pottery’. In Mynard, D.C. and Zeepvat, R.J. 1992, 245–372
Mynard, D. 1994 Excavations on Medieval Sites in Milton Keynes. Bucks Archaeological Society Monograph Series No. 6
Mynard, D.C. and Zeepvat, R.J. 1992 Excavations at Great Linford, 1974–80. Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society Monograph Series No. 3
Williams, J.H. 1979 St. Peter’s Street, Northampton. Excavations 1973–1976. Archaeological Monograph No. 2, Northampton Development Corporation
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APPENDIX 4: CERAMIC OBJECT BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE
A ceramic spindle whorl (Ra. 2, 14g) was retrieved from Period 4 (13th-14th century) pit 2027. It is in the form of a flat disc, measuring 40mm in external diameter and 8mm in thickness. The perforation, which is slightly off-centre, is 9mm in diameter. The spindle whorl has been made from a sherd of pottery with a dark grey core and oxidised surfaces. The fabric is tempered with common shell (0.5-2mm). This may accord with pottery fabrics MC1/3 which date to the 11th to 15th centuries (see Appendix 3).
Statement of potential The spindle whorl is of local significance. It should be should be included in any publication on the site, in the form of a catalogue description and illustration.
Further work Preparation of a publication report FO 0.1 day Illustration SI 0.25 day
References Mynard, D. C. 1984 ‘A medieval pottery industry at Olney Hyde’, Records of Buckinghamshire. 26, 56–85
APPENDIX 5: FIRED/BURNT CLAY BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE
A total of 47 fragments (334g) of fired/burnt clay was recovered from 11 separate deposits. The largest proportion (275g) was retrieved from Period 3 (11th-13th century) Pit/Hollow T. All fragments are soft-fired and most are orange in colour – three are grey. Fabrics mainly feature inclusions of quartz (10 fragments) or limestone (33 fragments) and three fragments contain fossiliferous limestone.
All of the fired/burnt clay fragments are amorphous without any surfaces or impressions which might indicate an original form or function.
Statement of potential The fired/burnt clay is of minimal significance. A sentence describing it should be included in any publication on the site.
Further work Preparation of a publication report.
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APPENDIX 6: CERAMIC BUILDING MATERIAL BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE
A corner fragment from a roof tile was recorded from Period 4 (13th-14th century) Ditch F. It is thin (10mm) with thickened, slightly chamfered edges (17mm). It presents in a fine, hard firing fabric with a grey core and buff surfaces. Inclusions are sparse quartz, fine flint and mica.
Statement of potential The roof tile is of minimal archaeological significance. A sentence describing it should be included in any publication on the site. No illustrations are required.
Further work Preparation of a publication report FO 0.1 day
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APPENDIX 7: METALWORK BY KATIE MARSDEN
A total of 14 metal items, weighing 35g, was recovered from four deposits. The group comprises 13 iron items and one of copper alloy. One iron item was recovered by bulk soil sample. Recording was undertaken directly to an MS Access database and summarised in Table 1. The assemblage was examined by a specialist conservator (Karen Barker) and subjected to x-radiography (Plates K18/250 and 257). The assemblage is characterised by high fragmentation and heavy corrosion. All items are stored in sealable plastic boxes with desiccating silica gel and are considered to be stable.
Summary The large majority of items (85%) were recovered from pits, whilst the remaining 15% were recovered from ditches. Few intrinsically dateable objects are recorded in the assemblage.
Range and Variety The majority of the assemblage, including the copper alloy item and seven iron items, are too fragmentary to be assigned to type or date.
Two structural nail fragments were recovered, one from Period 4 Pit 2027 (fill 2029) and Period 4 Ditch H (2132; fill 2133). Nails of this form, with round head and square shank, were introduced in the Roman period and continue in use largely unchanged until industrialisation in the post-medieval period. Consequently they cannot be closely dated. A further item, recovered by bulk soil sample of undated pit 5007 (fill 5008), is a possible nail shank but is highly fragmented and cannot be closely dated.
Two horseshoe nails, ‘fiddle key’ forms of medieval date (Clark 1995, fig. 64a) were recovered from Period 4 Pit 2027 (fill 2029) and Period 3 Pit 5059 (fill 5060, Ra. 5000).
The remaining iron item is a probable buckle frame fragment, recovered from pit Period 4 Pit 2027 (fill 2029). The double-loop form is dateable from the mid-14th to mid-17th centuries (Whitehead 1996).
Statement of potential and recommendations for further analysis
The metalwork group is small and highly fragmented and its usefulness in contributing to the understanding of site activity is limited. The items recovered from Period 4 Pit 2027 (fill 2029) supports the medieval dating indicated for this feature by associated pottery. A short descriptive report should accompany further publication, which can be adapted from this report with minimal effort. Illustrations are not necessary.
Report 0.5 day (FO)
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Table 1: Metalwork Ra. Sample Context Material No. No. Type Classification Ct. Wt. (g)
2029 copper alloy 1 fragment 1 1
2029 iron 0 ?buckle frame double loop 1 1
2029 iron 0 fragments 6 6 horseshoe 2029 iron 0 nail fiddle key 1 5
2029 iron 0 nail 1 3
2133 iron 0 nail 1 4 5001 5008 iron 0 poss. nail shank only 1 <1 horseshoe 5060 iron 5000 nail fiddle key 1 3
5122 iron 0 1 12
References Clark, J. 1995 ‘Horseshoes’ in Clark 1995, 75-123
Clark, J. (ed.) 1995 The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment, London, Museum of London
Whitehead, R. 1996. Buckles 1250-1800. Chelmsford. Greenlight Publishing
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APPENDIX 8: METALWORKING RESIDUE BY JACKY SOMMERVILLE
A fragment of ironworking slag (84g) was retrieved from Period 2 (11th century or earlier) Ditch E. It is approximately plano-convex in cross-section and may represent a fragment from a smithing hearth bottom.
Statement of potential The slag fragment is of minimal significance. A sentence on it should be included in any publication on the site, as evidence of metalworking activity.
Further work Preparation of a publication report FO 0.1 day
APPENDIX 9: WORKED BONE/ANTLER BY KATIE MARSDEN
A small assemblage, comprising one worked bone and one worked antler item, was recovered from two deposits. Both objects appear incomplete and fragmentary and dating is not conclusive for either piece.
The antler fragment was recovered from Period 4 Ditch J 5119 (fill 5120) and comprises the tine, with tip removed. The fragment is a waste product of antler working, where tines are often removed in order to access the beams for artefact production (c.f. Ashby 2005).
A fragment of worked bone, a long bone of uncertain species, was recovered from Period 3 Pit/Hollow 5109 (fill 5110). Lateral cut marks are present on one side but it is unclear as to whether this is from manufacture or butchery.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further analysis The worked bone/antler group is small and its ability to inform dating is limited. Its usefulness for informing on site activity is small, however it is recommended a short statement summarising the evidence it provides for ‘crafts’ activity is included in the final publication.. This can be as a specialist appendix or incorporated into the main discussion. No further work is recommended.
References Ashby, S. 2005 ‘Working Waste’ in Spall, C.A. and Toop, N. J. (eds.) Blue Bridge Lane and Fishergate House, York. Report on Excavations; July 2000 to July 2002 http://www.mgassocs.com/mono/001/index.html Accessed 02 October 2018
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APPENDIX 10: STONE BY RUTH SHAFFREY
Three pieces of stone were retained and submitted for analysis. These comprise a shiny cuboid stone (64g) from Period 1 Ditch D, which has broken naturally along the bedding planes. The polish on this stone appears natural and is unlikely to be the result of use. A single piece of stone roofing with a circular drilled perforation (122g) was recovered from Period 4 Ditch H. This is made from a very shelly fine-grained limestone; it could be Roman or medieval in date. A third piece of stone is a burnt (reddened) micaceous siltstone (374g), from Period 1 Ditch C. It is not worked or utilised (other than its exposure to heat).
If the roofstone fragment is stratified and securely dated, it should be retained in case of further analysis or further research into the use of stone for roofing in the region. The other two pieces of stone can now be discarded.
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APPENDIX 11: PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BY EMMA AITKEN AND SARAH F. WYLES
A series of 20 environmental samples (706 litres of soil) were processed from a range of feature types and periods from across an open plan excavation. This was done with the intention of recovering environmental evidence of industrial or domestic activity on the site and examining how this changed over time. The samples were processed by standard flotation procedures (CA Technical Manual No.2).
Preliminary identifications of plant macrofossils are noted in Table 1, following nomenclature of Stace (1997) for wild plants, and traditional nomenclature, as provided by Zohary et al (2012) for cereals. The presence of mollusc shells has also been recorded, following nomenclature is according to Anderson (2005) and habitat preferences according to Kerney (1999) and Davies (2008).
The flots varied in size from small to large with low to high numbers of rooty material and uncharred seeds. The charred material comprised of varying levels of preservation. Due to the poor to moderate preservation levels it is hard to firmly identify any of the charred cereal grains to species and to also carry out further wood species identification on the charcoal. Much of the charcoal was poorly preserved and impregnated with silt and iron residue which also inhibits wood species identification.
Period 1: 11th Century or Earlier No charred plant remains were recovered from fill 2114 (sample 203), Period 1 Ditch B 2112) and only a small quantity of charred plant remains were recorded from fill 2071 (sample 204), Period 1 Ditch D (2069), 2054 (sample 206), Period 1 Ditch C (2053) and 5058 (sample 5011), Period 1 Ditch L (5057). These remains included indeterminate cereal grains, free-threshing wheat (Triticum turgidum/aestivum type) grain fragments, and seeds of stinking chamomile (Anthemis cotula), oraches (Atriplex sp.) and a possible cabbage (c.f. Brassica sp.) seed. The charcoal from within these fills varied from low to moderate quantities of fragments greater than 2mm. A moderate quantity of mollusc shells were noted as belonging to the open country species Vertigo sp., Vallonia sp., and Pupilla muscorum, the intermediate species Trochulus hispidus, and the shade loving species Aegopinella pura. Within sample 5011 there was also the presence of aquatic molluscs which are identified as belonging to Bithynia sp, a species which favours moving water. These assemblages appear to be reflective of dispersed settlement waste.
Period 3: <13th Century High quantities of charred plant remains were recovered from within fills 5060 (sample 5003), Period 3 Pit 5059, 5110 (sample 5005), Period 3 Pit/Hollow T (5109), 5108 (sample 5006), Period 3 Pit/Hollow T (5107), 5112 (sample 5007), Period 3 Pit/Hollow T (5111), 5114 (sample 5008), Period 3 Pit/Hollow T (5113) and 5116 (sample 5009), Period 3 Pit/Hollow T (5115). These remains included the charred remains of indeterminate cereal grains, free- threshing wheat grains, which showed some signs of germination and also included spelt wheat (Triticum spelta), hulled wheat (emmer or spelt (Triticum dicoccum/spelta)) which showed some signs of vitrification, barley (Hordeum vulgare) and possible rye (c.f. Secale cereale) grains that showed signs of germination. Alongside the charred cereal grains there were also small quantities of rachis fragments and coleoptiles. The charred weed seeds from within these samples included celtic bean (Vicia faba), oraches, oat/brome grass (Avena/Bromus sp.) which included some that had begun to germinate, vetch/wild pea (Vicia/Lathyrus sp.), cabbage seeds, stinking chamomile, meadow grass/cat’s tails (Poa/Phleum sp.), possible broom/gorse (c.f. Genista/Ulex sp.), saxifrage (Pimpinella sp.), dock (Rumex sp.), nettle (Urtica urens), water-pepper (Persicaria sp.), bedstraw (Galium sp.), clover (Trifolium sp.), sedge (Carex sp.), spike-rush (Eleocharis sp.), willowherb (Epilobium sp.), black bindweed (Fallopia sp.), plantain (Plantago sp.), knotgrass (Polygonum sp.), brambles (Rubus sp.) and rye-grass/fescue
49 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
(Lolium/Festuca sp.). Signs of germination were present on some of the oraches seeds. Other remains included hazelnut (Corylus avellana) shell fragments, hawthorn (Crataegus hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) stone fragments, buds and thorns and tuber stems and tubers including those belonging to false oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius var bulbosum). The charcoal assemblages from within these fills contained high quantities of charcoal greater than 2mm and was also made up of twig and round wood charcoal fragments.
Large numbers of terrestrial mollusc shells were recovered from the samples which included those of the open country species Vertigo sp., Vallonia sp., and Pupilla muscorum, the intermediate species Trochulus hispidus and Cochlicopa sp., and the shade loving species Aegopinella pura, Carychium sp., Oxychilus cellarius and Ena/Merdigera sp. Within two of the samples (5007 and 5008) a small number of aquatic mollusc shells were noted as belonging to Bithynia sp.
These assemblages appear to reflect that settlement activity may have been taking place within the immediate and/or nearby vicinity of these features. They may be reflective of dumped domestic waste deposits, and this would be compatible with the site interpretation of midden deposits for the majority of these sampled contexts. Whilst high quantities of charred cereal grains were recovered from within the samples, only small quantities of rachis and coleoptile remains were identified. This may suggest that this area was close to an area of consumption related activities such as domestic living space rather than of industrial/production activities.
Period 4: >13th Century Moderate to high quantities of charred plant remains together with moderate to large amounts of charcoal fragments were recorded from fills 2014 (sample 200), Period 4 Ditch F (2021), 2029 (sample 201), Period 4 Pit 2027, 2041 (sample 202), Period 4 Ditch G (2040), 2060 (sample 205), Period 4 Ditch H (2059), 2158 (sample 207), Period 4 Pit 2157, 5080 (sample 5004), Period 4 Ditch Q (5079) and 5118 (sample 5010), Period 4 Ditch O (terminus 5117). The charcoal contained fragments of oak (Quercus) wood and also had twig and round wood charcoal fragments present. The preservation levels of the charcoal are very poor due to the majority of the charcoal fragments being impregnated with silt and iron.
Five samples contained high quantities of charred cereal remains which included indeterminate grains, free- threshing wheat (some germination has occurred), hulled wheat and barley. Small quantities of rachis fragments were also recorded from within sample 200 (2014). Sample 205 (2060) only contained small quantities of indeterminate grains, which due to their poor preservation state could not be identified to cereal grain type. The charred other remains included hazelnut shell fragments, seeds of oat/brome grass, oraches, cabbage, stinking chamomile, vetch/wild pea, dock, meadow grass/cat’s-tails, willowherb, bedstraw, water-pepper and black bindweed and tuber and tuber stems including those of false oat-grass,.
Within sample 205 only a small quantity of weed seeds were recorded and were identified as being cabbage seeds. Sample 207 (2157) contained no charred plant remains and only a small quantity of charcoal fragments greater than 2mm.
Low to high quantities of terrestrial mollusc shells which included those of the open country species Vallonia sp., and Pupilla muscorum, the intermediate species Trochulus hispidus, Cochlicopa sp. and Cepaea sp., and the shade loving species Carychium sp., Oxychilus cellarius, Discus rotundatus and Cochlodina sp. A small quantity of aquatic mollusc shells were recorded from within samples 200 and 201. These mollusc shells were identified as
50 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Bithynia sp. and Anisus leucostoma. Anisus leucostoma is a species indicative of areas of seasonal flooding and desiccation.
The five rich assemblages are likely to be representative of domestic and settlement dumped material. There is no suggestion that any large scale crop processing took place within the vicinity of these features however, it does appear that there was domestic settlement activity taking place in the nearby area.
Unphased Moderate to high quantities of charred cereal grains alongside moderate to large amounts of charcoal fragments greater than 2mm were recorded from fills 5004 (sample 5000, Pit 5003), 5008 (sample 5001, Pit 5007) and 5068 (sample 5002, Posthole/Pit 5067). The charred cereal grains were identified as being indeterminate grains and free-threshing wheat. Some charred coleoptile fragments were also noted during recording. A small to moderate quantity of charred weed seeds were recorded from within these three samples including seeds of possible vetch/wild pea, meadow grass/cat’s-tails, dock, clover, cabbage, stinking chamomile, oat/brome grass and rye- grass/fescue. There were also a few hazelnut shell fragments noted. Some of the charcoal fragments from sample 5002 contained twig and round wood fragments.
Two of the samples (5000 and 5001) contained a high quantity of terrestrial mollusc shells which included those of the open country species Vallonia sp., Vertigo sp., and Pupilla muscorum, the intermediate species Trochulus hispidus and Cochlicopa sp., and the shade loving species Oxychilus cellarius and Carychium sp. Sample 5002 contained no mollusc shells.
Due to the moderate to high quantities of charred plant remains found within each of these fills it can be suggested that domestic waste material was dumped in these features. This may be suggestive of these features being on the edge of a domestic settlement. Due to the presence of free-threshing wheat within each sample it can be suggested that the three plant assemblages from this unphased part of the excavation would be compatible with either the <13th Century or >13th Century phases of the site.
Summary These samples appear to be representative of dumped domestic/settlement waste and do not provide any evidence of industrial related activities. As each of the samples contain free-threshing wheat it can be suggested that this collaborates the phasing done on the site as free-threshing wheat became the predominant wheat from the post Roman period in this part of Britain (Greig 1991). Even though there are some samples that contain small quantities of hulled wheat, the grains themselves were either very poorly preserved or had started to vitrify. This indicates that the hulled wheat grains may well be residual from an earlier phase of activity on the site. The weed seeds are generally those typical of grassland, field margins and arable environments. There is an indication of the exploitation and use of a number of different environments such as heavier clay soils favoured by species such as stinking chamomile, more acidic soils favoured by species such as broom/gorse, wetter areas indicated by species such as spike-rush and shrub/woodland edge typified by species such as bramble, hazel and hawthorn. The mollusc assemblages appear to be indicative of a well- established open landscape, with possibly areas of longer unkempt grass, and there is some evidence for some aquatic environments on the site.
Potential and Recommendations Charred plant remains
51 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
There is the potential for the analysis of a selection of the charred plant remains assemblages from Period 3 and 4 deposits to provide further information on the range of crops, whether the germination was likely to be a result of poor husbandry, the nature of the local landscape and the environments exploited. This would add to the wider environmental picture of this area in this period.
It is recommended that the charred remains from samples 5003, 5006 and 5008 from Period 3, and samples 200, 201, 5004 and 5010 from Period 4 are examined in more detail.
Charcoal There is potential for the analysis of a selection of the charcoal assemblages from Period 3 and 4 deposits to provide some limited information on the range of species and the management and exploitation of the local woodland resource. This would add to the wider environmental picture of this area in this period.
It is recommended the charcoal from samples 5003, 5006 and 5008 from Period 3, and samples 200, 201, 5004 and 5010 from Period 4 are examined in more detail.
Molluscs There is some limited potential for further detailed analysis of the mollusc assemblages to provide more information on the nature of the local landscape and aquatic environment.
It is unlikely that this would enhance the picture of the environment to a great extent. No further work is proposed on these assemblages.
REFERENCES CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2012 The taking and processing of environmental and other samples from archaeological sites: Technical Manual No. 2
Greig, J. 1991 ‘The British Isles’ in van Zeist, W., Wasylikowa, K. and Behre, K-E. (eds), 229-334
Davies, P. 2008 Snails Archaeology and Landscape Change, Oxford, Oxbow Books
Kerney, M.P. 1999 Atlas of the Land and Freshwater Molluscs of Britain and Ireland, Colchester, Harley
Stace, C. 1997 New Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Books van Zeist, W., Wasylikowa, K. and Behre, K-E. (eds) 1991 Progress in Old World Palaeoethnobotany, Rotterdam, Balkema
Zohary, D., Hopf, M. and Weiss, E. 2012 Domestication of plants in the Old World: the origin and spread of cultivated plants in West Asia, Europe, and the Nile Valley, 4th edition, Oxford, Clarendon Press
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Table 1: Assessment of Environmental Evidence
Proce Unproc Flot ssed essed size Roots Charre Charcoal > Feature Context Sample vol (L) vol (L) (ml) % Grain Chaff Cereal Notes d Other Notes for Table 4/2mm Other Snail ID Analysis Period 1: 11th Century or < 11th Century Ditch 2112 2114 203 20 20 <1 1 - - - - - **/** - - Ditch indet grain, free- Anthemis cotula, Atriplex Vertigo sp., Trochulus 2069 2071 204 20 20 5 1 ** - threshing wheat * sp. **/*** moll-t** hispidus Ditch Vallonia sp., , Vertigo 2053 2054 206 20 20 5 70 - - - * Atriplex sp. */** moll-t** sp. brnt bn*, Vallonia sp., Trochulus moll- hispidus, Pupilla Ditch t****, muscorum, Aegopinella 5057 5058 5011 20 0 1 <1 - - - * c.f. Brassica sp. */- moll-a** pura, Bithynia sp. Period 3: <13th Century nut fragments (c.f. Corylus avellana), Vicia faba, Atriplex sp., Avena/Bromus sp. (some indet grain, free- germination), threshing wheat, Vicia/Lathyrus sp., c.f. Trochulus hispidus, c.f. Secale sp. Genista/Ulex sp., Brassica sab**, Vallonia sp., Pupilla Pit (some sp., Anthemis cotula, moll- muscorum, Carychium 5059 5060 5003 20 20 35 <1 ***** - germination) **** Poa/Phleum sp. ***/**** t***** sp. P C Corylus avellana shell fragments, Atriplex sp., indet seed (c.f. Pimpinella sp.), Avena/Bromus sp., indet grain, free- c.f. Crataegus sp., Rumex threshing wheat sp., Brassica sp., c.f. (some Urtica urens, Persicaria Trochulus hispidus, Midden germination), c.f. sp., Anthemis cotula, sab****, Vallonia sp., Oxychilus 5109 5110 5005 20 20 150 <1 ***** - Barley ***** Poa/Phleum sp. ****/***** moll-t**** cellarius indet grain, hulled wheat Vicia/Lathyrus sp., (some Avena/Bromus sp., vitrification), hazelnut shell fragments, free-threshing Galium sp., Genista/Ulex wheat (incl spelt. sp., c.f. Trifolium sp., Trochulus hispidus, Some Persicaria sp., Atriplex Vallonia sp., c.f. germination), c.f. sp., Poa/Phleum sp., Ena/Merdigera sp., Midden coleoptile, Rumex sp., Anthemis sab***, Pupilla muscorum, 5107 5108 5006 20 20 260 <1 ***** * Barley **** cotula *****/***** moll-t**** Carychium sp. P C
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Vicia/Lathyrus sp., Avena/Bromus sp., buds, Vicia faba, Galium sp., nut fragments, thorns, Rumex sp., tuber stem + tuber (incl Arrhenatherum elatius ssp bulbosum), Genista/Ulex sp., Carex sp., c.f. Eleocharis sp., Poa/Phleum sp., Fallopia indet grain, free- sp., Anthemis cotula, c.f. threshing wheat Epilobium sp., Persicaria (some sp., Lolium/Festuca sp., sab**, Trochulus hispidus, germination), Brassica sp., Atriplex sp. brnt bn*, Cochlicopa, Bithynia Midden/P barley, hulled (some germination), moll- sp., Vallonia sp., it wheat (v. poor Plantago sp., Polygonum t****, Pupilla muscorum, 5111 5112 5007 20 20 440 <1 ***** * pres), rachis ***** sp., *****/***** moll-a* Carychium sp. Corylus avellana shell fragments, Vicia/Lathyrus sp., Avena/Bromus sp., tuber stems, Vicia faba, indet grain, free- Persicaria sp., Rumex sp., Trochulus hispidus, threshing wheat Atriplex sp., Rubus sp., sab***, Vallonia sp., Pupilla (some Poa/Phleum sp., moll- muscorum, Oxychilus Midden germination), Epilobium sp., Anthemis t****, cellarius, Bithynia sp., 5113 5114 5008 20 20 105 <1 ***** - barley ***** cotula, c.f. Carex sp. ***/***** moll-a* Carychium sp. P C Vicia/Lathyrus, Corylus avellana shell fragments, Vicia faba, Avena/Bromus sp., Crataegus sp., Rubus sp., tuber stems + tubers (incl. Arrhenatherum elatius spp bulbosum), Polygonum sp., Brassica sp., Genista/Ulex sp., indet grain, free- Atriplex sp., Urtica urens, threshing wheat, Rumex sp., barley, hulled Lolium/Festuca sp., Trochulus hispidus, wheat Poa/Phleum sp., c.f. sab**, Vallonia sp., Pupilla Midden (vitrification Trifolium sp., Epilobium moll- muscorum, 5115 5116 5009 20 20 190 <1 ***** - present) ***** sp. ****/***** t***** c.fCochlicopa sp. Period 4: >13th Century Trochulus hispidus, Vallonia sp., Pupilla indet seed sab*, muscorum, c.f. indet grain, free- (c.f.Avena/Bromus sp.), moll- Oxychilus cellarius, Ditch threshing wheat, Atriplex sp., Brassica sp., t*****, Bithynia sp., Carychium 2012 2014 200 20 20 30 5 ***** * rachis ***** Anthemis cotula ****/***** moll-a* sp. P C
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Corylus avellana shell fragments, Vicia/Lathyrus sp., Atriplex sp. (some germination), Rumex sp., Trochulus hispidus, indet grain, free- c.f. Avena/Bromus sp., sab*, Bithynia sp., Pit threshing wheat, Poa/Phleum sp., Brassica moll-t*, Cochlicopa, Anisus 2027 2029 201 20 20 60 2 ***** - hulled wheat ***** sp. ****/***** moll-a* leucostoma P C Corylus avellana shell fragments, Galium sp., Vicia/Lathyrus sp., Atriplex Trochulus hispidus, Ditch indet grain, free- sp., Brassica sp., Rumex Vallonia sp., Pupilla 2040 2041 202 20 10 30 1 ***** - threshing wheat ** sp. ***/**** moll-t** muscorum Cepaea sp., Trochulus hispidus, Discus rotundatus, Cochlodina Ditch sp., Carychium sp., 2059 2060 205 20 20 15 <1 * - indet grain * Brassica sp. **/* moll-t**** Vallonia sp. Pit 2157 2158 207 20 20 <1 <1 - - - - - **/* - - Vicia/Lathyrus sp., indet indet grain, free- seed (c.f. Avena/Bromus threshing wheat sp.), Rumex sp., (some Avena/Bromus sp., Ditch germination), c.f. Poa/Phleum sp., 5079 5080 5004 20 0 45 <1 ***** - hulled wheat *** Epilobium sp. ****/***** - - P C Galium sp., tuber + tube stem, Vicia/Lathyrus sp., Trochulus hispidus, nut fragments, Atriplex Vallonia sp., Discus indet grain, free- sp., Persicaria sp., rotundatus, Pupilla threshing wheat, Fallopia sp., Rumex sp., muscorum, Oxychilus Terminus Hordeum Anthemis cotula, sab*, cellarius, Carychium 5117 5118 5010 20 20 150 <1 ***** - vulgare. ***** Poa/Phleum sp. ****/***** moll-t**** sp., c.f. Cochlicopa sp. P C Unphased Trochulus hispidus, c.f. Vicia/Lathyrus sp sab*, Oxychilus cellarius, Pit indet grain, free- (v.poor pres), Poa/Phleum moll- Vallonia sp., Vertigo 5003 5004 5000 20 10 25 2 *** - threshing wheat * sp. **/*** t***** sp., Carychium sp. Trochulus hispidus, Vallonia sp., Oxychilus Rumex sp., Trifolium sp., cellarius, Cochlicopa, indet grain, free- Anthemis cotula, Pupilla muscorum, Pit threshing wheat, Poa/Phleum sp., Brassica moll- Vertigo sp., Carychium 5007 5008 5001 20 20 22 2 **** * c.f. coleoptile ** sp. ***/** t***** sp. Corylus avellana shell fragments, indet seed (c.f. Posthole/ Atriplex sp.), Pit indet grain, free- Avena/Bromus sp., 5067 5068 5002 6 0 30 <1 ***** - threshing wheat ** Lolium/Festuca sp., ****/***** - -
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Anthemis cotula, Poa/Phleum sp.
Key: * = 1–4 items; ** = 4–20 items; *** = 21–49 items; **** = 50–99 items; ***** = >100 items moll-t = terrestrial mollusc, moll-a = aquatic/freshwater mollusc, sab = small animal bone, brnt bn = burnt bone, P = charred plants, C = charcoal
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APPENDIX 12: ANIMAL BONE ASSESSMENT BY MATILDA HOLMES
Background A small assemblage of animal bone was recovered from various features of pre-Saxon to medieval date. An assessment of the character of the animal economy at the site is provided, but further analysis is not worthwhile given the poor sample sizes.
Methods All bones and teeth were recorded, although for some elements a restricted count was employed to reduce fragmentation bias: vertebrae were recorded when the vertebral body was present, and maxilla, zygomatic arch and occipital areas of the skull were identified from skull fragments. A basic recording method was employed to assess the potential of the animal bone assemblage. The number of bones and teeth that could be identified to taxa were noted, as well as those used to age the major domesticates (tooth wear and bone fusion). The quantity of bones likely to be useful for metrical data were also recorded. Other information included condition and the incidence of burning, gnawing and butchery marks. All fragments were recorded by context including those that could not be identified to taxa. Recording methods and analysis are based on guidelines from Baker and Worley (2014).
Summary of Findings Bones were generally in fair condition (Table 1), though fragmentary. Evidence for gnawing and butchery was common, though the only burnt fragments came from samples, suggesting that bones were not routinely exposed to fire as a means of processing, cooking or disposal.
Cattle were the most numerous taxa, followed by sheep/ goat, with a few bones of pig, equid, canid, red deer and goose (Table 2). A few bones of small mammal (including rabbit/ hare), micro-mammal (including mouse) and frog or toad were recovered from samples (Table 3). There was one potential associated bone group from Period 2 Ditch E (intervention 5071; fill 5072), but other than that no specific deposits of feasting, butchery, craft or processing waste were observed. As may be expected in such a small sample, the number of bones that could provide age and metrical data were minimal (Table 4).
Potential and Recommendations Recovery was good, but there is little potential for the assemblage to inform reliably on questions relating to diet, status, economy or animal husbandry as they fall well below the suggested minimum of 100 identified fragments (Hambleton 1999). No further analysis is recommended.
Bibliography Baker, P and Worley, F (2014). Animal Bones and Archaeology: Guidelines for Best Practice. Portsmouth: English Heritage
Hambleton E 1999 Animal Husbandry Regimes in Iron Age Britain. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports British Series 282
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Table 1: Preservation and bone modifications observed on the bones for each context
Preservation Bone Modification Phase Description Goo Good- Fai Poo Fair- Gnawe Butchere Burnt d fair r r poor d d
1 <11th C Ditches 2 1 (field system?)
2 <11th C Ditch 2 1 1 1
3- 11-13th C Midden, 4 1 1 3 2 ditches, pits
4- 13-14th C Ditches, pits 2 1 7 1 1 4 1
Unphased 1 1 1 1 1 Total N contexts 7 1 13 3 3 9 5 0 Proportion (%) of all contexts 26 4 48 11 11 33 19 0
Table 2: Number of fragments recorded for the major domesticates, birds and other taxa (hand collection only)
Sheep Cattle Other Other Other Total Fish Bird taxa Pig
Unidentified Identified Bones Bones Bones Teeth Teeth Teeth
Phase
1 <11th C 1 1 1 3
2 <11th C 117 11 11
3 11-13th 74 7 3 7 2 1 2 9 31 Equid, red, ?roe, C human
4 13-14th 87 7 3 4 2 1 3 3 23 Equid, canid, goose C
Unphase 1 1 1 2 d Total 27 7 12 4 1 1 6 0 12
Table 3: Number of bones identified to taxa from samples
Phase Fish Small mammal Micro-mammal Frog/ toad Cattle Sheep/ goat
3 11-13th century 1 9 2 5 4 13-14th century 1 1 6 2
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Table 4: Number of bones and teeth likely to provide ageing and metrical data for the major domesticates. MWS= mandibular wear stage; TWS= wear from individual teeth; fusion= bone fusion; meas= metrical data
Cattle Sheep/ goat Pig Phase MW TW Fusio Mea MW TW Fusio Mea MW TW Fusio Mea S S n s S S n s S S n s
1 <11th C 1
2 <11th C 10
3 11-13th 1 8 2 3 5 C
4 13-14th 1 5 1 1 4 2 1 C
Unphase 1 d Total 2 0 25 0 3 1 7 7 1 0 0 0
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APPENDIX 13: OASIS REPORT FORM
PROJECT DETAILS
Project Name Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design Short description A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between April and June 2018, at the request of Triskelion Heritage (on behalf of Bloor Homes), at land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes. An area of 033ha was excavated across the development area. The excavation revealed several phases of early medieval occupation dating possibly from the Middle/Late Saxon period until the 14th century The earliest activity was a series of ditches of uncertain date in the north of the area forming an enclosure which would have extended to the northwest beyond the limits of excavation. Contemporaneous with this were a pair of sinuous northwest/southeast ditches which may have formed a droveway along the eastern side of the enclosure. The fills of these features were cut by a straight boundary Ditch Orientated east/west containing a small quantity of possibly residual Saxon pottery. Between the 11th and 13th centuries enclosures likely to belong to the now deserted hamlet of Green End situated to the immediate west of the site were established in the west of the excavation area. As well as four possible enclosure ditches from this period, a midden and pits containing the remains of domestic refuse were deposited/excavated. During the 13th and 14thcentury the enclosures were reworked and expanded to the east with seven ditches, aligned parallel with and perpendicular to the base of the valley. This document presents a quantification and assessment of the evidence recovered from the excavation. It considers the evidence collectively in its local, regional and national context, and presents an updated project design for a programme of post-excavation analysis to bring the results to appropriate publication.
Project dates April-June 2018
Project type Excavation
Previous work Heritage Desk Based Assessment (CA 2016)
Field Evaluation (CA 2017) Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Study area (M2/ha) 0.33 ha Site co-ordinates SP 79825 46969
PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator Milton Keynes Council/Triskelion Heritage Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology
Project Manager Stuart Joyce Project Supervisor Ralph Brown/Jay Wood MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content (e.g. pottery, (museum/Accession no.) animal bone etc)
Physical Buckinghamshire County Museum/ ceramics, animal bone, AYBCM : 2018.44 worked flint, ceramic
60 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
artefacts, CBM, fired clay, iron artefacts, copper alloy artefacts, worked stone artefacts, worked bone artefacts Environmental flots and ecofacts Paper Buckinghamshire County Museum/ Context register sheets, AYBCM : 2018.44 context sheets, drawing register sheets, section drawings, survey sheets, digital photo registers, bulk finds sheets, registered artefact registers, sample register sheets Digital Archaeology Data Service (ADS) Database, digital photos, digital survey data BIBLIOGRAPHY
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2018 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design. CA report 18256
61 4 478000 4 480000 4 482000 7 8 8 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
224900049000
224700047000
224500045000
N Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 CAMBRIDGESHIRE Cotswold Exeter 01392 573970 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected] WARWICKSHIRE PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Milton Keynes
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE MILTON KEYNES FIGURE TITLE Site location plan BEDFORDSHIRELUTON 0 1km
OXFORDSHIRE DRAWN BY TB PROJECT NO. 669051 FIGURE NO. HERTFORDSHIRE © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 CHECKED BY DJB DATE 19.11.18 Ordnance Survey 0100031673 APPROVED BY DS SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1 N 2 FIGURE NO. in situ 01908 564660 cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk 01285 771022 @ 01264 347630 01392 573970 Ordnance Survey 0100031673 Ordnance Survey
www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk 669051 29/11/2018 1:1750
enquiries Andover Cirencester Exeter Milton Keynes w e 1:1750 PROJECT NO. DATE SCALE@A3 Site boundary Area of preservation area Excavation trench Evaluation Cut feature Structure AO DJB DS Cotswold Archaeology © Crown copyright and database rights copyright 2018 © Crown 0 100m 0 PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes FIGURE TITLE Site plan and evaluation trenches DRAWN BY DRAWN CHECKED BY APPROVED BY
Western Drive Castlehorpe Road Castlehorpe T23 T28 T9 T34 T13 448000080000 T22 T27 T42 T8 T15 T1 T3 T36 T41 T31 T16 T5 24 T37 T2 T11 T18 T32 T7 T40 T29 T39 T6 T25 T35 T4 T17 T30 T38 T10 447980079800 T19 3 T33
T26 T12 e r u g i F Figure 3 T14 T20 T21 wall 2104 wall 0 0 0 0 0 8 7 6 4 4 2 247000 2 246800 479780 479800 479820 479840 479860 479880 N
247024704040
Site boundary Limit of excavation FFigureigure 5 Evaluation trench ppostholeosthole Evaluation feature 22045045 247020 ppostholeosthole AArearea 2 ppostholeosthole 20432043 20472047 ppostholeosthole dditchitch 22051051 T2 D Archaeological features ppitit ppostholeosthole (excavated/unexcavated) 55005005 dditchitch 20672067 F ppitit 22065065 Period 1: 11th Century or earlier ppitit 20152015 dditchitch dditchitch H G Period 2: 11th Century or earlier ppitit ppitit 50075007 ppitit ppitit ppalaeochannelalaeochannel 55011011 ppitit 55009009 R Period 3: 11th - 13th Century 55003003 ppitit 20372037 dditchitch 22027027 FFigureigure 4 K Period 4: 13th - 14th Century
ttree-throwree-throw ppitit ppitit 55051051 Undated 247000 ppitit ppitit 50135013 22153153 22055055 Palaeochannel dditchitch dditchitch M S EEnclosurenclosure 1 Tree-throw pit ttree-throwree-throw ppitit dditchitch AArearea 1 55037037 C dditchitch Field drain ppitit dditchitch 55031031 N ppitit E 22107107
ppitit 50595059 ppitit 55081081
dditchitch L dditchitch ppitit B 22157157 ppit/hollowit/hollow dditchitch 246980 dditchitch T A O dditchitch Q dditchitch V
ppitit 55067067 dditchitch EEnclosurenclosure 2 P
T29 ppalaeochannelalaeochannel R T6
246960 T7 01:400 20m
dditchitch U © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 Ordnance Survey 0100031673 dditchitch dditchitch J I Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 573970 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE T10 Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes
FIGURE TITLE 246940 T11 Site plan T12
DRAWN BY TB/AO PROJECT NO. 669051 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 19.11.18 APPROVED BY DS SCALE@A3 1:400 3 4 FIGURE NO. 01908 564660 cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk h 01285 771022 @ c t L L i 01264 347630 dditch 01392 573970 h c t E E i www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk 669051 19.11.18 1:150
h enquiries dditch c Milton Keynes w e Andover Cirencester Exeter t V V i h dditch c t 3 S S i t i 1 dditch ppit 0 5 5013 PROJECT NO. DATE SCALE@A4 TB DJB DS Cotswold Archaeology 479820 w 9 t o i l 5 l ppit 0 o T T 5 5059 7 h t 1 / i 6 t t i i 3 ppit 0 ppit ppit/hollow 0 5 5067 PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes FIGURE TITLE Phase 1 plan DRAWN BY DRAWN CHECKED BY APPROVED BY 5 5031 N 1 A t i 8 ppit 0 5 5081 h c t M M i dditch 1:150 Undated Palaeochannel Limit of excavation Section location A 05m A
479847981010 1
a h e A c r O t i O
l dditch e AArea 1 n n a h c R R o e a l a ppalaeochannel h c t Q Q i dditch Period 1: 11th Century 11th or 1: Period earlier Century 11th or 2: Period earlier 11th - 13th Century 3: Period 13th - 14th Century 4: Period 0 9 9 7 Archaeological features features Archaeological (excavated/unexcavated) 9 6 246980246980 247000247000 2469 246979 24246990 h c t A A 479847987070 i dditch 7 t i 3 ppit 0 5 2 2037 FIGURE NO. 7 e t 01908 564660 l i 2 B cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk 3 o ppit 0 01285 771022 h 4 2 2027 @ t 0 s 01264 347630 2 2043 o 01392 826185 pposthole www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk 669051 19.11.18 1:200
enquiries Milton Keynes w e Andover Cirencester Exeter C e l B 5 o 4 h t 0 s 2045 2 o pposthole PROJECT NO. DATE SCALE@A4 5 t i 5 ppit 0 e l 2 2055 e o 7 l h 4 7 o t 0 6 h s TB DJB DS t Cotswold Archaeology 2047 2 0 o s 2067 479860 2 pposthole o pposthole h c t H H i dditch 5 t i 6 e l ppit 0 1 o 2 2065 5 h t 0 PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes FIGURE TITLE Phase 2 plan DRAWN BY DRAWN CHECKED BY APPROVED BY s 2 2051 o pposthole N 7 t i 5 C ppit 1 2 2157 3 t i 5 ppit 1 h 2 2153 5 c t t i 1 C C i ppit 0 dditch 2 2015 m u i v R R u l l aalluvium 1:200 h
479847985050 c t F F i Undated Palaeochannel Limit of excavation pit Tree-throw Section location dditch A h c t E E i dditch A 2 t i
p 010m
a w 9 7 e h o t i 0 3 c r r t M M ppit 0 i 0 h t 5 5009 dditch 5 5037 AArea 2 - e e r tree-throw pit ttree-throw 7 t i 0 ppit 0 5 5007 h h c c t D D t i K K i dditch dditch 3 Ordnance Survey 0100031673 Ordnance Survey
479840 t i 0 ppit 0 5 5 5003 t i 0 ppit 0 5 5005
4 t i p
Period 1: 11th Century 11th or 1: Period earlier Century 11th or 2: Period earlier 11th - 13th Century 3: Period 13th - 14th Century 4: Period
w
1
o 5 r e
0 h t 5 5051 - r e e r
tree-throw pit ttree-throw u
0 0 1 Archaeological features features Archaeological (excavated/unexcavated)
t i 1 9 1 ppit
0 g 6 5
5011
i 246980 246980 © Crown copyright and database rights copyright 2018 © Crown 247000 247000 247020 247020 2470247010
247 247690 Figure 4 F Figure General site photograph, looking south-west
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 573970 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes General site photograph, looking south-west FIGURE TITLE General site photographs
DRAWN BY TB PROJECT NO. 669051 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 21.11.18 APPROVED BY DS SCALE@A3 NA 6 Section AA
SW 103.2m AOD
55108108 55145145 55108108
ppit/hollowit/hollow T ppit/hollowit/hollow T
dditchitch Q
NE
55108108
ppit/hollowit/hollow T
01m1:20
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 573970 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes
FIGURE TITLE Pit/hollow T, section AA and Pit/hollow T overview, looking south photograph
DRAWN BY TB PROJECT NO. 669051 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 21.11.18 APPROVED BY DS SCALE@A3 1:20 7 Section BB
NE SW 105m AOD
22138138
22138138
ppalaeochannelalaeochannel R 22147147 22147147
ppalaeochannelalaeochannel R
22146146
22140140
dditchitch H dditchitch C
01m1:20
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 573970 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes
FIGURE TITLE Ditches C and H, section BB and Ditch and paleochannel intersections, looking south-east (1m scale) photograph
DRAWN BY TB PROJECT NO. 669051 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 21.11.18 APPROVED BY DS SCALE@A3 1:20 8 Section CC
NW 104.6m AOD
22110110 22131131
22159159 dditchitch D 22131131 22158158 ppalaeochannelalaeochannel R
22159159
ppalaeochannelalaeochannel R
ppitit 22157157
SE
22131131 22131131
22162162 22159159 22159159 ppalaeochannelalaeochannel R
ppalaeochannelalaeochannel R
dditchitch H 22161161
01m1:20
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 573970 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE Land at Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope, Milton Keynes
Paleochannel R with ditches D and H and Pit 2157, looking north-east (2m scale) FIGURE TITLE Palaeochannel R, ditch D, ditch H and pit 2157, section CC and photograph
DRAWN BY TB PROJECT NO. 669051 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 21.11.18 APPROVED BY DS SCALE@A3 1:20 9
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