West Hoathly Brickworks Sharpthorne West Sussex
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WEST HOATHLY BRICKWORKS SHARPTHORNE WEST SUSSEX PROGRAMME OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING FOR PHASE 2 EXTRACTION (PART 2) CA PROJECT: 1829 CA REPORT: 04152 Author: Derek Evans Approved: Mark Collard Signed: ……………………………………………………………. Issue: 01 Date: 1 October 2004 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. © Cotswold Archaeology Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail:[email protected] 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 The Biological Evidence ....................................................................................... 6 3. DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................... 7 4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 7 5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 8 APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 9 APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS ................................................................................................ 10 APPENDIX 3: THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE ................................................................. 11 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25 000) Fig. 2 Location of groundworks (1:2000) Fig. 3 Plan of stripped area (1:1000) Fig 4 Plan and section of tree-throw pit 003 (1:20) 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: 16-19 August 2004 Planning Reference: HO/36/98 Location of Archive: To be deposited with East Grinstead Museum Site Code: WHS 04 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. 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 and two drainage channels. 3 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Archaeological Watching Brief © Cotswold Archaeology 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In August 2004 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, and were wholly contained within the northern part 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). 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 45m by 60m (Fig. 2). 1.9 Written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996). 1.10 Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the finds and site archive will be deposited with East Grinstead Museum. 5 West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne, West Sussex: Archaeological Watching Brief © Cotswold Archaeology 2. RESULTS 2.1 A large part of the area recorded during the current watching brief was occupied by features associated with the site’s post-medieval marl extraction phase and recorded previously as visible earthworks and during the previous monitoring to the north (Fig. 2; CAT 2000; Ca 2003b). These included a substantial marlpit 006 to the north-west and two drainage channels 007 and 008, running approximately north- east/south-west. All three features were direct continuations of features previously recorded. No fills relating to these features could be discerned as different from the overlying topsoil deposit. 2.2 Two smaller surface depressions recorded during the 2000 survey and identified as possible minepits (CA 2000) were revealed after stripping simply to be shallow hollows in the surface of the underlying clay. It was unclear whether these depressions related to small-scale marl extraction activity, root/tree disturbance, or simply represented natural contours in the landscape. 2.3 The only other cut archaeological feature recorded was a sub-circular cut 003 (Fig. 4). The highly irregular nature of this cut, with visible root channels in its base, suggests that it is a tree throw pit. In the base of 003 was a layer of ash and charcoal 004; the natural clay underneath this context was also reddened and burned, showing that this burning was in situ. This burnt material 004 was then sealed by a secondary fill of redeposited natural clays 005. No dating evidence was retrieved from this feature. The Finds 2.4 Sherds of late post medieval pottery and small fragments of iron slag were retrieved from the surface of the clay during topsoil stripping. No finds were specifically associated with features. The Biological Evidence 2.5 A bulk sample was taken from fill 004 of three-throw pit 0003. Flotation and wet- sieving of 20 litres of this sample produced a small quantity of charcoal (24g) and a single burnt seed. 6 West