West Hoathly Brickworks Sharpthorne West Sussex

WEST HOATHLY BRICKWORKS SHARPTHORNE WEST SUSSEX

PROGRAMME OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING FOR PHASE 2 EXTRACTION (PART 3)

CA PROJECT: 1829 CA REPORT: 05192

Author: Derek Evans & Jon Hart

Approved: Mark Collard

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

Issue: 03 Date: 22 May 2006

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.

West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Archaeological Watching Brief © Cotswold Archaeology

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 3

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 4

The site ...... 4 Archaeological background ...... 5 Methodology ...... 5

2. RESULTS ...... 6

The Finds ...... 6

3. DISCUSSION ...... 6

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 7

5. REFERENCES ...... 7

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 8

APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS ...... 9

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Location of groundworks (1:2000)

2 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Archaeological Watching Brief © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Site Name: West Hoathly Brickworks Location: Sharpthorne, West Sussex NGR: TQ 3763 3286 Type: Watching brief Date: 5-9 September 2005 and 31 January 2006 Planning Reference: HO/36/98 Location of Archive: To be deposited with East Grinstead Museum Site Code: WHS 05

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA) during groundworks associated with the extension of the clay quarry at West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex.

No deposits, features or structures of archaeological significance were present within the stripped area.

3 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Archaeological Watching Brief © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In September 2005 and January 2006 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief for Ibstock Brick Ltd at West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex (centred on NGR: TQ 3763 3286; Fig. 1).

1.2 The watching brief was undertaken as part of ongoing archaeological work required to fulfil a condition attached to a planning consent for an extension to the clay quarry (Planning ref: HO/36/98). The objective of the watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the development.

1.3 The archaeological fieldwork was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological recording prepared by Mr John Mills (Archaeologist, West Sussex County Council Economic and Environmental Policy Service), the archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority (LPA), and with a subsequent written scheme of investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2003a) and approved by the LPA acting on the advice of Mr Mills. The fieldwork also followed the Recommended Standard Conditions for Archaeological Fieldwork, Recording and Post-Excavation Work (Development Control), Version 2b published by West Sussex County Council and the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999).

The site

1.4 The current works are part of the Phase 2 extraction, which covers two distinct areas of former land use: Marepit Wood, which contained visible archaeological earthwork features, and an area of improved agricultural grassland to the east with no visible surface features. The works which are the subject of this report were carried out as site preparation for the Phase 2 extraction, lie to the north of the former Marepit Wood (Fig.2).

1.5 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Wadhurst clay overlying Ashdown Beds Sandstone (OS 1977). The site lies at approximately 135m AOD.

4 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Archaeological Watching Brief © Cotswold Archaeology

Archaeological background

1.6 This archaeological watching brief formed part of a series of ongoing works during the extension of the clay quarry at West Hoathly Brickworks by Ibstock Brick Ltd. The general background to the archaeological works at the quarry have been outlined elsewhere (eg CAT 1999a) and it is not intended to reprise them here. The early parts of this programme included an archaeological evaluation and subsequent watching brief in the Phase 1 extraction area (CAT 1999b; 2001a).

1.7 Within the Phase 2 extraction area, the visible earthworks within Marepit Wood have been archaeologically surveyed (CAT 2000; 2001b) and an archaeological evaluation was carried out within the northern part of the wood (CAT 2000). This work showed that the earthwork features were formed by probable infilled iron minepits (presumed to be medieval on the basis of evidence elsewhere within the quarry) and associated spoil heaps, as well as substantial post-medieval marl pits and associated trackways and drainage channels. An archaeological watching brief undertaken during the first stage of topsoil stripping in the Phase 2 area revealed further information about the post-medieval marl extraction and identified an undated pit containing charcoal and iron smelting slag (CA 2003b). During the 2004 watching brief (Fig. 2) an undated tree-throw pit containing a layer of charcoal and ash, presumed to be from stump-burning was recorded. Earthwork features associated with post-medieval marl extraction and previously recorded by field survey and previous monitoring were also identified, including a quarry pit two drainage channels and two depressions which may represent the locations of infilled minepits beneath (CA 2004).

Methodology

1.8 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2003a) An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks, comprising the machine stripping of topsoil to the top of the natural substrate in an area measuring approximately 145m by 30m (Fig. 2).

1.9 Written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

5 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Archaeological Watching Brief © Cotswold Archaeology

1.10 Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the finds and site archive will be deposited with East Grinstead Museum.

2. RESULTS

2.1 The area of stripping lay within open agricultural land and a simple sequence of deposits was recorded, consisting of a consistent 0.35m depth of topsoil 101, overlying the underlying geological clay substrate 102. No archaeological features were observed within the surface of the clay; a number of broad linear ploughscars (generically 103) were visible, running NW-SE, filed with a variable mixture of 101 and 102.

The Finds

2.4 Small quantities of moderately vesicular ironworking slag were retrieved from the surface of the stripped clay during topsoil stripping, with no clear concentrations. Similar slags can be produced through either smithing or smelting processes, however in this context this material likely relates to the latter. A larger quantity of tabular lumps of a clearly iron-rich fossiliferous limestone were also recovered. This material may represent quantities of ore. No other finds were recovered.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 No features, deposits or structures of archaeological significance were present within the observed area, which lay beyond the area of previously recorded visible surface features within Marepit Wood. The results indicated that similar ploughed- out features did not extend into the area of stripping. The evidence for ploughing suggests that shallow features would not have survived and removal of the fills of the ploughscars did not reveal any deeper features. The scattered distribution of small amounts of iron slag and the absence of any related features across the stripped area is representative of the incorporation of residual material within the ploughsoil, rather than representative of in situ activity.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

4.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Derek Evans, who also compiled this report. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled by Derek Evans, and prepared for deposition by Ed McSloy. The project was managed for CA by Mark Collard.

5. REFERENCES

CAT (Cotswold Archaeological Trust) 1999a West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex, Phase 1 – Cookham’s Lane: Programme of Archaeological Recording CAT typescript report no. 991046

CAT 1999b West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex, Phase 1 – Excluding Cookham’s Lane: Programme of Archaeological Recording CAT typescript report no. 991063

CAT 2000 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex, Phase 1 – Excluding Cookham’s Lane: Programme of Archaeological Recording CAT typescript report no. 001159

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2003a West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Written Scheme of Investigation for a Programme of Archaeological Recording

CA 2003b West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Programme of Archaeological Recording for Phase 2 Extraction (Part 1) CA typescript report no. 03176

CA 2004 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Programme of Archaeological Recording for Phase 2 Extraction (Part 2) CA typescript report no. 04152

OS (Ordnance Survey) 1977 Map of Quaternary Deposits: UK South

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

101 Topsoil – mid grey brown silty clay,. Average thickness 0.35m 102 Natural substrate – Pale orange yellow- clay with occasional grey-blue mottling. 103 Generic context for linear ploughscars, aligned NW-SE. Present across whole area, 0.3m apart. Dimensions: 3m wide x 0.2m deep. Cut into surface of 102

APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS

Context Description Count Wt (g) Spot-date 102 Ironworking slag - 104 - Limestone fragments: iron rich ?ore 1 930

Artefactual material was restricted to a single context layer 102. Metallurgical residues consist of small quantities of moderately vesicular ironworking slag. Similar slags can be produced through either smithing or smelting processes, however in this context this material likely relates to the latter. A larger quantity of tabular lumps of a clearly iron-rich fossiliferous limestone were also recovered. This material may represent quantities of ore