Land off Westham Lane Barford Warwickshire
Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design
for Taylor Wimpey West Midlands
CA Project: 669022 CA Report: 17048
February 2017
Land off Westham Lane Barford Warwickshire
Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design
CA Project: 669022 CA Report: 17048
prepared by Julian Newman
date October 2016
checked by Sarah Cobain, Post-Excavation Manager
date February 2017
approved by Martin Watts, Head of Publications
signed
date February 2017
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 off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
CONTENTS
SUMMARY ...... 5
1 INTRODUCTION ...... 6
Location, topography and geology ...... 6 Project background ...... 7 Archaeological background ...... 7
2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 10
3 METHODOLOGY ...... 10
4 RESULTS ...... 12
Geology ...... 13 Period 1: Iron Age (700 BC – AD 43) ...... 14 Period 2: Roman (AD 43 – AD 410) ...... 19 Period 3: Medieval and post-medieval (1066 – 1900) (Figs 3 and 5) ..... 32 Modern (Figs 3 and 5) ...... 32 Undated (Figs 3 and 5) ...... 33
5 FACTUAL DATA AND STATEMENTS OF POTENTIAL ...... 36
Stratigraphic Record: factual data ...... 36 Stratigraphic record: statement of potential...... 37 Artefactual record: factual data ...... 37 Artefactual record: statements of potential ...... 40 Biological record: factual data ...... 42 Biological record: statements of potential ...... 43
6 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL ...... 44
7 STORAGE AND CURATION ...... 48
8 UPDATED AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 48
9 PUBLICATION ...... 53
10 PROJECT TEAM ...... 55
11 TASK LIST ...... 57
2 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
12 TIMETABLE ...... 58
13 REFERENCES ...... 59
APPENDIX 1: STRATIGRAPHIC ASSESSEMENT BY JULIAN NEWMAN ...... 62
APPENDIX 2: POTTERY BY KATIE MARSDEN ...... 63
APPENDIX 3: CERAMIC BUILDING MATERIAL BY ED MCSLOY ...... 69
APPENDIX 4: CLAY TOBACCO PIPE BY ED MCSLOY ...... 70
APPENDIX 5: FLINT BY ED MCSLOY ...... 70
APPENDIX 6: FIRED CLAY BY ED MCSLOY...... 72
APPENDIX 7: GLASS BY ED MCSLOY...... 74
APPENDIX 8: METALWORK BY ED MCSLOY ...... 74
APPENDIX 9: METALWORKING DEBRIS BY DAVID STARLEY ...... 76
APPENDIX 10: WORKED STONE BY RUTH SHAFFREY...... 78
APPENDIX 11: ANIMAL BONE BY MATILDA HOLMES ...... 78
APPENDIX 12: HUMAN BONE BY SHARON CLOUGH ...... 81
APPENDIX 13: GRAVE CATALOGUE BY SHARON CLOUGH AND SARAH COBAIN .. 87
APPENDIX 14: PLANT MACROFOSSILS AND CHARCOAL BY SARAH WYLES ...... 89
APPENDIX 15: RADIOCARBON DATING BY SARAH COBAIN ...... 98
APPENDIX 16: OASIS REPORT FORM ...... 99
3 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Cropmarks and geology along the Avon valley, including the excavation site (1:25,000; inset 1:5000) Fig. 3 All feature plan, with geophysics and evaluation trench inset (1:1000; inset 1:2000) Fig. 4 The site, showing Iron Age features (1:500) Fig. 5 The site, showing Roman and later features (1:500) Fig. 6 Section AA, with photograph (1:20) Fig. 7 Section BB, with photograph (1:20) Fig. 8 Section CC, with photographs of well BB (1:20) Fig. 9 Section DD, with photograph (1:20) Fig. 10 Section EE, with photograph (1:20) Fig. 11 Photograph: Skeleton 2243, scale 1m Fig. 12 Photograph: Building BA, looking west, scales 2m Fig. 13 Photograph: Kiln AO, looking south, scale 1m
4 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
SUMMARY
Site Name: Land off Westham Lane Location: Barford, Warwickshire NGR: SP 2681 6057 Type: Excavation Date: 5 January to 24 July 2015 Planning Reference: W/14/0693 Location of archive: Currently held by Cotswold Archaeology, Milton Keynes Accession Number: TBC Site Code: WRB14
A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between January and July 2015 at the request of Taylor Wimpey West Midlands at Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire. A total of 1.99ha was excavated across the development area.
The excavation revealed archaeological activity dating from the Iron Age and through the Roman period. Two phases of Iron Age activity were identified on site, with the first phase comprising a droveway/trackway which extended north-south across the site, and with the second phase including the development of an Iron Age enclosed farmstead with associated roundhouse, small oval enclosure and storage/waste pits. Occupation on the site continued into the Early and Middle Roman periods and comprised the remodelling of the enclosure into a farmstead of complex form. Features within the farmstead included small enclosures, a building, a well, ditches/gullies, a possible pottery kiln and a series of pits and postholes. A large assemblage of pottery and quantities of ceramic building material, clay tobacco pipe, flint, fired clay, glass, metalwork, metalworking debris and worked stone were recovered. The majority of the pottery dates to the Iron Age and Early/Middle Roman periods, with a single residual sherd of Beaker pottery, and a small number of post-medieval sherds also recovered. Artefacts of note include a Langton Down type brooch, a fragment of a possible (loom)weight and two adjoining fragments of a millstone.
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 off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Between 5 January and 24 July 2015, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological excavation at Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire (centred on NGR: SP 2681 6057; Fig. 1). Further watching brief (WB) work undertaken on 17 September 2015. The work was undertaken at the request of Taylor Wimpey West Midlands, in order to fulfil a condition attached to planning permission granted by Warwick District Council (WDC), the Local Planning Authority (LPA) for residential development of the site (ref. W/14/0693; Condition 17).
1.2 The scope of works was defined in discussions with Anna Stocks, Warwickshire County Council Planning Archaeologist (WCCPA), the archaeological advisor to WDC, with a subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2014) and approved by the LPA acting on the advice of Anna Stocks (WCCPA).
1.3 The fieldwork also followed Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Excavation (CIfA 2014); Warwickshire County Council’s Generic Archaeological Fieldwork Guidelines (WCC 2012), 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 Anna Stocks, including site visits on 20 January 2015, 23 January 2015, 20 February 2015, 27 February 2015, 13 March 2015, 8 May 2015 and 22 May 2015.
Location, topography and geology 1.4 The site encloses an area of approximately 2.6ha. It lies on the western edge of Barford bounded by 20th-century housing on Hemmings Mill to the north, Wellesbourne Road to the east, Westham Lane to the south and the A429 Barford Bypass to the west (Figs 1 and 3). The site lies at approximately 45.5m AOD, rising to 45.7 AOD in the centre of the site.
1.5 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Mercia Mudstone Group of the Triassic Period, overlain by River Terrace 2 sands and gravels (BGS 2016). The geology recorded on site was sands and gravels.
6 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
1.6 The western part of the development site was under pasture, and the central and eastern part was most recently occupied by a nursery with associated buildings, greenhouses and polytunnels, access roads, hard standing and green space. A small, dilapidated brick shed/barn stood within the north-central part of the site.
Project background 1.7 Archaeological interest in the site arises from previous archaeological works which have taken place within, and close to, the development site. These comprise aerial photography, archaeological excavations which took place prior to the construction of the A429 Barford Bypass, together with a geophysical (magnetometer) survey (AS 2012) and an archaeological evaluation (WA 2012) that took place within the development site. The results of these works, along with a summary of the archaeological background of the site, are summarised below.
Archaeological background Aerial photography and previous archaeological works 1.8 The site is located upon the River Avon Terrace Deposits, sands and gravels from which Palaeolithic artefacts have been recovered, including two worked flints found within the Barford Parish. Archaeological fieldwork to the west of the site, along the route of the A429 Barford Bypass, recovered a small assemblage of Late Mesolithic flint tools and waste flakes (Palmer 2010, 15). No camp sites have been identified within the wider area, and as such it is not possible to determine whether the scatter of flint tools recovered simply indicates the presence of mobile hunter gathers, or if camp sites are yet to be identified.
1.9 During the Neolithic period, the Avon Valley was a significant corridor for transportation and communication. A significant Neolithic monument complex constructed along the river bank between Warwick (to the north of Barford) and Charlecote (to the south) where the earliest elements in the complex appear to have been long, processional cursus monuments dating from the Middle Neolithic.
1.10 In contrast to the large monuments, evidence of Neolithic occupation is rare within the region, with the majority of finds suggesting a mainly nomadic lifestyle within the area. Recent discoveries, such as that of a sherd of Neolithic pottery during archaeological works along the Barford Bypass, hint at a more settled occupation of the region during the later Neolithic period (Palmer 2010, 15).
7 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
1.11 The Neolithic monument complex was subject to additional activity during the Bronze Age when large burial mounds were constructed along the route, including a potential barrow to the south of the site at Wasperton (HER [Warwickshire Historic Environment Record] MWA7287). Archaeological works along the A429 Barford Bypass recovered flintwork of Bronze Age date, as well as pottery and a rubbing stone (Palmer, 2010, 17), whilst a significant Late Bronze Age pit group and ditch were recorded during works at Hampton Lucy (HER EWA9156).
1.12 There are numerous cropmark complexes along the Avon river valley (Fig. 2). Many of these can be provisionally dated, based on their form, to the Iron Age. Archaeological investigations within these cropmark areas tend to confirm an Iron Age date, with recent works within one cropmark complex in Hampton Lucy excavating a late Iron Age roundhouse and boundary ditch (HER EWA9907). To the west of the site, evidence of a Middle to Late Iron Age agricultural settlement was found along the A429 Barford Bypass, including a number of storage pits, field boundaries and postholes (Palmer 2010, 3).
1.13 It is likely that some of the cropmark complexes seen within the Avon river valley, which have been provisional dated to the Iron Age based on their form, may date to or have been in use during the Roman period, suggesting continuous occupation between the Iron Age and Roman periods. A number of multi-period Late Iron Age-Roman field boundaries were recorded along the A429 Barford Bypass (Palmer 2010, 3). The partial excavation of a large cropmark complex at Wasperton also recorded activity from the late prehistoric through to the Roman periods (HER MWA957).
1.14 The archaeological works undertaken along the A429 Barford Bypass also revealed a single Anglo-Saxon sunken-featured building, dating to the 5th/6th century (Palmer 2010, 39). Within the wider landscape around Barford are two known Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, as well as a potential palace at Hampton Lucy, which has been subject to limited archaeological investigation (Palmer, 2010, 9). Documentary evidence provides more information, and by the time of Domesday there are two recorded manors at Barford, whilst the name ‘Barford’ is likely to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon period.
1.15 Medieval Barford developed around the north/south-aligned Bridge Street and the east/west-aligned High Street, which runs parallel to the River Avon. The site is located adjacent at the western extent of the village, bordering the rear gardens of
8 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
some of the Bridge Street plots. A bridge across the River Avon is first recorded in 1484, but is likely to date to at least a century earlier.
1.16 Pockets of extant ridge-and-furrow earthworks provide an insight into the historic farming techniques of the village, when Barford would have been surrounded by open common land, divided into strips and utilised by the villagers. Although a widespread practice, the remaining physical evidence is constantly being removed by modern development and modern agricultural techniques. The surviving earthworks at Barford have been plotted by the Warwickshire HER, including an area to the south-east of the village at Watchbury Farm.
1.17 Barford Parish was enclosed following a parliamentary act in 1760, resulting in the more uniform division of land seen to surround the village (Salzman 1949, 10–13). The post-medieval layout appears to have little changed by the publication of the First Edition Ordnance Survey map in 1885, and the town still largely retains its historic town layout.
Magnetometer survey 1.18 A magnetometer survey (Fig. 3) was undertaken at the site in March 2012 and recorded a concentration of ditches, enclosures, trackways and isolated pit-like anomalies in the eastern part of the site, as well as more ephemeral linear and pit- like anomalies in the western part of the site. Few potential archaeological features were recorded in the central area of the site, where extensive zones of magnetic debris and disturbance associated with the site’s modern use as a nursery were recorded (AS 2012).
Archaeological evaluation 1.19 A total of 19 evaluation trenches were excavated across the site (WA 2012) in June 2012 (Fig. 3). The evaluation demonstrated that the cropmark evidence and the anomalies detected by the geophysical survey in the central and eastern part of the site corresponded to archaeological features. These comprised the remains of several ditched enclosures, a north-west/south-east-orientated trackway and a small number of pits, postholes and gullies.
1.20 The artefactual assemblage was small, comprising pottery dating to the Roman or Iron Age periods, a small amount of fired clay, two fragments of a sandstone quern and a small amount of animal bone. A small amount of crop-processing waste, indicative of nearby settlement, was recovered from bulk soil samples. The
9 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
evaluation also recorded similar features in the central part of the site; these features had been masked from the geophysical survey by the magnetic disturbance associated with the former nursery buildings. Only two archaeological features were exposed in the western part of the site.
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 the WSI produced by CA (2014), as follows:
2.3 The objectives of the archaeological excavation were to:
• record any evidence of past settlement or other land use;
• recover artefactual evidence to date any evidence of past settlement that may be identified;
• sample and analyse environmental remains to create a better understanding of past land use and economy;
• further investigate and characterise the Iron Age/Roman archaeological features recorded by the geophysical survey and the trial trench evaluation;
• investigate and characterise any further archaeological remains present at the site; and
• preserve by record the archaeological remains present at the site prior to the development of the site.
3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 The location of three excavation areas was agreed with Anna Stocks (WCCPA), informed by the results from the mapped cropmarks (Fig 2), the magnetometer survey (AS 2012) and the archaeological evaluation (WA 2012). The excavation
10 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
targeted the Iron Age and/or Roman enclosure ditches, gullies, pits and postholes recorded in the preceding evaluation (WA 2012).
3.2 The original methodology of phased excavation areas, comprising strip, map and sample excavation taking place within Areas 1 and 2 and open-area excavation within Area 3 (CA 2014) was altered, reflecting the concentration of archaeology revealed once machine stripping commenced. Following discussions with Anna Stocks (WCCPA) one large excavation area of 1.99ha was opened and the entire site was stripped.
3.3 In addition, two addendums to the WSI were submitted, following discussions with Anna Stocks (WCCPA). The first was to extend the excavation area to include the an the area occupied by the former police station at no. 22 Wellesbourne Road, located at the eastern edge of the site, which was the location of the new access road into the development. The second was to facilitate the safe excavation of stone-lined well BB (Fig. 5), located to the south-eastern corner of the excavation area.
3.4 Fieldwork commenced with the removal of topsoil and subsoil from the excavation area by mechanical excavator with a toothless grading bucket, under archaeological supervision. The archaeological features thus exposed were hand- excavated to the bottom of archaeological stratigraphy.
3.5 Examination of features concentrated on recovering the plan and any structural sequences. Particular emphasis was placed upon retrieving a stratigraphic sequence, and upon obtaining details of the phasing of the site. The following sampling strategy was employed:
• All features associated with funerary/ritual activity and all domestic/industrial deposits were 100% excavated
• All discrete features (postholes, pits) were hand-excavated (50% excavated), unless their common/repetitious nature suggested they were unlikely to yield significant new information
• All linear features (ditches, pathways, etc.) were hand-excavated to a maximum of 10% of their lengths
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• Priority was attached to features yielding sealed assemblages which could be related to the chronological sequence of the site.
3.6 All features were planned and recorded in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (CA 2013). 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 a total of 76 bulk soil samples 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).
4 RESULTS
4.1 The archaeological potential of the c. 2.6ha site had been highlighted by an earlier magnetometer survey (AS 2012) and field evaluation (WA 2012). The archaeology was concentrated in the central and eastern part of the site primarily in the form of ditches forming an Iron Age droveway/trackway, and Iron Age and Roman farmsteads related to settlement and possible pastoral/arable activity. The site appears to have been in continuous use from the Iron Age into the Roman period, with reuse and remodelling of the enclosures apparent. The large number of ditch recuts recorded across the site can be attributed the silty sand nature of the substrate, which would have caused the ditches to silt up quickly and require re- excavation to maintain boundaries.
4.2 A large pottery assemblage was recovered from the site, the vast majority Roman in date. The prehistoric pottery comprising 143 sherds dates broadly to the Iron Age period. The surfaces of the potsherds are moderately well preserved, but the acidic burial conditions have caused leaching of some of the calcareous inclusions, which together with a number of undiagnostic sherds hinders further dating refinement. A small number of decorated/rim sherds suggest a Middle Iron Age date for at least part of the assemblage. Given the broad date range for the Iron Age material, for the purposes of this assessment, the features have been phased broadly as Iron Age. Sub-phases within the Iron Age period have been assigned, based solely on stratigraphic relationships.
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4.3 A total of 1672 sherds of Roman pottery were recorded, accounting for 91% of the overall assemblage. The majority of the pottery broadly dates to the Roman period, although more closely dateable forms include those dating to the ‘transitional’ Late Iron Age to Early Roman and the Middle Roman periods. Stratigraphic relationships indicate an Early Roman phase of activity and two sub- phases within the Middle Roman period, represented by reuse and remodelling of the enclosures.
4.4 The features excavated have been assigned to periods on the basis of spot dates available from recovered artefacts, feature morphology and spatial/stratigraphic relationships to those features containing dated artefacts. A number of features remain undated.
4.5 This section provides an overview of the excavation results; detailed summaries of the finds and environmental samples (biological evidence) are to be found in Appendices 2–15. On the basis of criteria discussed above, features were assigned to the following provisional periods:
• Period 1: Iron Age (700 BC – AD 43)
- Period 1.1 Iron Age I
- Period 1.2 Iron Age II
• Period 2: Roman (AD 43 – AD 410)
- Period 2.1 Early Roman (AD 43 – AD 200)
- Period 2.2 Middle Roman I (AD 200 – AD 300)
- Period 2.3 Middle Roman II (AD 200 – AD 300)
• Period 3: Medieval and Post-medieval (1066 – 1900)
• Modern
• Undated
Geology 4.6 The natural geological substrate was identified at an average depth of 0.6m below the topsoil and subsoil. It comprised an orange-brown silty sand with frequent gravel inclusions. This was overlain by orange-brown silty sand subsoil measuring between 0.2m and 0.35m in depth and containing occasional gravel inclusions. This was in turn sealed by a dark-grey silty sand topsoil which varied between
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0.2m and 0.5m in thickness. All identified archaeological features cut the underlying natural.
Period 1: Iron Age (700 BC – AD 43) Period 1.1: Iron Age I (Fig. 4) 4.7 The earliest activity on site comprised droveway/trackway C, located towards the central side of the excavation area. It was formed by parallel ditches A and B, which ran for 127m across, and extended beyond the northern and southern edges of, the excavation area. Droveway/trackway C was broadly north/south- aligned although at its northern edge, the trackway altered slightly to a north- east/south-west alignment.
4.8 The gap between ditches A and B measured 5.7m wide at the south, narrowing to 3.3m wide towards the north. At the southern end of the droveway/trackway, management of the ditches through later recuts was visible (e.g. ditch B; Fig. 6, Section AA). Pottery dating to both the Iron Age and the 1st century AD was recovered from ditches A and B, alongside a small amount of fired clay from ditch B. Secure Iron Age dating came from the primary and secondary fills within ditches A and B, with Romano-British pottery from upper fills being most likely intrusive.
4.9 A small number of other finds were recovered from ditches A and B including fired/burnt clay, an iron nail fragment and a residual worked flint blade. A bulk soil sample was recovered from ditch B (sample 87) but contained no plant macrofossils and only a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal.
4.10 The absence of any other archaeological features associated with this phase of activity, together with the lack of any gaps/entrances, means no other function for the droveway/trackway can be ascertained beyond stating that it may have been used for moving people and/or livestock between settlements/farmsteads located to the north and south of the site. However, consideration of the aerial photographs (Fig. 2 and Section 1.12) together with a review of work undertaken in the wider area, may help to elucidate the function of this feature.
Period 1.2: Iron Age II (Fig. 4) Enclosures 1 and 2 4.11 Later in the Iron Age, droveway/trackway C fell into disuse and L-shaped ditch D was constructed running parallel to and transecting droveway/trackway C. Ditch D was broadly north/south-aligned and similar to droveway/trackway C, turning
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slightly north-east/south-west at the northern end of the excavation area. As it respected the original boundary defined by droveway/trackway C, this suggests that ditches A and B were still visible in the landscape at the time, even though the droveway/trackway had gone out of use.
4.12 Ditch D extended for 117m where, at the south of the excavation area, it turned at an approximate right angle and headed north-east for a further 83m. It continued beyond both the northern and eastern edges of excavation. Ditch D had been recut by ditch E, which suggests maintenance of the ditch took place, with a slight re-working of the ditch boundary at the south-eastern edge of the enclosure.
4.13 Ditches D and E demarcated an area measuring at least 117m x 83m, which has been identified as Enclosure 1 (Fig. 4, inset). The full extent of Enclosure 1 could not be determined as it extended outside the excavation area, but it is presumed to represent an enclosed farmstead. Ditches D and E contained pottery dating to the Iron Age, with one sherd more closely dating to the Middle Iron Age. A small amount of pottery dating between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD was also recovered, but is considered intrusive. The only other material recovered was a small amount of fired/burnt clay from ditch E. A bulk soil sample was recovered from ditch D (sample 41) which contained a hulled wheat grain fragment and a moderate assemblage of charred weeds, alongside a small amount of charcoal, indicative of crop processing waste.
4.14 Enclosure 1 had been sub-divided in its south-western corner by ditch H, forming Enclosure 2 (Fig. 4, inset). Ditch H commenced approximately half way along the exposed north/south length of ditches D/E. It ran for 37m east/west before turning at right angles and heading in a north/south direction for 46m where it terminated. The 6.7m-gap between this terminus and ditch D has been interpreted as an entranceway into Enclosure 2.
4.15 Located towards the northern edge of Enclosure 2 was east/west-aligned ditch J and north-east/south-west-orientated ditch I. Ditch J measured 33m long with a gap of 2.8m between its western terminus and ditches D/E, and a 3.6m-wide gap between eastern terminus and ditch H to the east. These gaps appeared to form entrances into the small enclosed space to the north. The function of ditch I is less certain. The alignment of the ditch did not match anything else on site but it was similar in form to ditch J, suggesting it was associated with this phase of activity. It is possible, along with ditch J, that it formed some kind of boundary, perhaps
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allowing animals to be funnelled in and out of the enclosed space to the north of Enclosure 2.
4.16 Ditches H, I and J contained pottery dating to both the Iron Age and the 1st to 2nd centuries AD, however these features have been phased as Iron Age II based on stratigraphic relationships, suggesting that the Roman pottery is intrusive. No other finds were recovered from these features but a bulk soil sample was recovered from ditch H (sample 54) and contained an oat weed seed and a small amount of charcoal indicative of wind-blown hearth debris.
Roundhouse S 4.17 Evidence for settlement comprised roundhouse S, which was located 7m north- east of the north-eastern corner of Enclosure 2. Roundhouse S was made up of ditches T, U and V. Ring ditch U most likely represents the drip gully defining the roundhouse. It had a diameter of 14.6m, with a gap of approximately 2.5m at its south-western side which would have formed an entranceway. Ring ditch U truncated rectilinear ditch T located to the north of the ring ditch. This ditch enclosed a space approximately 12m long by 6m wide, appended to the northern edge of the ring ditch. This enclosed space may have functioned as a small animal enclosure/pen. It is also possible it could be an area used to grow vegetables/crop, although its north-facing aspect meant it would have been in the roundhouse’s shadow for much of the day, which would have inhibited plant growth.
4.18 The exact width of the south-western entrance of the roundhouse was difficult to define due to later north-east/south-west-aligned ditch V, which truncated the entranceway. The function of this ditch is uncertain; it divided the internal space within the ring ditch in half, but since it almost blocked the entrance, it is more likely to have been associated with the disuse of the roundhouse during the Later Iron Age period.
4.19 The upper fills of ditches T, U and V all contained pottery dating to the middle to late 1st to 2nd century AD. However this roundhouse was truncated by Period 2.1 Early Roman ditch G and Period 2.2 Middle Roman I ditches AS and AU (Fig. 5). For this reason the Roman material recovered from this ditch is considered to be intrusive and the roundhouse has been phased as Iron Age, although further stratigraphic work and radiocarbon dating may help to confirm this assertion.
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4.20 Other finds recovered from the roundhouse include residual worked flint chips and flakes from ditch T, a small amount of undiagnostic fuel ash slag, fired clay and animal bone, including an associated bone group comprising bones from the hind leg of a deer in ditch U, and a small amount of animal bone within ditch V.
4.21 Bulk soil samples were recovered from ditches T (sample 26), U (sample 28) and V (sample 27). Ditch V contained no plant macrofossils, Ditch T contained a small number of indeterminate grain fragments and ditch U a small number of hulled wheat grain fragments. A small amount of highly fragmented charcoal was recorded within all three samples. This material is indicative of wind-blown hearth debris.
4.22 Two pits and two postholes were located within roundhouse S. Neither contained any artefacts, but have been provisionally assigned to this period as they are presumed to be associated with activity undertaken within the roundhouse. The larger pit towards the centre was fairly central, and may have been a central roof support.
Enclosure 3 4.23 Enclosure 3 was located 10.5m north-east of roundhouse S. It was different in form, being oval in shape, and slightly smaller at 11.6m by 8.1m. It has been interpreted as a small enclosure, possible for stock, rather than a roundhouse. The enclosure comprised three intercutting ditches, with the latest recut terminating at the eastern edge of the excavation area. It is possible this eastern terminus provided an entrance for the latest phase of activity, with the other recuts masking any other potential entranceways.
4.24 Pottery recovered from this enclosure includes material dating to the Early to Middle Roman periods. However the enclosure had been truncated by later Period 2.2 and 2.3 Middle Roman activity (Fig. 5), and most of the finds were recovered in the upper fills and are considered to be intrusive. As with roundhouse S, the enclosure has been provisionally been assigned to the Iron Age period, but further stratigraphic analysis and radiocarbon dating would be required to confirm this assertion. No other finds were recovered from the enclosure ditches, however three bulk soil samples were retrieved (samples 3, 21 and 23) containing a small number of hulled wheat and barley grains and charcoal.
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4.25 A pit and two short lengths of gullies were located within Enclosure 3. These contained no dateable artefacts, but given their location within the enclosure, have been associated with this phase of activity.
Pits 4.26 A large number of pits and postholes were recorded within the boundary of Enclosures 1 and 2. Most of these contained no dateable material, and as such it is difficult to ascertain whether these are part of the Iron Age or subsequent Roman activity. Three groups of pits (K, L and BN), alongside pits 3655 and 3659 have been provisionally assigned to this period based on artefactual dating, similarities in form and spatial relationships.
4.27 Pit group K, comprising four pits, was located immediately north of ditches D/E in the south-eastern corner of the excavation area. Pit group L was located within the south-western corner of Enclosure 1 and was made up of two circular pits. All the pits within these two groups measured approximately 2m in diameter and 0.6m deep (with the exception of oval pit 2385 (pit group K) which measured 4.6m long) and had moderate to steep sides and flat bases (e.g. pit 2354, Fig. 7, Section BB).
4.28 Both of the pits in pit group L (3820 and 3827) contained pottery broadly dating to the Iron Age period and pit 2354 within pit group K contained pottery dating from the Late Iron Age to 1st century AD. Pit 2354 (pit group K) also contained a small amount of animal bone. A sample was recovered from sample 86 within pit 3820 (pit group L) containing a small number of hulled wheat and barley grains, alongside a small number of weeds seeds and charcoal.
4.29 Two further pits (3655 and 3659) located to the north of pit group L contained pottery dating to the Iron Age and Late Iron Age to 1st century AD (respectively), although are of a different form to the pits associated with pit groups L and K.
4.30 Pit group BN was located immediately north of the northern edge of Enclosure 2. It comprised seven small circular pits 0.5m–1.1m in diameter, with moderately sloping sides and flat bases. Pit 2993 contained a small amount of Iron Age pottery, and the remainder have been phased as Iron Age due to their similar form.
4.31 Located 11m north of the south-west corner of Enclosures 1 and 2 was pit 3749. This pit did not contain any dateable artefacts, but has been phased as Iron Age II based on stratigraphic relationships. A bulk soil sample (sample 88) was
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recovered from this fill of this pit, containing a small number of charred hazelnut shells, alongside a large assemblage of charcoal.
Period 2: Roman (AD 43 – AD 410) Period 2.1: Early Roman (AD 43 – AD 200) (Fig. 5) Boundary ditch G and Enclosure 4 4.32 Activity during the Early Roman period involved the remodelling and re-alignment of the enclosures established in the Iron Age period. The remodelling comprised boundary ditch G, which together with rectilinear ditch AG, formed rectangular shaped Enclosure 4 (Fig. 5, inset).
4.33 North-west/south-east-orientated boundary ditch G was located towards the eastern part of the excavation area, truncating Period 2.1 roundhouse S (Fig. 4). It extended for 88m, continuing in both directions outside the excavation area, although its full extent in plan in was obscured by later Period 2.2 ditch BJ and Period 2.3 ditch BL. Boundary ditch G measured at least 1.1m wide, up to 0.9m in depth and contained pottery dating to the late 1st to 2nd centuries AD, alongside a small amount of animal bone and an iron nail fragment.
4.34 Ditch AG originated towards the northern end of Ditch G running west for 70m before turning at right angles and extending south-east for 100m, cutting Period 1.1 ditch B (Fig. 6, Section AA) and Period 1.2 ditches D/E (Fig. 4). The ditch then turned at right angles again and continued north-east for 37m before terminating. The full extent in plan of the south-western edge of Enclosure 4 is obscured by Period 2.2 ditch AH and Period 2.3 ditch AY/AZ. There was 42m-wide gap between the ditch AG terminus and the edge of the excavation area, providing a possible southern ‘entrance’ to the enclosure. A small amount of pottery dating to the 2nd century AD was recovered from this ditch. A bulk soil sample (sample 48) was also processed and contained a small number of barley and hulled wheat cereal grains, alongside a small assemblage of charred weed seeds and charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
4.35 North-east/south-west-aligned ditch N was located 17.8m south-east of Enclosure 4. The ditch ran for 40m from the eastern limit of the excavation before turning north at right angles and continuing for 4.5m before terminating. It contained a single sherd of Beaker (Early Bronze Age) pottery, which is considered to be residual, with the bulk of the pottery dating to the early Roman period.
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4.36 The function of this ditch is uncertain, although the north/south return of the ditch is in line with the terminus of ditch AG and, as an alternative interpretation, this may possibly have formed a south-western entrance to Enclosure 4, rather than the southern entrance described above (section 4.34).
4.37 Recorded at the south of Enclosure 4, south-west/north-east-orientated ditch 2672 was located 1.5m north of, and parallel to, ditch AG. Together with short north- west/south-east-orientated ditches 2559 and 2643, this may relate to some form of management of the entrance area. A bulk soil sample from ditch 2672 (sample 40) contained a small number of wheat cereal grains and weeds seeds alongside a moderate assemblage of charcoal, and sample 39 recovered from ditch 2559 contained hulled wheat and barley fragments alongside a small amount of cereal chaff and weeds, both samples indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
Enclosure 5 and associated pits 4.38 Located within the centre of Enclosure 4 was small rectilinear Enclosure 5. North- east/south-west-orientated Enclosure 5 measured 12.5m long by 6.1m wide with an entrance/opening to the north-east. Pottery dating to the mid 1st to 2nd century AD was recovered from this feature, although there was no other artefactual evidence recovered to suggest a function for this enclosure.
4.39 Pit 3135 was located within Enclosure 5 and contained pottery broadly dating to the Roman period. It has been provisionally phased to this period based on its location within Enclosure 5. A bulk soil sample (sample 58) was recovered from this pit, containing a small number of barley grain fragments, some oat/brome weed seeds and a small amount of charcoal indicative of wind-blown hearth debris.
4.40 Pits 3137 and 3182 were both located 1.5m south-east of Enclosure 5. Both pits contained pottery dating between the mid 1st and 2nd centuries AD, and pit 3182 also contained small amounts of fired clay. Bulk soil samples from pits 3182 (sample 60) and 3137 (sample 59) contained moderate assemblages of hulled wheat and barley grains and weed seeds, alongside small assemblages of charcoal, indicative of dumps of settlement waste.
4.41 Pit 3106 was located immediately west of Enclosure 5. It contained pottery broadly dating to the Roman period and a small amount of animal bone. A bulk soil sample (sample 57) recovered from this feature contained small amounts of hulled wheat
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and barley grains, alongside a small amount of charcoal. Although no closely dateable pottery was recovered from this pit, it has been phased as Early Roman due to its location immediately west of Enclosure 5 and the similarity in plant macrofossil composition compared with those identified within pits 3135, 3137 and 3182.
Pits and curvilinear gully 4.42 Pits 2192, 3303, 3324, 3484, 3399 and 3574 (not illustrated) and curvilinear gully 3327 located within Enclosure 4 have been phased as early Roman. Pit 3484 was located 25.8m south-west of Enclosure 5 and contained a small amount of pottery dating to the mid to late 1st century AD. No other artefactual material that could aid functional interpretation was recovered.
4.43 Irregular pit 2192 was located 21m north-east of Enclosure 5 and contained pottery dating from the 1st to early 2nd centuries AD. A bulk soil sample recovered from this pit (sample 10) contained small amounts of hulled wheat and barley grain fragments and weeds seeds, alongside a small assemblage of charcoal indicative of wind-blown hearth debris.
4.44 Square pit 3399 was located 12m north of Enclosure 5. It contained pottery dating between the mid 1st and 2nd centuries AD alongside a small amount of fired/burnt clay. A bulk soil sample (sample 68) contained hulled wheat and barley grain fragments and weed seeds, alongside a small assemblage of charcoal.
4.45 Pit 3574 was located at the north-eastern corner of later Period 2.3 Enclosure 9 (Fig. 5, inset) but is not on plan as the upper level of the pit had been truncated by later Period 2.3 ditches Y and Z. It contained pottery dating to the 1st to 2nd centuries AD and four bar-like fragments thought to have been used as kiln bars used to form a temporary floor within a pottery kiln. Bulk soil sample 80 revealed an indeterminate cereal grain fragments and a small number of weeds and charcoal fragments.
4.46 Located between 12m and 14m south-east of Enclosure 5 were pits 3303 and 3324 and curvilinear gully 3327. Pit 3324 measured 1m long and 0.7m wide and contained pottery dating to the mid 1st century AD. Two soil samples (samples 65 and 66) were recovered from the fills of the pit, both containing moderate assemblages of plant macrofossils and charcoal, including hulled wheat and
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barley grains and a variety of weed seeds. This plant macrofossil material is likely to be indicative of crop processing waste.
4.47 Curvilinear gully 3327 contained pottery dating to the mid 1st century AD alongside a small amount of animal bone and 15 fired-clay plate/oven fragments. A bulk soil sample (sample 67) recovered from the fill of this gully contained a small number of hulled wheat and barley grain fragments, alongside a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal.
4.48 Pit 3303 measured 1.7m in diameter and 0.52m deep and contained pottery dating to the mid 1st century AD. Other finds included small amounts of fired clay and animal bone, a fragment of a loomweight and a sandstone block, which did not have any obvious toolmarks but may have been used structurally. Of particular note was a Langton Down type copper-alloy brooch dating to the mid 1st century AD (Ra. 10). Two bulk soil samples (samples 64 and 73) were recovered from pit 3303 containing moderate assemblages of crop-processing waste including barley and hulled wheat cereal grains, cereal chaff and weeds.
Inhumation burial 4.49 North-west/south-east-aligned grave 2242 containing skeleton SK 2243 (Fig. 11) was located outside of Enclosure 4, approximately 4.5m north-east of boundary ditch G towards the central/eastern part of the site. The skeleton was radiocarbon dated to 2–129 cal. AD (SUERC-68568). The skeleton is a well preserved and almost complete adult male aged between 34–45 years. No pathology indicating the health of, or cause of death for, the individual was observed.
4.50 At least 13 iron hobnails were found in association within skeleton SK 2243, alongside at least 7 carpentry nails which suggests the skeleton was buried in a coffin. Bulk soil samples (samples 11 and 12) were retrieved and contained a few barley grains alongside some hulled wheat glume bases and charcoal fragments, indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
Period 2.2: Middle Roman I (AD 200 – AD 300) (Fig. 5) Enclosure 4 4.51 Activity continued into the Middle Roman period and included the continued use and maintenance of, and remodelling within, Enclosure 4, which has been interpreted as a farmstead of complex form. Enclosure 4 remained the same shape and size during the early part of Period 2.2, although due to the sand and
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gravel nature of the natural, the ditches had been subject to multiple recuts to maintain the boundary lines.
4.52 The line of Period 2.1 boundary ditch G continued to remain in use during this period, but had been recut and recorded as ditch BJ. Ditch BJ extended to the south-east corner of the excavation area as ditch BO (Fig. 7, Section BB), truncating Period 1.2 pit group K (Fig. 4) and extending outside of the area of excavation. Ditch BJ contained pottery dating from the 2nd to early 3rd century AD and Ditch BO contained pottery broadly dating to the Roman period.
4.53 The northern, south-western and south-eastern ditches making up Enclosure 4, recorded as ditch AG in Period 2.1, were recut in Period 2.2 and were recorded as ditch AH (Fig. 6, Section AA). The only amendment to the original enclosure alignment was, at the point where Period 2.1 ditch AG terminated (at the south- east of the enclosure), ditch AH continued, turning at right angles and extending north-east for 9.5m before terminating. There was no dating evidence suggesting that Period 2.1 ditch N, to the south, had continued to be used during the Middle Roman period. This suggests a 39m-wide ‘entrance’ was located to the south- eastern corner of the enclosure.
4.54 Ditch AH contained pottery dating to the Iron Age and Early to Middle 1st century AD. This material is thought to be residual and the ditch itself has been phased as Middle Roman I based on stratigraphic relationships. Two bulk soil samples (samples 34 and 47) revealed moderate assemblages of barley and hulled wheat cereal grains and weeds alongside small amounts of charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
4.55 During this period, the internal space within Enclosure 4 was modified, with the inclusion of ditch AQ running north-west/south-east, and ditches AR and AS running north-east/south-west, splitting the large enclosure into three separate areas (Fig. 5; inset). The three ditches (AQ, AR and AS) met towards the central/northern part of Enclosure 4, but terminated short of the meeting point, providing access between the three areas.
4.56 The northern area (Area 1) was north-east/south-west-aligned, trapezoidal in shape and measured between 51m and 64m long and 35m wide. The south- western (Area 2) and south-eastern (Area 3) areas were both north-west/south- east-aligned, rectangular in shape and both measured approximately 62m long by
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36m wide. No finds were recovered from ditch AQ and AR, but ditch AS did contain pottery dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD.
4.57 At some point during its use, the north-eastern corner of Area 1 appears to have been subdivided by north-west/south-east-aligned ditch AP and east/west-aligned ditch AV. Pottery broadly dating to the Roman period was recovered from both ditches, although ditch AV also contained some residual early Roman pottery. A bulk soil sample (sample 50) was recovered from ditch AP which contained a small number of wheat and barley cereal grains, chaff and charcoal fragments.
4.58 Area 2 was also subdivided by south-west/north-east-aligned ditches BE and BD both of which were located towards the centre of the area and appeared stratigraphically contemporary with ditch AH. No finds were recovered from ditch BD, but ditch BE contained a single residual worked flint bladelet and residual pottery dating to the early Roman period.
4.59 It is currently uncertain whether Areas 1 and 2 and their sub-divisions represent arable fields or enclosed areas of pasture. Area 3 however appeared to have functioned as an area of settlement indicated by the presence of building BA and well BB.
Building BA and Well BB 4.60 Roman building BA was located 8m north-east of ditch AQ’s southern terminus. It comprised a rectilinear construction cut and was 9m in length by 3.1m wide (Fig. 12). There was no evidence of postholes within the base of the construction cut. Three postholes within the eastern part of the building and two to the west, contained no artefactual material, but may relate to the building’s use.
4.61 Building BA contained no closely dateable finds, although an excavated slot through ditch AW (below) located directly south of building BA contained over 60 sherds of pottery, one of the largest groups found on site. The pottery dates to the early-mid 2nd to 3rd centuries AD, is utilitarian in nature represented by dish, bowl, jar and tankard forms, and provides evidence for settlement activity. The proximity of this refuse deposit to building BA may provide a date for the use of the building.
4.62 A small quantity of flake hammerscale and ironworking slag were recovered from building BA’s construction cut. The very small amount of material may suggest very small-scale blacksmithing taking place within or close to the building. In addition, three bulk soil samples were recovered from building BA (Samples 69–
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71). These contained a moderate assemblage of hulled wheat and barley grains, cereal chaff and weeds, alongside a moderate assemblage of charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
4.63 Well BB was located 4.4m north of building BA. The construction cut for the well was broadly circular measuring 3.8m long by 3.25m wide and approximately 3m deep (Fig. 8, Section CC). Due to health and safely constraints, hand excavation stopped at 1.1m and the remainder of the well was removed by machine under archaeological supervision.
4.64 The well was stone-lined, comprising roughly coursed unworked limestone and sandstone blocks. No evidence of a bonding material was evident; however some patches of clay were identified, but not in any quantity to suggest use as bonding or lining material. It is likely, given the poor quality of the external face, that backfilling of the construction cut kept pace with the well construction. Pottery dating to the late 2nd to 3rd centuries AD was recovered from the packing fills associated with the construction cut.
4.65 A cut (3606) was observed in the upper levels of the well, which appears to represent a robbing event, removing the upper stones associated with the lining of the well, after it had gone out of use (Fig. 8, Section CC). Pottery dating to the late 2nd to 3rd centuries was recovered from the robbing backfill, alongside the disarticulated remains of an old dog with numerous pathologies including healed traumas to the ribs and forelegs, and cattle bones including the skull, vertebrae, scapula and humerus, which all may have come from the same individual.
4.66 It is possibly that the dog and the cattle bones represented a closing deposit, laid down after the well had gone out of use, and had been disturbed during the robbing event and redeposited into the robbing backfill.
Pits associated with Enclosure 4 4.67 Despite the presence of a large number of pits located across the enclosure, only four pits (2437, 2659, 3088 and 3222) can be assigned to this period with any certainty. Rectangular pit 3088 was located 5m south of ditch AS and contained small amounts of pottery dating to the 2nd to 4th century AD. Two bulk soil samples were recovered from the fills of this pit (samples 55 and 56) contained large assemblages of hulled wheat and barley cereal grains, chaff, weeds and charcoal indicative of dumps of crop processing waste.
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4.68 Pit 2437 was located approximately 9m south-west of pit 3088 and contained pottery dating to the 2nd to early 3rd centuries AD and a small amount of animal bone. A bulk soil sample (sample 15) from this pit contained an indeterminate grain fragment and a small amount of charcoal.
4.69 Sub-circular pit 3222, located 4.7m east of the entrance to Area 2, was one of the largest on site measuring 3.3m in diameter and over 1.17m deep. It contained a single backfill deposit containing pottery dating to the 2nd to 3rd century AD alongside fragments of fired clay thought to derive from perforated floors of oven structures, an iron hobnail and a small amount of animal bone. A bulk soil sample (sample 61) from this feature contained no plant remains and only a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal.
4.70 Circular pit 2659 was located 5.5m south of pit 3222 and contained pottery dating the mid to late 2nd century AD alongside a small amount of pottery and a fired clay disc. The function this disc is unclear, but it may represent a spacer plate or structural element used within pottery kilns, or a lid/hot-plate used for other functions.
Enclosures 6 and 7 4.71 Located towards the north-eastern edge of the excavation area were Enclosures 6 and 7 (Fig. 5, inset). Enclosure 6 was appended to ditch BJ, which formed its south-western boundary, with ditches AE and AF forming its north-western, north- eastern and south-eastern edges. An entrance measuring 2.7m was located at its south-eastern corner. The enclosure was rectangular and enclosed a space 28m long by 19m wide. Ditches AE and AF contained pottery dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD, a small amount of animal bone and a fragment ceramic building material identified as a possible tegula within ditch AF.
4.72 The enclosure contained eight oval or circular-shaped pits. None of these pits contained any closely dateable material, but have been provisionally phased as Period 2.2 Middle Roman I based on their location, all within the interior of Enclosure 6. Of note was pit 2049 located at the entrance to Enclosure 6, which contained a small amount of pottery broadly dating to the Roman period alongside a small amount of fired clay. A bulk soil sample (sample 2) from this feature contained a small number of hulled wheat and barley grains, cereal chaff, weeds and highly fragmented charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement debris.
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4.73 Outside of the Enclosure 6, pits 2626 and 2077 and kiln AO have been phased as Middle Roman I based on their proximity to Enclosure 6 and artefactual dating evidence. Pit 2626 was located 2.8m east of the enclosure entrance; it contained pottery dating from the 2nd century AD and a small amount of animal bone.
4.74 Pit 2077 was located towards the north-eastern corner of the site, 4.5m west of the eastern limit of excavation, and was sealed by Period 2.3 spread 2043. Two bulk soil samples (samples 4 and 7) were recovered from this feature and contained small numbers of hulled wheat and barley grain fragments and charcoal, alongside a small number of fired/burnt clay crumbs. This material is indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
4.75 Kiln AO was located 4m south-east of the south-eastern corner of Enclosure 6. It was figure-of-eight shaped and measured 1.8m long and between 0.43m and 0.85m wide. The kiln had a clay lining, with a small pile of stone remaining in situ, in the centre possibly forming a platform (Fig. 13). Two adjoining fragments of a millstone had been reused as part of the structure. It contained pottery dating to the 2nd to 3rd century AD and a quantity of fired-clay flakes with smooth surfaces. Three bulk soil samples (samples 6, 8 and 9) were recovered and contained small numbers of hulled wheat and barley cereal grains, cereal chaff, weeds and charcoal.
4.76 Interpretation of this feature is difficult. The plant remains are not present in sufficient quantities to suggest it was used as a corn drier or oven, although it is possible that the oven had been cleaned out prior to backfilling. The pottery report suggests that the kiln is of a type which may have been utilised for pottery manufacture. Unfortunately, the three sherds of pottery recovered do not display any signs (distortion/over firing) that may indicate they were pottery wasters. The fired clay bars within Period 2.1 pit 3574 and undated pit 2424 (below) may have been used as kiln bars used to form a temporary floor within a pottery kiln, therefore indicate the presence of a pottery kiln on site. However no evidence of this type of material was found within Kiln AO.
4.77 Enclosure 7 (ditch AD) was located 17m north-east of Enclosure 6 (Fig. 5, inset). It measured 17m long by at least 13m wide, extending outside the excavation area. Ditch AD contained pottery broadly dating to the Roman period, and a bulk soil sample (sample 18) contained a small number of barley grain fragments, weeds and charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste. There were no internal
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features within the enclosure to suggest a function, although stock enclosures or use as arable fields is likely.
Ditches AA and BB 4.78 Of interest were ditches AA and AB located adjacent to the north-western edge of the excavation area. These ditches were on a north-east/south-west alignment and contained pottery which is broadly Roman in date, but truncated Period 2.1 boundary ditch G and were cut by Period 2.2 boundary ditch BJ, suggesting stratigraphically they lie within this period. Bulk soil samples from both ditches (samples 49 and 51) contained a small amount of cereal chaff, weeds and charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste. It is thought they represent some form of land boundary, separating the area to the north, outside of the excavation area.
Later modifications 4.79 At some point later in this period, ditches AU and AW were added. Ditch AU was located 3–5m away from, but parallel to, Ditch BJ. The reason for this ditch addition is uncertain. It appears, with ditch BJ/BO, to form either side of a trackway/droveway running north-west/south-east across the site. This is feasible as although it would reduce the internal area of Enclosure 4 slightly, the two gaps in the ditch towards the south-eastern end of the site would have provided entrances into Enclosure 4, allowing its continued use. However, smooth travel may have been hindered by the north-eastern ends of ditches AH and AS which appeared to interrupt this possible trackway/droveway. It is possible these two short sections of ditch were deliberately backfilled.
4.80 Ditch AU contained a small amount of pottery dating to the 2nd to 3rd centuries AD alongside a small amount of fired clay. Some pottery dating to the Iron Age and 1st century AD was recovered but is considered to be residual. A bulk soil sample (sample 45) from this ditch included evidence for hulled wheat and barley grains, broad beans, weeds, rowan pips and charcoal indicative of a dump of settlement waste.
4.81 Ditch AW was also added, located approximately 2.5m south of building BA, extending for approximately 40m north-east/south-west across the width Enclosure 4. Like other ditches on the site, it had been recut during its period of use (Fig. 9, Section DD). As discussed above, it contained one of the largest pottery assemblages recovered on site consisting of dish, bowl, jar and tankard
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forms dating to the 2nd to 3rd centuries AD and may represent discarded domestic waste from nearby building BA. As with ditch AU, the function of ditch AW is uncertain. Its addition subdivided Area 2 into two smaller areas, and makes Area 3 smaller. A new entrance to Area 3 may have been provided by the northernmost of the two gaps recorded in ditch AU.
Period 2.3: Middle Roman II (AD 200 – AD 300) (Fig. 5) Enclosure 8 4.82 The most significant activity during Period 2.3 (Middle Roman II) involved the remodelling of Enclosure 4 to a farmstead of enclosed form. The enclosure retained the same north-eastern (previously Period 2.2 ditches BJ/BO) and south- western boundaries (previously Period 2.2 ditch AH), which were recut as shorter lengths of ditch and recorded as ditches BL/BK and AY/AZ respectively (ditch BK, Fig. 7, Section BB). However, the north-western and south-eastern edges were brought further south and north (respectively), reducing the size of the enclosed area and forming Enclosure 8 (Fig. 5, inset).
4.83 Ditch AY/AZ commenced where it met ditch BL at the north-eastern corner of Enclosure 8. It extended north-east/south-west for 56m before turning at right angles and running in a north-west/south-east direction for 63m. It then turned again at right angles, running north-east/south-west for 72m on the same line as, but cutting, Period 2.2 ditch AW (Fig. 9, Section DD), before terminating. An ‘entrance’ to the enclosure was formed by the 20m-wide gap between the terminus of ditch AY/AZ and the edge of ditch BK at the south-eastern corner of the excavation area.
4.84 Ditch AY/AZ contained pottery dating between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD and a small amount of fired clay. Stratigraphically, these ditches are the latest recorded as part of the sequence of Roman enclosures, and as such the pottery dating to the late 1st to 2nd centuries AD is thought to be residual, with the 2nd to 3rd century pottery more reflective of the period within which the ditches were in use.
4.85 Of particular interest was a sherd from a cheese press (within ditch AZ) with perforations in the base, suggesting cheese-making activities taking place on site. Other finds included animal bone, fragments of fired/burnt clay and a residual worked flint flake. A bulk soil sample (sample 52) from ditch AZ contained no plant macrofossils and only a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal.
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Enclosure 9 4.86 Located within the south-western corner of Enclosure 8 was small Enclosure 9 (Fig 5, inset). This sub-square enclosure measured approximately 10m². It was formed of several recuts, the first being a rectilinear ditch X, which was later recut by sub-square ditches Y/Z (Fig. 10, Section EE). As with Period 1.2 Enclosure 3 (Fig. 4) there was no obvious entrance to this enclosure. No archaeological features were recorded within the centre of the enclosure, but a trample deposit (spread 3561) was identified across the internal area.
4.87 A fragment of pottery dating to the 3rd century AD onwards was recovered from the basal fill of ditch Z and a copper-alloy bar fragment (Ra. 9) was retrieved from ditch X. Bulk soil samples recovered from ditches X (samples 81 and 82), Y (samples 76, 77 and 79) and Z (samples 74, 75 and 78) contained a moderate number of hulled wheat and barley cereal grains, weeds and charcoal representative of crop-processing waste.
4.88 The absence of an entrance to the enclosure, together with the low number of finds, means the function of this feature is uncertain, although the crop-processing waste within the ditches may indicate small-scale crop processing taking place in this area.
Inhumation burials 4.89 Two inhumation burials (skeletons 3008 and 3033) were located within Enclosure 8. Skeleton 3008 within east/west-aligned grave 3007 was located 2.2m south- east of the north-western corner of Enclosure 8. Skeleton 3008 was in poor condition and less than 25% complete, comprising only parts of the skull and the teeth, all of which were located at the western end of the grave. The frontal brow ridges and attrition on the teeth suggest the skeleton was possibly an older male.
4.90 The grave was however large enough to have contained a full skeleton and it is likely that the rest of the skeleton had not survived the acidic soil conditions. The presence of the skull at the western end of the grave, may suggest it was a decapitation burial, with the head buried by the legs. A sample of the cranium was radiocarbon dated to 249–390 cal. AD (SUERC-68569). No artefacts were recovered in association with this burial but a soil sample (sample 43 and 44) contained a wheat cereal grain fragment, a few weeds and charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
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4.91 Skeleton 3033 was recovered from north-west/south-east aligned grave 3030, located 25m south-east of grave 3007. The grave had been heavily truncated, with the north-western end of the grave completely missing. A single femoral head and associated fragments were the only surviving pieces of bone. The size and fusion of the femoral head tentatively suggests the individual was an adult male. A sample was submitted for radiocarbon dating, but contained insufficient collagen to provide a date. This grave has been phased as Period 2.3 Roman due to its relative proximity to skeleton 3008. No artefacts were recovered in association with this burial. A bulk soil sample (sample 53) was recovered from the grave backfill containing barley grain fragments, weeds and a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal indicative of wind-blown hearth debris.
Ditch AC 4.92 Located along the north-western edge of the excavation area, north-east/south- west-orientated ditch AC followed the same line as Period 2.2 ditches AA and AB. Ditch AC contained pottery dating to the 2nd to 3rd centuries AD and fired-clay plate/oven fragments. It truncated Period 2.2 ditches AA, AB and BJ, as well as cutting through the middle of Enclosure 7. For this reason it has been phased as Period 2.3 Middle Roman II, and it provides evidence for the continued use of this northern Period 2.2 boundary. Two bulk soil samples were recovered (samples 5 and 16), which contained a small number of barley grain fragments, weeds and charcoal indicative of wind-blown hearth debris.
Spreads 4.93 Four spreads of occupation debris attributed to this phase of activity were located across the site,, possibly resulting from accumulated waste as the farmstead and enclosures were going out of use. Spread 2797 was located just north of Enclosure 8; spread 2224 was located in the eastern part of Enclosure 8; and spreads 2043 and 2634 were located adjacent to the north-eastern edge of the excavation area just east of Enclosure 6. All three comprised grey-brown or brown-grey silty sand deposits containing small amounts of pottery dating to the Roman period. Of note was a fragment of tegula (flanged roof tile) within spread 2634. A bulk soil sample (sample 46) from spread 2797 contained hulled wheat and barley grains, cereal chaff, weeds and charcoal indicative of crop-processing waste.
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Other features 4.94 Ditch 2132 was located truncating the eastern side of Enclosure 6. It was broadly north-east/south-west-aligned, 28m long and up to 1.5m wide. It contained a small amount of pottery dating to the mid 2nd to early 3rd centuries AD but the absence of any further artefactual material means the function of this ditch is uncertain, although it does seem to define the western extent of the eastern spreads.
4.95 Pit 3434 measuring 3.9m long by 1.9m wide was identified 13m east of Enclosure 9. It contained pottery broadly dating to the Roman period, however as it truncated Period 2.2 ditch AQ, it has been phased as Period 2.3 Middle Roman II.
Period 3: Medieval and post-medieval (1066 – 1900) (Figs 3 and 5) 4.96 Evidence for ridge-and-furrow cultivation was recorded in the far western side of the site (Fig. 3). The furrows were broadly north-east/south-west-aligned and were on average 5m apart. Towards the central and eastern part of the site the plough- furrows did not survive, which can be attributed to disturbance associated with the construction of the nursery and associated buildings. No artefacts were recovered in association with the plough furrows, which means they can only be broadly dated to this period.
4.97 Pit 2989 was located cutting the northern part of Period 2.3 spread 2797 (Fig. 5) and contained a tile fragment with a peghole, dating to the medieval/post-medieval periods.
4.98 Other features of firm post-medieval date included a horse burial (2915) which was recorded within pit 2914 located 5.7m west of the north-west corner of Period 2 Enclosure 4. This pit also contained post-medieval pottery dating between the later 17th to earlier 19th centuries, alongside two clay tobacco-pipe stems, brick, vessel glass fragments, a fragment of purple slate and four in situ horseshoes, all dating from the 19th century onwards.
4.99 Located immediately north of pit 2914 was pit 3596, and within Enclosure 4 immediately north of Period 2.2 ditch AR terminus was pit 2943. Both these pits contained small amounts of pottery dating to the post-medieval period.
Modern (Figs 3 and 5) 4.100 Evidence of modern activity was limited to two field drains truncating the south- western corner of Period 2.1/2.2 Enclosure 4, and various intrusions associated with the demolition of the nursery.
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Undated (Figs 3 and 5) 4.101 At this stage over 125 features, comprising pits, postholes and ditches/gullies, remain undated. The vast majority of these were located within the eastern part of the site, associated with the Iron Age and Roman activity, but contained no dateable artefacts. Further stratigraphic analysis comparing their form, fills and associated function, alongside a programme of targeted radiocarbon dating may allow a proportion of these pits to be assigned to a specific period.
4.102 Of note were a series of pits, postholes and gullies, which contained artefactual material and/or had environmental samples recovered and these are summarised below.
Pits north of Period 2.1/2.2 Enclosure 4 and Period 2.2 Enclosure 6 (Fig. 5) 4.103 Circular pit 2421 was located 6m east of Period 2.2 ditch BJ. This pit contained no dateable artefacts but did contain two poorly preserved and presumed residual pieces of worked flint including a flake of general prehistoric date and an endscraper dating to the later Neolithic or Bronze Age periods.
4.104 Pits 2710, 2817 and 2844 were all located between 9m and 14m north of the northern edge of Enclosure 4 (Period 2.1 ditch AG). Pit 2844 contained a residual worked flint blade fragment. A bulk soil sample (sample 35) from pit 2710 contained a small number of charred hazelnut shell fragments and a moderate assemblage of charcoal. A bulk soil sample from pit 2817 (sample 36) contained no plant macrofossils and only a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal.
Pits located within Area 1 of Period 2.2 Enclosure 4 (Fig. 5) 4.105 Pits 2740 and 2884 were located 1.5m and 5m (respectively) south of the northern edge of Enclosure 4 (Period 2.2 ditch AH). Neither pit contained any securely dated material, however pit 2740 contained a fragment of later post- medieval/modern brick, but this was close to the top of the feature and considered to be intrusive. A bulk soil sample (sample 38) from pit 2884 contained no plant macrofossil material, and only a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal.
4.106 Pit 2820 was located 2.5m south of Period 2.3 Enclosure 8 ditch AZ. This pit did not contain any dateable material but a bulk soil sample (sample 37) contained a moderate assemblage of hulled wheat cereal grains, cereal chaff, weeds and a small amount of charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
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4.107 Pit 3386 was located 5.5m north of the eastern terminus of Period 2.2 ditch AR and contained a possible iron bar and wire fragment. No other artefactual evidence was recorded which may help identify the function of this feature.
4.108 Pit 2382 was located 20m east of undated pit 3386 and cut the north-western corner of roundhouse S annexe ditch T (Fig. 4). This pit contained no dateable artefacts, but a bulk soil sample recovered (sample 25) contained a moderate assemblage of barley and hulled wheat cereal grains, weed seeds and charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement debris.
Pits, ditch and gully located within Area 2 of Period 2.2 Enclosure 4 (Fig. 5) 4.109 Short section of ditch 3589 was located 1m north of Period 2.2 ditch BD at the western corner where it met Period 2.2 ditch AH. It contained 54.1g of cremated human bone comprising fragments of cranium, mandible and tooth alongside cremated animal bone, including a possible bird fragment. The human fragments are all of non-adult size.
4.110 North-east/south-west-orientated gully 3254 was located 20m east of undated ditch 3589. It measured 4m in length before being truncated at its south-west extent by modern disturbance associated with the demolition of the nursery. It contained a small smithing hearth bottom, indicative of possible iron smithing in the area.
4.111 Pit 3258 was located 7m south of Period 2.1 Early Roman Enclosure 5 and contained a small amount of fired/burnt clay. Approximately 27m south of pit 3258 was pit 3188, located in the entrance between Areas 2 and 3 within Period 2.2 Enclosure 4, which contained three iron nails.
Pits, postholes and gully located within Area 3 of Period 2.2 Enclosure 4 (Fig. 5) 4.112 Pit 3148 was part of a group of three undated pits cutting the south-eastern terminus end of Period 2.1 Early Roman Enclosure 5. Whilst this pit contained pottery broadly dating to the Roman period, it was not clear which phase of Middle Roman activity this pit could be assigned to.
4.113 Posthole 3229 was located 9m south-east of pit 3148. It contained no dateable material but did contain two fired-clay fragments thought to derive from perforated floors of oven structures, alongside 60 miscellaneous fired/burnt-clay fragments. A bulk soil sample (sample 63) from this feature contained a large assemblage of charcoal together with a small number of buds.
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4.114 Posthole 3262 was located 4m north-east from pit 3258. It did not contain any artefactual material but a bulk soil sample (sample 62) contained a large assemblage of hulled wheat and barley cereal grains, chaff, weeds and charcoal indicative of crop-processing waste.
4.115 Pit 2424 was located 13m east of Period 2.2 pit 3222. This pit contained no dateable artefacts but did contain eight bar-like fragments which may have been used as kiln bars used to form a temporary floor within a pottery manufacture kiln. A bulk soil sample (sample 14) recovered from this pit contained a moderate assemblage of barley and hulled wheat grain fragments, weeds and charcoal indicative of crop-processing waste.
4.116 Pits 2487 and 2489 were located 3.5m north-east of pit 2424. Pit 2489 contained two fired-clay flat discs, similar to those within period 2.2 pit 2659. The function of these is uncertain, but they may represent kin spacers associated with pottery manufacture, or lids/hot plates used for other functions. A bulk soil sample from pit 2487 (sample 30) contained a moderate assemblage of barley and hulled wheat grain fragments, weeds and charcoal indicative of crop-processing waste.
4.117 Pit 2497 was located 3.5m east of Period 2.1 ditch 2559 towards the south-eastern corner of Period 2.1/2.2 Enclosure 4. It contained no dateable finds, but did contain a small number of fired/burnt-clay crumbs. A bulk soil sample (sample 29) contained a small number of barley grain fragments, weeds and charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
4.118 Broadly east/west-aligned gully 3343 was located 1m south-east of Period 2.2 pit 3222. It contained no dateable artefacts, but an iron strip was recovered.
Pit and curvilinear gully located outside the south-west corner of Period 2.1/2.2 Enclosure 4 (Fig. 5) 4.119 Pit 3737 was located towards the southern edge of the excavation area, 16m north-west of the south-western corner of Period 2.2 Enclosure 4. A bulk soil sample (sample 84) contained no plant macrofossils and only a small amount of highly fragmented charcoal.
4.120 Located along the southern edge of the excavation area and 17m west of the main concentration of archaeology was curvilinear ditch 3865. This ditch contained no dateable artefacts and its function is uncertain. A bulk soil sample (sample 90) from this feature contained a small number of hulled wheat grain fragments,
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hazelnut shells and a moderate assemblage of charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste.
Ditches located to the east of the site (within the access road) 4.121 Six linear features/ditches were located to the far east of the site, located in the area occupied by the new access road (Fig. 3).
4.122 Pottery broadly dating to the Roman period and a small amount of animal bone was recovered from the fill of ditch 2624 (Fig. 5). A bulk soil sample (sample 33) from this ditch contained a small number of wheat cereal grains, weeds and charcoal indicative of dispersed settlement waste. No other finds were recovered from the remaining ditches/linear and function of these, and how these ditches relate to the rest of the site, is unclear.
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 and a site matrix was also compiled and cross- referenced to spot-dating. The archive currently comprises the following records:
Context sheets 1924 Plans (1:10, 1:20, 1:100) 29 Sections (1:10, 1:20) 643 Sample sheets 90 Digital photographs 2236 Matrices 1
5.2 The survival and intelligibility of the site stratigraphy was good with archaeological remains having survived as negative features. A clear stratigraphic sequence has been recorded on site, but the relative paucity of dateable artefacts means that whilst a proportion of features have been assigned a preliminary period based on context dates and/or spatial association, many features remain undated.
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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 can be achieved through detailed analysis of the sequence, further integration of the artefactual dating evidence and undertaking a programme of radiocarbon dating. The refined sequence will then serve as the spatial and temporal framework within which other artefactual and biological evidence can be understood.
5.4 While the stratigraphic record forms a complete record of the archaeological features uncovered, the stratigraphic relationships between many of the major linear features have the potential to further understanding of the spatial and possibly functional shifts of occupation and activity within the site between the Iron Age and Roman periods. The lack of inter-relationships between, and dating evidence from, many of the pit and posthole features may limit the potential for fully elucidating the function of the site.
Artefactual record: factual data 5.5 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.
Type Category Count Weight (g) Pottery Prehistoric – Beaker 1 4 Prehistoric – Iron Age 142 1544 Roman 1672 35,502 Post-medieval 17 133 Total 1832 37,183
Ceramic building 35 2857 material Clay tobacco pipe 2 5 Flint Worked/burnt 8 39 Fired clay 252 5130 Glass 5 25 Metalwork Iron 111 - Copper alloy 3 - Metalworking Residue - 337 debris Stone Millstone 2 - Building stone 1 - Slate 1 -
5.6 A large assemblage of pottery along with quantities of ceramic building material, clay tobacco pipe, flint, fired clay, glass, metalwork, metalworking debris and
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worked stone was recovered from the site. The majority of the pottery dates to the Iron Age and Roman periods, with a single residual sherd of Beaker pottery, and a small number of post-medieval sherds were also recovered. Other artefacts of note include a copper-alloy Langton Down-type brooch (Ra. 10), a fragment of a possible (loom)weight, two adjoining fragments of a millstone and fired-clay bars and plate-like fragments.
Pottery 5.1 Pottery amounting to 1832 sherds (37.183kg) was recorded, the large majority dating to the late prehistoric and Roman periods. A single Beaker fineware sherd dating to the period c. 2600 – 1800 BC was a residual find from a Roman-dated feature. The earliest stratified material comprises sherds in handmade ‘vesicular’ and quartz-tempered fabrics. Dating in the Iron Age, probably to the Middle part of this period (c. 400/300 – 100/50 BC) can be applied to this material.
5.2 The larger part of the pottery assemblage (over 90%) is dateable to the Roman period (including the period transitional between the Late Iron Age and early Roman periods). The bulk of the Roman group comprises reduced coarsewares, primarily of local (central Warwickshire) origin. Smaller quantities are present of regional types, including Severn Valley wares probably from north Gloucestershire/Worcestershire, Black-burnished wares from south-east Dorset and finewares from the Lower Nene Valley (Cambridgeshire). Continental wares are limited to a few sherds of Gaulish samian and amphorae from southern Spain.
5.3 Dating provided by the pottery suggests activity spanning the 1st to 3rd centuries AD, with little or no evidence for continuation after c. AD 250/270. The Roman assemblage is dominated by utilitarian pottery types and does not contain elements suggestive of high status or specialised site use. Pottery post-dating the Roman period was restricted to very small quantities of post-medieval/modern material.
Ceramic building material 5.4 A small group of 35 fragments (2.857kg) was recorded. A small number of pieces (four fragments) date to the Roman period and comprise roofing and indeterminate classes. The remainder, comprising roof tiles and brick fragments dates to the later medieval/post-medieval and modern periods.
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Clay tobacco pipe 5.5 Clay tobacco pipe comprised two unmarked stem fragments (5g), broadly dating across the late 16th and 19th centuries.
Worked flint 5.6 A small assemblage (8 pieces, weighing 39g) including a chip, flakes, scraper, blade and bladelet was recorded from pit and ditch features. The flint was in poor condition, with most pieces exhibiting breakage and/or edge damage.
Fired clay 5.7 Fired clay amounting to 280 fragments (5732g) was recorded from 27 deposits. The majority is heavily fragmented, a factor making identification of original form/function impossible in the majority of instances. A fragmentary clay (loom)weight from a Period 2.1 deposit provides evidence for textile working and is dateable to the Iron Age or early Roman period. Possibly of similar date are a number of fragments tentatively identified elements as being from clay ovens. The function of a number of flat plate-like fragments from several Period 2.2 deposits is uncertain although use as kiln furniture is probable. More certainly relating to pottery manufacture are the kiln bar fragments recorded from Period 2.2 and unphased deposits.
Glass 5.8 Five fragment of glass (25g) were recovered. Three of which originate from a wine/spirits or beer bottle and two are fragments of clear window glass, all five dating no earlier than the 19th century.
Metalwork 5.9 A total of 114 metal items were recorded of which the majority were iron. These comprise a large group of hobnails and nails/fragments associated with a Period 2.1 inhumation burial, alongside other nails and strips, bars and wire from various Iron Age, Roman and undated pits and ditches. Four iron horseshoes dating to the 19th century or later were recovered in situ, in association with Period 3 horse burial 2914.
5.10 Of the three copper-alloy items, of note was a copper-alloy item (Ra. 10) identified as a Langton Down-type brooch dating to the mid 1st century AD. The other two items were a copper-alloy bar fragment (Ra. 9) from a Period 2.3 enclosure ditch and an unstratified plain cast ring.
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Metalworking debris 5.11 A small amount of metalworking debris (337g) was recovered and include a relatively small smithing hearth bottom, undiagnostic ironworking slag, flake hammerscale and fuel ash. The ironworking slag and flake hammerscale were recovered from Period 2.2 building BA, suggesting small-scale iron smithing was taking place within this building.
Worked stone 5.12 Four fragments of stone were recovered from the site. These include a block of poorly cemented (and porous) sandstone, which was unworked but possibly had been used structurally, from period 2.1 pit 3303; two adjoining fragments of a millstone reused within the stone lining of Period 2.2 kiln AO; and a fragment of purple ?roofing slate from Period 3 post-medieval/modern horse burial 2914.
Artefactual record: statements of potential Pottery 5.13 The pottery presents the main source of dating for the site and will be of use, together with the stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating, in the interpretation of the site and its phasing. The largest (Roman) component is also that of greatest intrinsic interest and can contribute to understanding of pottery supply and chronology in the region. Notable aspects of the Roman assemblage are its restricted date range (mainly before the mid 3rd century), and the inclusion of ware types from neighbouring regions to the south-west and north-east.
5.14 The pottery assemblage merits reporting to publication standard with the principle aim of its characterisation, and drawing comparisons with published (Iron Age and Roman) groups in addition to presenting evidence for trade and exchange, changing pottery supply and where apparent, indications of status.
Ceramic building material 5.15 The ceramic building material is a small and well-fragmented group which is of very limited significance and further work is not recommended.
Clay tobacco pipe 5.16 The archaeological significance of the two fragments of tobacco clay-pipe stem is minimal, and no further work is recommended.
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Worked flint 5.17 The worked flint assemblage provides some evidence for earlier prehistoric activity although all appears to be re-deposited and the small quantities of material recovered indicates that the prehistoric activity was of limited scale or intensity. The significance of this material is therefore limited and further analysis is not warranted.
Fired clay 5.18 The fired-clay assemblage is heavily fragmented and of modest size. Of most interest are the elements probably relating to pottery manufacture, and plausibly associated, with Period 2.2 pottery kiln AO. A descriptive catalogue to include fired clay discs, kiln bars and probable (loom)weight should be prepared, together with a short summary report accompanied by illustrations of these pieces.
Glass 5.19 The modern date of this material means archaeological significance is minimal and no further work is required.
Metalwork 5.20 The metalwork assemblage is small and of limited range. Copper-alloy brooch (Ra. 10) is of interest, providing specific dating evidence and its publication would advance understanding of this brooch form and its British distribution. The nails and hobnails from burial 2242 provide evidence for the furnishing of Roman inhumations in a rural context.
5.21 It is recommended that brooch Ra. 10 is cleaned and stabilised and a catalogue description and illustration is undertaken. A summary description of the hobnails and coffin nails from burial 2242 should also be included within a burial catalogue.
Metalworking debris 5.22 The metalworking debris has been fully recorded as part of the assessment reporting. A summary report should be produced incorporating the location of the metalworking debris and updated phasing information.
Worked stone 5.23 The worked stone has limited potential to contribute to the understanding of the site. Further work is recommended in order to compare the millstones to other found in the area, and contribute to the understanding of Roman grain-processing organisation.
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Biological record: factual data 5.24 All ecofacts recovered from the excavation have been cleaned, marked, quantified and catalogued by context. A total of 76 bulk samples were taken for the recovery of environmental remains.
Type Category Count Weight (g) Litres Animal bone Fragments 589 4430 - Human bone Cremation deposit 1 - - Inhumation burials 3 - - Bulk soil Environmental 76 - 1352 samples
Animal bone 5.25 A total of 589 fragment of bone (4430g) was recovered from Iron Age, Roman and undated ditches, pits, spreads, and well BB; Period 2.3 ditches, pit and occupational deposit; Period 3 pit; and undated pits, posthole and ditches. The bone is poorly preserved, which can be attributed to the acidic nature of the sandy/gravelly soils. Cattle dominated the assemblage in all phases with examples of sheep/goat, horse, dog and red deer also recorded.
5.26 Of note was an old dog with numerous pathologies including healed traumas to the ribs and foreleg, and a number of cattle bones including the skull, vertebrae, scapula and humerus which may have come from the same individual within the backfill of the robber cut associated with Period 2.2 well BB.
Human bone 5.27 Three burials containing skeletal remains were recovered (SK 2243, SK 3008 and SK 3033) as well as a deposit of cremated bone from fill 3590 within undated ditch 3589. Samples from all three inhumation burials were submitted for radiocarbon dating.
5.28 Skeleton 2243 is an adult male and returned a date of 2–129 cal. AD (SUERC- 68568) and skeleton 3008 comprised the skull of an older individual dated to 249– 390 cal. AD (SUERC-68569). Skeleton 3033 comprised the femoral head of an adult ?male. The radiocarbon date from skeleton 3033 failed due to poor collagen survival, but given its proximity to skeleton 3008, has been assigned to the same period (Period 2.3 Middle Roman II). A total of 54.1g of cremated bone was recovered from undated ditch 3589. It comprised cranial, mandible and tooth fragments and was identified as a non-adult sized individual. Some cremated animal bone was also identified within the human bone
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Plant macrofossil and charcoal 5.29 The 76 environmental samples were processed from a range of ditches, pits, postholes, spreads, building and kiln of Iron Age or Early and Middle Roman date, although some remain undated at this stage.
5.30 The cereal remains were present in variable quantities and include barley (Hordeum vulgare) grains, spelt wheat (Triticum spelta) grain and chaff fragments, free-threshing wheat (Triticum turgidum/aestivum type) grains, culm nodes and coleoptile fragments. There was some evidence for germination on some of the hulled wheat grains.
5.31 The weed seeds included those of oat (Avena sp.), brome grass (Bromus sp.), vetch/wild pea (Vicia/Lathyrus sp.), pea (Pisum sativum), rye-grass/fescue (Lolium/Festuca sp.), docks (Rumex sp.), black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus), meadow grass/cat’s-tails (Poa/Phleum sp.), goosefoot (Chenopodium sp.), clover/medicks (Trifolium/Medicago sp.), blinks (Montia fontana subsp. Chondrosperma), mallow (Malva sp.), bedstraw (Galium sp.), knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare), persicaria (Persicaria sp.), stitchwort (Stellaria sp.), small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), runch (Raphanus raphanistrum), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), nettle (Urtica sp.), buttercup (Ranunculus sp.), red bartsia (Odontites vernus), stinking mayweed (Anthemis cotula) and scentless mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum). The weed seeds are mainly those typical of grassland, field margins and cultivated ground. Other remains included hazelnut (Corylus avellana) shell fragments, tuber fragments, hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) stone fragments, pips of rowan (Sorbus sp.) and sloe/hawthorn (Prunus spinosa/Crataegus monogyna) type thorns
5.32 The charcoal remains were present in variable quantities and included round and mature wood fragments. There is no evidence of vitrification, caused by intense heat, within these assemblages.
Biological record: statements of potential Animal bone 5.33 The assemblage is too small and poorly preserved to have any regional or national significance, as it falls well below the minimum recommended sample size of 100 fragments for detailed analysis. However the presence of the dog skeleton and cattle bones within the backfill of the robber cut associated with Period 2.2 well BB is of interest and should be analysed in more detail.
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Human bone 5.34 The human remains have been recorded, analysed and reported on fully, further osteological work will not be necessary. It is recommended that radiocarbon dating of the cremated bone from ditch 3589 be undertaken in order to have a better understanding of the date of this deposit. The results of the human bone analysis should then be integrated into the final site phasing and reviewed in their correct sequence and placed in their regional and national context.
Plant macrofossil and charcoal 5.35 There is potential for further work on a selection of the charred plant and charcoal assemblages from Period 1 Iron Age and Period 2 Early to Middle Roman periods to provide some information on the nature of the settlement and surrounding landscape, the range of crops and the crop-processing activities taking place on site and whether this changed during the Iron Age and Romano-British periods. There is an indication of the exploitation of a number of different environments and there is the potential for comparing these results with other assemblages of a similar date in the wider area.
5.36 The charcoal assemblages have the potential to provide information on the species selection and the exploitation and management of the local woodland resource. Some, such as the assemblage from kiln AO, may also assist in defining the function of these features. There is the potential for comparing these results with other assemblages of a similar date in the wider area.
6 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL
Iron Age 6.2 The archaeological remains dating to the Iron Age period, provides evidence for two phases of occupation, initially comprising the remains of an Iron Age trackway/droveway, and later an enclosed farmstead including a roundhouse, small oval enclosure and associated waste/storage pits.
6.3 A small amount of pottery dating broadly to the Iron Age period was recovered, although a small number of more closely dateable forms point towards a Middle Iron Age date for some of the assemblage. Due to the small size and range of the group, little further work is required beyond using the pottery to provide dating
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evidence for the site. Other finds included an iron nail fragment, fired-clay fragments and fuel ash slag.
6.4 The charred botanical remains have the potential to provide information on the nature of the settlement and surrounding landscape, fuel utilisation, crop selection, processing activities taking place on site. Identification of the plant and charcoal remains within the selected samples, alongside spatial analysis, has the potential to identify where crop-processing activities were taking place. The carbonised remains from the samples will also offer the potential for further radiocarbon dating, which will be required to facilitate stratigraphic analysis and tighten the site chronology.
6.5 A small assemblage of animal bone was recovered, although most of it was in poor condition and has no potential to provide evidence for animal husbandry on site. The bones from the hind leg of a red deer would be suitable for radiocarbon dating and have the potential to provide a radiocarbon date for roundhouse S.
6.6 The carbonised remains from the samples, along with animal bone from secure contexts, will also offer the potential for further radiocarbon dating, which will be required to facilitate stratigraphic analysis and refine the site chronology.
Roman 6.7 It appears that the site was continually used from the Iron Age, through the late Iron Age/Early Roman transition and into the Middle Roman period. During this period, the Iron Age enclosed farmstead was remodelled to a farmstead of complex form by the first part of the Middle Roman period, and subsequently to a farmstead of enclosed form by the second part of the Middle Roman period. Evidence for settlement includes a building and well, alongside a number of waste pits during the first phase of the Middle Roman activity; and a small sub-square enclosure and pits during the second part of the Middle Roman period.
6.8 Of significance during this period was the Early Roman burial to the north-east of the site, and the two Middle Roman burials located towards the western side of the enclosures and these, along with the coffin nails and hobnails recovered, have the potential to inform on Roman burial traditions.
6.9 The Roman pottery assemblage was larger, and has the potential to contribute to the understanding of pottery supply and regional use ware which may provide evidence for economic and/or social interaction. Integration of the pottery records
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with the stratigraphic sequence and radiocarbon dates, once dating has been refined, will allow individual features on the site to be dated more confidently, allowing their relationships and phasing to be better understood
6.10 Analysis of the fired-clay fragments including the bar and flat plate-like items, along with comparative study of the form and function of kiln AO and spatial analysis of the distribution of these items has the potential to inform what activities were taking place on site. For example, whether the fired-clay items are kiln bars used to form temporary floors in pottery kilns and the whether the plate-like items are spacers used within pottery kilns or simply lids/hot plates used for other purposes. Contextual analysis of the metalworking debris also has the potential to help determine where ironsmithing activity may have been taking place on site.
6.11 Other artefacts of note include the copper-alloy Langton Down-type brooch (Ra. 10), the fragment of a possible (loom)weight, crop-processing waste and structural block and within pit 3303. Further analysis on all these items will allow the opportunity to investigate the significance of potential ‘structured deposits’ during the Roman period.
6.12 Analysis of the plant macrofossils and charcoal from selected samples has the potential to provide evidence for the nature of the settlement and the surrounding environment to include fuel exploitation, crop selection and crop husbandry practices. This information can then be spatially analysed to ascertain areas where activities such as crop processing or food production were taking place on site. It also has the potential to determine whether there were any changes in these practices between the Iron Age and Roman periods. In addition further research on the reused millstone fragments within kiln AO may help provide further evidence for the organisation of grain processing in the wider area during the Middle Roman period.
6.13 As with the Iron Age features, only a small amount of animal bone was recovered. However, of interest were the dog and cattle bones within the robbing backfill of well BB. This bone can also provide material for radiocarbon dating which will help ascertain whether the bone deposits were associated with the well, and if so, as with pit 3303, have the potential to learn more about ‘structured deposits’ within Roman rural sites.
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6.14 The charred botanical remains and animal bone from secure contexts also has the potential to provide material for further radiocarbon dating, which will be required to facilitate stratigraphic analysis and tighten the site chronology.
Medieval/post-medieval 6.15 Only a small number of medieval/post-medieval features were recorded. These include evidence for ridge-and-furrow cultivation to the western side of the excavation area, although no finds were recovered from the plough furrows, so it is not possible to ascertain whether they were medieval or post-medieval in date. Other features included two pits containing post-medieval pottery/tile and a horse burial dating to the 19th century onwards. The small amount of material recovered from these features means no further work is recommended.
Modern 6.16 The only evidence of modern activity was limited to two field drains and various intrusions associated with the demolition of the nursery.
Undated 6.17 Over 100 undated features were identified across the site, comprising pits, postholes and ditches/gullies. Many of these contained artefacts and/or had environmental samples recovered. Further stratigraphic analysis comparing their form, fills and associated function, alongside a programme of targeted radiocarbon dating may allow a proportion of these features to be assigned to a specific period.
Original aims and objectives 6.18 The original specific aims of the excavation were to :
• record any evidence of past settlement or other land use;
• recover artefactual evidence to date any evidence of past settlement that may be identified;
• sample and analyse environmental remains to create a better understanding of past land use and economy;
• further investigate and characterise the Iron Age/Roman archaeological features recorded at the site by the geophysical survey and the trial trench evaluation;
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• investigate and characterise any further archaeological remains present at the site; and
• preserve by record the archaeological remains present at the site prior to the development of the site.
6.19 These objectives have been broadly achieved, with the archaeological features uncovered preserved by record and artefactual and ecofactual material assessed. Further work will be required to refine the chronology of the site and analyse the artefacts and ecofacts recovered to characterise the major morphological changes at the site, establish the function/nature of the site during its use and to place the site within its local, regional and national context.
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 site archive and artefactual collection will be deposited with Warwickshire Museum (accession number: tbc), which has agreed in principle to accept the complete archive upon completion of the project.
8 UPDATED AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
8.1 The archaeological sequence at this site is primarily of local and regional significance, although the site has the potential to contribute information to our broader understanding of regional distinctions in the rural settlement pattern of late Iron Age and Roman Britain.
8.2 The following updated aims and objectives have been defined by reference to a recent large-scale study of rural settlement in Roman Britain (RRSP) (Smith et al. 2016; Allen et al. 2015; Allen et al. in press; Smith et al. in prep), along with the West Midlands Research Framework (Watt 2011). In particular, the site is of importance for its potential to contribute to our understanding of the development of Roman period rural complex farmsteads, in terms of their chronology, function and geographical distribution.
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Objective 1: refine understanding of the site chronology, from the beginning to the end of the occupation 8.3 This will be achieved through a detailed examination of the stratigraphy, contextual analysis of the dateable finds and a targeted programme of radiocarbon dating. Whilst the stratigraphic sequence of the main enclosure ditches is understood, further stratigraphic analysis and radiocarbon dating is needed of the undated pits, postholes, ditches and gullies, comparing their form, fills, and potential functions, to allow dating of some of these features in order to assign them to a phase.
8.4 Further work is also required to explore the relationship between ditches AH and AS and the potential trackway/droveway represented by ditches AU and BJ in order to clarify the dating of these features, and whether AH and AS were infilled to allow AU and BJ to function as a transport route.
8.5 The pottery fabrics and form will be characterised in detail, and comparisons sought, with emphasis placed on an attempt to refine the dating, particularly for the finewares, mortaria and imported wares, which have the greatest potential for more precise dating. Comparisons will be made locally with other groups from recently excavated settlement sites, and where possibly regionally. Integration of the pottery records with the stratigraphic sequence, once dating has been refined, will allow individual features on the site to be dated more confidently, allowing their relationships and phasing to be better understood. This will enhance our understanding of the dates of the major morphological changes at the site.
Objective 2: use the updated phasing and stratigraphic analysis to characterise the major morphological changes at the site 8.6 Once a clearer understanding of the phasing of the individual features has been gained, it will be possible to characterise the different phases based upon their morphological form. Of particular interest are the evident episodes of transformation of the settlement, especially during the early Roman period, from what appears to have been an enclosed farmstead during the Iron Age, into what may have been a farmstead of complex form by the 2nd century AD, and subsequently to a farmstead of enclosed form.
8.7 Topics of investigation will include:
• is it possible to establish whether there was direct continuity between the Late Iron Age/Early Roman occupation and the subsequent
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realignment of the features of the site in the Early to Mid Roman period, or was there a hiatus? • how does the settlement morphology (in different phases) compare with other Iron Age and Romano-British sites known from the area, including sites known from aerial photography (Fig. 2) and excavated examples – the RRSP database will provide a useful resource for comparison with the latter. Examples include Wasperton, to the south, and sites on the A429 Barford bypass, to the west. • One of the principal challenges in the study of Roman rural sites continues to be reliably ascertaining the date of abandonment for settlements (Smith and Fulford 2016, 414), so to what extent can further stratigraphic analysis and contextual analysis of dateable finds allow us to establish the end date of the settlement with greater confidence?
Objective 3: establish the function/nature of the site during its different phases of use, by integrating material culture with the stratigraphic sequence 8.8 Although the finds assemblage from the site is fairly minimal, contextual analysis of artefacts and ecofacts may elucidate functions for some features/areas. For instance, it is important to try to ascertain whether the kiln AO was used for pottery manufacture, as it appears possibly to have been, and whether the fired-clay bar and discs, although found in features to the south of the kiln, are indicative of pottery manufacture at the site. This is of particular importance given the relative scarcity of Roman-period pottery production sites in the West Midlands, compared with other regions (Esmonde Cleary 2011, 130), especially at rural sites.
8.9 Contextual analysis of the smithing debris may allow recognition of features most closely associated with the evidence for small-scale smithing.
8.10 Integration of the finds records with the stratigraphic sequence is needed in order to better understand how morphological developments at the site may be related to changes in the supply and use of material culture, especially the pottery assemblage. This may contribute towards a better understanding of pottery supply and chronology in the region.
8.11 The two fragments of millstone, which formed part of kiln AO, are of interest as millstones are very rare finds from low-status rural settlements, and indicate a mill in the near vicinity. These require further discussion, with reference to other
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millstones from sites in the area, in order to better understand the organisation of Roman period grain processing (see Shaffrey 2015; Brindle in press).
Objective 4: establish the function/nature of the site during its different phases of use, by integrating environmental material with the stratigraphic sequence 8.12 More detailed analysis of a selection of the charred plant and charcoal assemblages may provide some information on the nature of the settlement and surrounding landscape, the range of crops cultivated and the crop-processing activities taking place on site and whether this changed during the Iron Age and Romano-British periods.
8.13 The results should be compared with charred plant assemblages from other assemblages of a similar date in the region, and the work recently produced by the RRSP may provide useful comparative information on the broader background, which should be referred to in discussion. In particular, the charcoal assemblage from kiln 2126 AO may assist in defining the function of this feature. If the kiln is identified as being for pottery manufacture, the charcoal might also contribute to our understanding of whether or not pottery production on rural sites was seasonal activity (Esmonde Cleary 2011, 131). If further stratigraphic analysis and radiocarbon dating allows some of the undated features to becoming dated, some charred plant and charcoal assemblages from these currently undated features may require analysis.
Objective 5: consider the potential evidence for ‘structured deposits’ at the site 8.14 Carefully placed ritual deposits are a well-recognised feature of Roman rural sites, and a number of features at this site merit consideration as potential such structured deposits. These include pit 3303, which included a Langton Down-type brooch (Ra. 10), crop-processing waste, a sandstone block and a possible (loom)weight fragment, and well BB, which included the remains of two animal associated bone groups - one a dog, the other cattle.
8.15 Both the dog and the cattle bones were recovered as disarticulated bone within the robbing backfill from well BB. It is suspected that these were part of ‘closing/structural deposits’ laid down to ‘seal’ the well before it went out of use, and that the later robbing event disturbed these remains, hence their redepositon within the robbing backfill deposits. Radiocarbon dating of these two animals will
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be undertaken to try to confirm whether they are associated with the well, or date to the later robbing event.
8.16 These features require further discussion in relation to other known examples, with reference to information presented in RRSP volume 3 (Smith et al. in prep.) and the associated online database. They are arguably of particular importance in the West Midlands region, where formal religious sites, in the form of shrines and temples, are scarce (Esmond Cleary 2011, 136–7).
Objective 6: consider the evidence for burial traditions and how they relate to broader regional and national trends in Roman Britain 8.17 Roman period burial evidence has been recognised as being notably scarce from the West Midlands region (Esmonde Cleary 2011, 134), and the burials and cremation from Barford are therefore of considerable importance.
8.18 Radiocarbon dating will be undertaken on the cremated human remains from ditch 3589 and the results of the human osteological analysis will be integrated into the final site phasing. The human bone results can then be reviewed in their correct sequence and placed in their regional and national context, with particular reference to Romano-British rural burial traditions, presented in RRSP volume 3 (Smith et al. in prep.), and on the RRSP online database.
8.19 The cremated animal bone from cremation deposit within ditch 3589 will be fully identified. Food often played an important role in funerary rituals, which included the placement of meat on the cremation pyre which was subsequently buried with the cremated human remains, to ensure safe arrival of the deceased in the afterlife, or to serve as food on the journey. Further work on this cremated animal bone will aid our understanding of funerary traditions. The finds evidence associated with the burials, including hobnails and coffin nails, along with staining evidence for a coffin, also contribute to our understanding of Roman burial traditions at the site, which can be compared with broader patterns.
Objective 7: place the site within its national and regional context 8.20 The developmental sequence at this site is part of an increasingly well-recognised pattern in parts of Britain, notably in the Rural Settlement Project’s ‘Central Belt’ region (Smith et al. 2016) where, in areas, there is evidence for major landscape reorganisation during the later 1st and 2nd centuries AD.
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8.21 Queries include: is the reorientation of features at Barford during the early Roman period reflective of changes in land ownership or changes in activity (or both)? Barford falls within the RRSP’s ‘Central Belt’ region, although its geographical position is on the north-west cusp of the main distribution of known settlements that developed into complex farmsteads. Further analysis is needed to place this site in context by comparing it with other regional examples of this settlement type, initially by using information available in the Roman Rural Settlement volumes and the associated online database (Allen et al. 2015).
8.22 A more sophisticated understanding of the chronological changes to the site, through stratigraphic analysis, contextual analysis of finds and radiocarbon dating, will allow the changes to the site to be framed with reference to other known examples, and to broader changes in Iron Age and Roman rural settlement, both regionally and nationally. The form of building BA can be compared with patterns regarding rural domestic architecture in Smith et al. 2016, and, although not closely dated, the potential 2nd to 3rd-century date suggested by pottery recovered from nearby features, may allow it to be discussed with reference to the emergence of rectangular buildings at rural sites in the region more generally. This is of relevance for our understanding of the transformation of regional traditions of domestic architecture at rural settlements, particularly as we have evidence at this site for a Late Iron Age/Early Roman circular building and a mid-Roman building of rectilinear form.
8.23 More detailed analysis of the mapped crop marks available from the area surrounding the site (Fig. 2) may allow for a better understanding of the landscape context of the site, and may elucidate the function of some features at the site, including the potential Iron Age droveway/trackway C. This is of particular importance given the relative lack of investigation of Iron Age and Roman cropmarks in some parts of the region, as identified in the West Midlands research framework (Hurst 2011, 114).
9 PUBLICATION
9.1 The results from the investigations of the site at Westham Lane, Barford, are of regional significance and merit publication. The presence of an Iron Age trackway/droveway and settlement enclosure, along with subsequent Roman
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enclosures and burials, are of considerable significance for our understanding of Iron Age and Roman patterns of rural settlement in the region.
9.2 It is proposed that a detailed typescript excavation report is produced, incorporating the stratigraphic analysis and specialist analyses outlined above. These results will be summarised as a short 6–8 page publication in the Transactions of Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society (TBWAS), signposting the full excavation report, which will be accessible via the Cotswold Archaeology website and held on the ADS.
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Synopsis of Proposed Summary Publication Report
An Iron Age droveway and enclosures and Roman enclosures and burials at Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire by Julian Newman and Tom Brindle
Introduction 150 The Iron Age droveway and enclosures 500 The Roman enclosures and burials 500 The artefactual and ecofactual evidence 500 Discussion 1000 Acknowledgements 50
Total Words 3750 Bibliography 1 page
Illustrations (site location plan; phase plans) 3 Figures
Approx. 8 full A4 pages in TBWAS (approx. 1000 words per page)
10 PROJECT TEAM
10.1 The analysis and publication programme will be quality assured by Martin Watts FSA MCIfA (Head of Publications: HoP) and managed by Sarah Cobain ACIfA (Post-excavation Manager: PXM), who will contribute to the discussion as Senior Author (SA) and co-ordinate the work of the following personnel:
Neil Holbrook FSA MCIfA (Chief Executive Officer: CEO) Advice on Roman archaeology and contribution to overall discussion
Julian Newman (Project Officer: PO): Post-excavation phasing, draft report preparation, research and archive
Tom Brindle (Senior Publications Officer: SPO): Post-excavation phasing, draft report preparation, research and archive
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Ed McSloy MCIfA (Finds Manager: FM): Specialist report preparation and liaison, post-excavation phasing.
Sharon Clough MCIfA (Environmental Officer (Osteologist): Specialist report preparation human bone
Sarah Wyles PCIfA (Senior Environmental Officer: SEO) Specialist report preparation plant macrofossil and liaison
Dan Bashford (Senior Illustrator: ILL): Production of all site plans, sections and artefact drawings (exc. pottery)
Jake Stretfeild-James (Geomatics Officer: GO): GIS applications
10.2 Contributions by the following external consultants will be managed by the Finds Manager:
• Ruth Shaffrey: Worked Stone • David Starley: Metalworking debris • Karen Barker: Metalwork conservation
10.3 Contributions by the following external consultants will be managed by the Senior Environmental Officer:
• Dana Challinor: Archaeobotanist (Wood and Charcoal) • Dr Matilda Holmes: Zooarchaeologist • SUERC (East Kilbride): Radiocarbon dating
10.4 The final publication report will be edited and refereed internally by CA senior project management.
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11 TASK LIST
TASK PERSONNEL DURATION/ COST
EXCAVATION REPORT
Project Management PXM 7 Quality Assurance HoP 2
Stratigraphic Analysis PO 10 SA 5 FM 1
Excavation results PO 5 SA 5 Figures SI 3
Finds Analyses Pottery FM 3 Fired/burnt clay FM 0.5 Metalwork FM 0.5 Metalworking debris External Fee Worked stone External Fee Finds illustrations (pottery, metalwork, fired/burnt clay) SI 3.5 Conservation and stabilisation of metal finds External Fee
Environmental Analyses Animal bone External Fee Human bone EO 1 Finds Additional environmental sample processing 4 processor Plant macrofossils SEO 6 Charcoal External Fee
Radiocarbon dating Analysis Specialist Fee Report preparation SA 1
Research, comparanda PO 2 SA 1
Discussion, conclusions PO 5 SPO 5
Acknowledgements, bibliography SA 0.5
PREPARATION OF SUMMARY PUBLICATION REPORT Abstract and introduction SA 0.25 Excavation results SA 1 Discussion SA 2 Compilation of specialist reports, figures etc SA 0.25 Acknowledgements, bibliography SA 0.5 Illustrations SI 2
SI Submission to external referees Editing PXM 0.5 Revisions PO 0.5 SUBMISSION OF PUBLICATION TEXT Archive Research archive completion PO 1
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Security copy FEE Deposition FEE Publication Printing TBWAS FEE
12 TIMETABLE
12.1 CA would normally aim to have completed an excavation report draft within 12 months of approval of the updated publication project design, and a draft summary publication report 3 months after approval of the excavation report. A detailed programme can be produced if desired on approval of the updated publication project design.
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13 REFERENCES
Allen, M., Blick, N., Brindle, T., Evans, T., Fulford, M., Holbrook, N., Richards, J.D. and Smith, A. 2015 The Rural Settlement of Roman Britain: an online resource York, Archaeology Data Service http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1030449 (accessed 14 February 2017)
Allen, M., Lodwick, L., Brindle, T., Fulford, M. and Smith, A. (in press) New Visions of the Countryside of Roman Britain Volume 2: The Rural Economy of Roman Britain London, Britannia Monographs no. tbc
AS (Archaeological Surveys) 2012 Land north of Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire; Magnetometer survey report Archaeological Surveys Report 401
BGS (British Geological Survey) 2016 Geology of Britain Viewer http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html (accessed 16 May 2016)
Brindle, T. (in press) ‘Milling and Grinding’ in Allen et al. (in press)
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) 2013 Fieldwork Recording Manual Technical Manual No. 1
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2014 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire; Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Excavation
CIfA (Chartered Institute of Archaeologists) 2014 Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Excavation Reading, Chartered Institute for Archaeologists
Esmonde Cleary, S. 2011 ‘The Romano-British period: an assessment’ in Watt (2011), 127– 145
59 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology
Historic England 2015a Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MORPHE Project Manager’s Guide
Historic England 2015b Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment. PPN 3: Archaeological Excavation
Hurst, D. 2011 ‘Middle Bronze Age to Iron Age: a research assessment overview and agenda’ in Watt (2011), 101–126
Palmer, S.C. 2010 8000 years at Barford; the archaeology of the A429 Barford Bypass, Warwickshire, 2005–7 Warwick Archaeology Project Group, Warwickshire Museum Field Service http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t= arch-1352-1/dissemination/pdf/Warwickshire/GL32016.pdf (accessed 4 February 2017)
Shaffrey, R. 2015 ‘Intensive milling practices in the Romano-British landscape of southern England: using newly established criteria for distinguishing millstones from rotary querns’, Britannia 46, 55–92
Smith, A., Allen, M., Brindle, T. and Fulford, M. 2016 New Visions of the Countryside of Roman Britain Volume 1: The Rural Settlement of Roman Britain London, Britannia Monographs no. 29
Smith, A. and Fulford, M. 2016 ‘Conclusions: The Rural Settlement of Roman Britain’ in Smith et al. 2016, 385-420
Smith, A., Brindle, T., Allen, A., Rohbogner, A., Lodwick, L. and Fulford, M. (in prep.) New Visions of the Countryside of Roman Britain Volume 3: The peoples and religions of rural Roman Britain London, Britannia Monographs no. tbc
Watt, S. 2011 The archaeology of the West Midlands; a framework for research Oxford, Oxbow books
Salzman. F. (Ed) 1949 ‘Parishes: Barford’, in British History Online 1949 A History of the County of Warwick; volume 4, Kington Hundred http://www.british- history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol5/pp10-13 (accessed 4 February 2017)
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WA (Wessex Archaeology) 2012 Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire; Archaeological evaluation report Wessex Archaeology Report 85600.03
WCC (Warwickshire County Council) 2012 Generic Archaeological Fieldwork Guidelines
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APPENDIX 1: STRATIGRAPHIC ASSESSEMENT BY JULIAN NEWMAN
A total of 1924 contexts was recorded during the excavation. Three context numbers were assigned to deposits of geological origin and the remaining contexts were assigned to periods as detailed below:
Table 1 Number of contexts by period Period No. of contexts Period 1.1 Iron Age I 113 Period 1.2 Iron Age II 266 Period 2.1 Early Roman 123 Period 2.2 Middle Roman I 416 Period 2.3 Middle Roman II 169 Period 3 medieval/post-medieval 42 Undated 792
Potential for further analysis The preservation of the archaeological sequence and the recovered artefactual evidence means that phasing to broad period has been only achieved for approximately 60% of the excavated contexts. However the degree of survival of the site stratigraphy alongside the recovered artefactual evidence and the potential for scientific dating means that a relatively comprehensive phasing of the majority of the features on site can be achieved.
In order to achieve this, further stratigraphic analysis will be undertaken on a total of 1879 contexts provisionally assigned to Periods 1 and 2, and those features that are undated. Further analysis will not be required for contexts dating to the medieval/post-medieval periods.
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APPENDIX 2: POTTERY BY KATIE MARSDEN
A total of 1832 sherds (37,183g) was recorded. The largest portion dates to the Roman period with most of the remainder late prehistoric (Iron Age). A small number of sherds of post-medieval date were also recorded. The bulk of the assemblage was hand-recovered, with 137 sherds (1823g) retrieved from bulk soil sample residues.
The pottery has been fully recorded ahead of this assessment. Quantification is by sherd count, weight and rim EVEs (estimated vessel equivalents) by fabric. Vessel form (generic and specific morphologies) and any evidence for use have also been recorded. For purposes of recording of the prehistoric, fabric codes based on the main inclusions are utilised. Codes for Roman types are where possible approximated to those of the National Roman Fabric Reference Collection (Tomber and Dore 1998).
Pottery was recorded from 193 separate deposits. Most material was derived from ditches/other linear features (1102 sherds or 60%) and pits/postholes (554 sherds or 30%). The remaining 10% (175 sherds) were recorded from a well (7%), layers (2.7%) and features with a currently unknown type (0.3%).
The burial environment is likely to be responsible for the chemical leaching of calcareous inclusions, evident among limestone or shell-tempered types. Despite this, the assemblage is characterised by low fragmentation, with a mean sherd weight of 14g amongst the late prehistoric pottery and 20g amongst the Roman. The post- medieval pottery is an exception to this, with very high fragmentation and a mean sherd weight of 7g.
Assemblage summary The overall composition of the assemblage, grouped according to period and fabric, is set out in Table 2.
Prehistoric – Beaker A single sherd of ‘Beaker’ fineware (4g) was recorded from Period 2.1 ditch N (fill 2638). The sherd is from the body with impressed decoration. The Beaker period spans the late Neolithic to early Bronze Age (2600 – 1800 BC).
Prehistoric – Iron Age A total of 142 sherds (1544g) of pottery dating to the Iron Age period was recorded from 29 deposits. This group is small, comprising 8% of the overall assemblage. The mean sherd weight for this material is relatively high for a group of this period (11g) and this is not suggestive of a well-broken up assemblage. A proportion of has suffered leaching of calcareous inclusions as the result of burial conditions.
A relatively wide fabric range is recorded, with six fabrics represented (Table 2). The dominant fabric is handmade ‘vesicular’ type VES, which is defined by sparse or common plate-like voids resulting from the leaching of fossil shell inclusions. In a smaller proportion of the group, fabric SH, the shell inclusions are preserved. Much less common are handmade fabrics characterised by quartz and quartz and organic inclusions. Small quantities of limestone and flint-tempered fabrics are represented, including three sherds from Period 2.1 curvilinear ditch 3327 (fill 3329), where the limestone has leached. An argillaceous fabric characterised by clay pellet or possibly mudstone inclusions is also represented. Both the ‘vesicular’ type VES (and by extension the shell-tempered) and the quartz-tempered fabrics compare to Iron Age types known from the area, for instance from the extensively excavated Iron Age ‘complex’ at Crick/Kilsby, Northants (Masefield 2015), located just to the
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east. The majority of fabrics comprises types of probable local origin. Only the small quantity of Palaeozoic limestone-tempered fabric (fabric Li) is certainly from a non-local source.
The late prehistoric group includes only a small number of featured (rim or base) sherds, making identification of vessel form difficult. Where vessel forms are identifiable, only jars are represented. A large jar with thickened, simple rim was identified from Period 2.2 pit 2626 (fill 2627). The single sherd of argillaceous fabric recorded from Period 2.3 spread 2797, is a rim of a globular jar. Barrel-shaped jars with upright rims were recorded from Period 1.2 ditch H (fill 3068) and Period 1.2 pit 3820 (fill 3819), both in a vesicular fabric. Rim sherds of simple, rounded form were recorded in the vesicular (VES) and quartz and organic (QzOrg) fabrics. Incidence of decoration was limited to light scoring recorded to body sherds in fabric QzOrg from Period 1.2 ditch E fill 3743. In addition, a sherd in fabric Qz from Period 2.2 ditch AH fill 3799 was burnished.
Refinement of the dating of the late prehistoric group is made difficult by the longevity of the fabric types represented and the scarcity of the more diagnostic ‘featured’ (rim or decorated) sherds. Where morphological elements and decoration are recorded, dating in the Middle Iron Age (c. 400/300–100/50 BC) can be asserted and can probably be applied across the assemblage.
Roman (including ‘transitional’ Late Iron Age to early Roman) A total of 1672 sherds (35,502g), dateable to the Roman period, were recorded from 178 deposits and accounts for 91% of the overall assemblage. A small proportion of the assemblage (125 sherds, 2941g) occurs in wheelthrown grog, shell or grog and quartz-tempered fabrics and is characteristic of a ‘transitional’ tradition dating in the earlier or mid 1st century AD. The group is characterised by very low fragmentation (mean sherd weight of 23.5g) and a wider vessel form range is apparent than that seen in the prehistoric material. Large narrow mouthed, necked jars in a grog-tempered fabric with neck cordon, were recorded from Period 2.2 ditches BD (fill 3279) and AH (fill 3853). Also in a grog-tempered fabric, jars with simple rims were recorded, including bead rim from Period 2.2 ditch BD (fill 3279), curving from Period 1.2 roundhouse S (ditch T; fill 2376), short everted from Period 2.2 ditch AV (fill 2777) and grooved from Period 2.3 ditch 2 AZ/AY (fill 2831). Rim sherds from bowls in a grog-tempered fabric were recorded from two deposits; a Belgic necked and shouldered form from Period 2.1 curvilinear ditch 3327 (fill 3329) and a carinated bowl from Period 2.1 ditch N (fill 2575). Within the shell-tempered fabric, two joining sherds of a barrel-shaped, lid seated jar are identified from Period 2.3 spread 2797.
The Roman dated pottery is also characterised by low fragmentation, with a mean sherd weight of 21g. Most among this group is reduced coarsewares (fabric codes GW1-3, GWf, LOC BS and LOCBSf) which comprises 72% of the assemblage. Three sherds (87g), all of sandy greyware GW1 were recorded from the fills kiln AO. None are distorted/overfired or otherwise identifiable as wasters, and it is unclear whether this material is representative of possible product from this feature. The bulk of the reduced coarsewares probably originate in the Central Warwickshire kilns, 10–15km to the west, in the area of modern Ryton-on-Dunsmore and Bubbenhall. Most characteristic of this tradition is hard-firing greywares with red core/margins (GW2), which amounted to 58 sherds (952g). Identifiable vessel forms among the reduced wares are mostly medium or wide-mouthed, necked jars, with a smaller number of dishes and bowls recorded, with a proportion imitating Dorset Black-burnished ware plain rimmed dishes.
Pottery certainly from non-local sources are listed in Table 2. A moderately large component of the assemblage (120 sherds, 2591g) comprises Seven Valley Ware (including organic-tempered and grog-tempered) from the
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Worcestershire/north Gloucestershire region. Most among this fabric group are necked jars of Webster form ‘A’ with narrow, medium and wide-mouthed forms all represented. A single Webster form ‘G’ bowl with reeded rim was recorded from Period 2.2 well BB (fill 3239) and a Webster from ‘K’ platter was recorded from Period 1.2 roundhouse S (ditch V; fill 2241) (Webster 1976). Tankards, Webster form ‘E’, are only represented in Seven Valley Ware and include one almost complete vessel from Period 2.3 ditch AZ (fill 3308). The handle has been identified within earlier Period 2.2 ditch AW (fill 3312).
A smaller component, including a ‘developed’ grog-tempered fabric (code DEV GT) and, probably, sandy whiteware (WH), originate to the east from kilns in the Upper Nene Valley, close to Northampton. In the developed grog-tempered fabric, a lid-seated jar was recorded from ditch AZ (fill 3308), a large wide-mouthed, necked jar from Period 2.2 ditch AW (fill 2418) and a barrel-shaped jar from Period 2.3 Enclosure 9 (ditch Z; fill 3451). Also in this fabric, a dish was recorded from undated pit 3148 (fill 3149).
A significant quantity of Southeast Dorset Black-burnished ware (DOR BB1; 85 sherds, 1806g) was also recorded, representing the furthest travelled coarseware fabric type. Among the Dorset Black-burnished ware, only jars of Seager-Smith type 1 (Seager-Smith and Davies 1993) are represented. No plain rimmed dishes feature in the assemblage, despite the imitations in local black sandy fabric.
The fine and ‘specialist’ wares are from a narrow range of sources. All of the mortaria are Mancetter/Hartshill whiteware (MAH WH) products, these are a mix of bead and curved rim and ’hammer’-rim forms. One sherd of a cheese press, comprising the base, body and rim in local black sandy fabric, was recorded from Period 2.3 ditch AZ (fill 2420). The perforated base allows for whey to drain in the cheese-making process and indicates activity of this sort on site. Romano-British finewares occur as a Lower Nene Valley colour-coated ware ‘waisted’ beaker, Ra. 2 (21 sherds, 70g), a beaker of indeterminate class in a greyware fabric (GW1), was recorded from roundhouse S (ditch V; fill 2241). A bag-shaped beaker in a fine, oxidised fabric (OXID) from Period 2.3 ditch 2132 (fill 2133) is of a type widely known from Northamptonshire and dateable in the mid 2nd to mid 3rd century AD range.
Continental wares are present as Gaulish samian (6 sherds, 109g) and as Baetican amphora (2 sherds, 228). Central Gaulish (fabric LEZ SA2) are most common and comprise plain dishes/bowls (Drag. 31 and Drag. 18/31) and cups (Drag. 33). One sherd of Drag. 27 cup in southern Gaulish fabric (LGF SA) was also recorded. The central Gaulish vessels, together with a number of east Gaulish sherds are suggestive of mainly mid/later Antonine (c. AD 150 – AD 200) dating (Webster, 1996). One sherd of a possible Drag. 72 beaker in east Gaulish fabric (EG SA) was recorded from Period 2.2 ditch AF (fill 2173). Baetican amphora was recorded from Period 2.3 ditch AZ (fills 3308 and 3319).
Chronology/Summary The bulk of the Roman assemblage permits only broad indications of dating. Narrower dating is typically possible from fine and ‘specialist’ types (mortaria), and some chronology discrete coarseware types. The pottery ranges in date between the earlier or mid 1st century AD to the 2nd/early 3rd centuries. The earliest elements in the assemblage comprise wheelthrown grog-tempered vessels in the ‘Belgic’ tradition and likely to date to the early to mid 1st century AD. Such material is concentrated in Enclosure 4, within Period 2.1 curvilinear ditch 3327 and ditch N. The remaining and largest portion of the assemblage comprises Roman types, primarily from local or regional sources. Indications of chronology, notably from the samian, Romano-British finewares and Black- burnished ware, suggest dating focused in the mid or later 2nd century AD.
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Overall, the Roman assemblage is very heavily jar dominated (Table 3), with notably few specialist forms including flagons or mortaria. This, and the very sparse presence of amphorae and samian (0.5% by count) are characteristics shared by the majority of assemblages from lower status, rural settlements in the region (Booth 1992).
Post-Medieval A total of 17 sherds (133g) of post-medieval pottery were recorded from three deposits, comprising only 1% of the total assemblage. Unfeatured sherds in glazed earthenwares (including black-glazed), typical of those produced in Staffordshire and elsewhere in the Midlands across the later 17th to 18th or earlier 19th centuries, were recorded from Period 3 horse burial 2914 and Period 4 fill 3597 within pit 3596 (4 sherds, 67g). Cream ware and transfer printed refined white ware late (10 sherds, 44g), typically dating to between the 18th and 19th centuries, were recorded from Period 3 horse burial 2914 and pit 2943 (fill 2945) and 3596 (fill 3597).
Statement of potential and recommendations for further analysis
The late prehistoric group is small and restricted in its range. Intrinsically, it will add little to knowledge of ceramic traditions of this period in the area and its main value is in the provision of dating evidence.
The Roman assemblage (including the ‘transitional’ Late Iron Age to early Roman component) is larger and analysis of this material will contribute to understanding of pottery supply and chronology in the region. The patterns of regional ware use have been highlighted as an area of interest/for research within the West Midlands region (Esmonde Cleary 2011, 142–143) as possible evidence for ‘economic and/or social interaction. A notable aspect of the Roman assemblage is the inclusion of types from neighbouring areas to the west/southwest (Severn Valley Ware) and northeast. Seven Valley Ware comprises 7% of the Roman assemblage, which closely matches sites at Wasperton, located one mile to the south and Tiddington, six miles south-west. Here, Severn Valley Ware comprised 6% and 6.9% (3.4% from the 1982 excavation) respectively (Evans 1994). Mortaria supply at this site is sourced exclusively from the Mancetter / Hartshill kilns, which can be expected given their close proximity to Barford (less than 30 miles North). Oxfordshire mortaria become dominant in local assemblages only in the 4th century (Evans 2009) which could explain its absence.
The dominance of utilitarian fabrics and forms, combined with the scarcity of samain (less than 1% of the total) are consistent with use by a low-status, rural community. Further evidence for this includes low quantitates of amphorae and Dorset Black-burnished Ware present, but in lower quantities than found at urban sites (Evans 2009). Recording undertaking at this stage; quantification by sherd count, weight and rim EVEs by fabric for each context, recorded to an MS Access database, is considered sufficient for archiving. The integration of the pottery records with the site stratigraphic sequence will permit the analysis and presentation of data relating to the pottery supply and use with the final site phasing scheme.
Evidence for post-medieval activity is limited in range and size. Although it provides moderate dating evidence for post-Roman features, in particular the horse burial layer 2916, it is otherwise of limited research value. With this being the case and with recording completed to an appropriate archive level, only a short note for publication purposes is recommended.
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The pottery assemblage merits reporting to publication standard with the principle aim of its characterisation and drawing comparisons with published (Iron Age and Roman) groups in addition to presenting evidence for trade and exchange, changing pottery supply and where apparent, indications of ‘status’. Publication should include illustration of up to 20 vessels.
The pottery presents the main source of dating for the site and will be of use, together with the stratigraphy, in the production of final structural sequence (phasing). The final pottery reporting should take account of the updated stratigraphic analysis and incorporate its results in data tables.
References
Booth, P. 1992 ‘Inter-site comparisons between pottery assemblages in Roman Warwickshire: Ceramic indicators of site status’, Journal of Roman Pottery Studies 4, 1–11
Esmonde Cleary, S. 2011 ‘The Romano-British period: an assessment’, in Watt, S. (ed.) 2011 The Archaeology of the West Midlands. A Framework for Research, Oxford, Oxbow books, 127–147
Evans, J. 1994 ‘Discussion of the pottery in the context of Roman Alcester’ in Cracknell, S. and Mahany, C. 1994 Roman Alcester: Southern extramural area 1964-1966; Excavations, part 2: Finds and discussion York, CBA Research Report 97, 144-9
Evans, J. 2009 ‘Iron Age, Romano-British and Anglo Saxon pottery’ in Palmer, S.C. 2009 ‘Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon sites excavated on the Transco Churchover to Newbold Pacey gas pipeline in 1999’, Trans. Birmingham Warwickshire Archaeol. Soc. 113, 107–135
Masefield, R. (ed.) 2015 Origins, development and abandonment of an Iron Age Village, DIRFT Volume II Oxford, Archaeopress
Seager-Smith, R. and Davies, S.M 1993 ‘Black-burnished ware and other southern British coarsewares’, in Woodward, P.J., Davies, S.M., and Graham, A.H. 1993 Excavations at the Old Methodist Chapel and Greyhound Yard, Dorchester, 1981–1984 Dorset Natural History and Archaeology Society Monograph 12, 229–263
Tomber, R. and Dore, J. 1998 The National Roman fabric reference collection: a handbook London, Museum of London Archaeology Service
Webster, P. 1996 Roman Samian Pottery in Britain York, Council for British Archaeology
Webster, P.V. 1976 ‘Severn Valley ware: A Preliminary Study’, Trans. Bristol Gloucestershire Archaeol. Soc. 94, 18–46
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Table 2 Pottery summary Source Fabric* Description Ct. Wt. (g) EVEs Prehistoric BKGR Grog-tempered beaker 1 4 0 Sub-total 1 4 0 Late prehistoric Arg Argilliceous fabric 1 14 0 Fl Flint-tempered 1 18 0 Li Limestone-tempered 6 92 0.1 Qz Quartz-tempered 19 311 0 QzOrg Quartz and organic-tempered 16 203 0.04 VES Vesicular 99 906 0.63 Sub-total 142 1544 0.77 Roman Gt grog-tempered 89 2020 1.9 Transitional GrQz grog and quartz-tempered fabric 8 141 0 Sh Shell-tempered 27 780 0.22 Local/unsourced GW1 Sandy greyware (medium; grey throughout) 804 19471 17.82 GW2 Mid-Warks type greyware (hard; red core or margins) 58 952 0.84 GW3 Sandy greyware (dark firing) 14 212 0.06 LOC BS Local black sandy 284 3178 3.8 LOC BSf Finer local black sandy 3 6 0 MAH WH Mancetter/Hartshill 13 1377 0.96 OXID Sandy oxidised 59 806 0.4 WH Fine white ware 8 123 0.1 Regional DEV GT ‘Developed’ grog-tempered 23 1100 0.45 DOR BB1 Southeast Dorset Black-burnished ware 85 1806 1.3 GWf Sandy greyware (fine; pale core, dark outer) 47 497 0.98 MALREA Malvernian rock-tempered fabric 1 35 0 LNV CC Lower Nene Valley colour-coated ware 21 70 0 SVW OX1 Severn Valley Ware 116 2417 5.14 SVWg Grog-tempered Severn Valley Ware 1 105 0 SVWO Organic-tempered Severn Valley Ware 3 69 0 Continental LEZ SA2 Central Gaulish (Lezoux) samian 4 95 0.35 LGF SA South Gaulish (Legraufesenque) samian 1 1 0 BAT AM Baetican amphorae 2 228 0 EG SA East Gaulish samian 1 13 0.12 Sub-total 1672 35502 34.44 Post-medieval BG Black glazed 3 18 0 CW Cream Ware 1 6 0 RWW Refined white ware 9 38 0.05 ESW English Stoneware 1 11 0 EW Earthenware 2 11 0 GEW Glazed earthenware 1 49 0.1 Sub-total 17 133 0.15 Totals 1832 37183 35.36
Table 3 Roman pottery forms summary Form (generic) Min. vess. % Min. Vess. EVEs %EVEs beaker 4 1.9 0.51 1.5 cup 2 1 0.26 <1 tankard 8 3.8 1.91 5.8 jar 154 74 23.72 71 jarl 3 1.4 1.15 3.5 bowl 12 5.8 2.27 6.8 cheesepress 1 0.5 0.05 <1 dish 15 7.2 1.74 5.2 platter 1 0.5 0.25 <1 dish/bowl 2 1 0.18 <1 mortarium 5 2.4 1.06 3.2 uncertain 1 0.5 0.04 <1 Totals 208 - 33.14 -
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APPENDIX 3: CERAMIC BUILDING MATERIAL BY ED MCSLOY
A small group, 35 fragments weighing 2857g, was recorded. Earliest material consists of a small number of tile fragments of Roman date. The bulk of the assemblage comprises brick and flat roof tile fragments of later medieval/post medieval or modern date.
All recorded material was hand-recovered in the course of the excavations from ditch or pit fills and layers. The largest groups of 5–13 fragments (all post-medieval in date) come from Period 3 medieval/post-medieval pits 2989 and 3596 and horse burial within pit 2914. In most instances the ceramic building material is heavily fragmented, with the effect that classification beyond the broadest categories (brick, tile, brick/tile etc) was not possible.
Summary by Period: Roman Only four fragments (396g) dateable to this period were recovered. Only a tegula (flanged roof tile) from Period 2.3 spread 2634 was identifiable to ‘class’, although a tile fragment from Period 2.2 deposit 2177 within ditch AF was of similar thickness and was probably also of this category. All material occurs in a similar, hard orange fabric with common angular quartz inclusions.
Medieval/post-medieval and later The remainder of the group (31 fragments, weighing 2461g) could be dated to the medieval or later periods. The majority consists of flat tile fragments with a measurable thicknesses in the 12–16mm range, which is typical of ceramic roofing produced from the late medieval period (c. 1250/1300) and into the 18th and 19th centuries. Fabrics are typically very hard, red-fired and quartz-rich. A fragment from Period 3 pit 2989 preserved part of a square peg hole, the remaining flat tile fragments were unfeatured. Brick fragments identified from Period 3 horse burial 2914 and unphased deposit 2741 within pit 2740 are probably of later post-medieval or modern date. That from Period 3 horse burial 2914 is machine-moulded in a pressed yellow fabric and probably dates to the later 19th or 20th centuries.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further analysis
The ceramic building material is a small and well-fragmented group. The scarcity of Roman material is striking and it seems improbable that structures equipped with tiled rooves or substantively incorporating brick/tile were located in the vicinity. This material and the later elements is of very limited significance and further analysis is not recommended.
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APPENDIX 4: CLAY TOBACCO PIPE BY ED MCSLOY
Two stem fragments (5g) were recovered, both from Period 3 horse burial 2914. The fragments are unmarked and permit only broad dating to within the range of common usage for pipeclay tobacco pipes; across the late 16th and 19th centuries.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further analysis
The material described provides evidence supporting post-medieval to modern dating for animal burial 2914. This aside, its archaeological significance is minimal and further work is not required.
APPENDIX 5: FLINT BY ED MCSLOY
A small assemblage (8 pieces, weighing 39g) was recorded. Most material was hand-recovered from the excavations; three pieces were recorded from bulk soil samples (Table 4). The condition of this small group is poor, with most pieces exhibiting breakage and/or edge damage. All material appears to be re-deposited, the majority from Iron Age and later-dated deposits, or from undated features.
Range (Table 4) In all instances raw material consists of good quality dark grey or grey brown flint. One piece, a bladelet fragment from deposit 3718 within Period 2.2 ditch BE exhibits light mottled ‘recortication’. The good quality/colour of the flint and unworn cortex visible on some pieces suggests some access to (non-local) primary sources.
Only one piece, an endscraper from undated pit 2421 (fill 2422) exhibits secondary working. Use of a large and irregular flake blank for his piece hints at a later Neolithic or Bronze Age date, although an earlier date is possible. The remainder of the group consists of flakes or blade-proportioned removals, none with evidence for utilisation. The blade-like pieces and the bladelet fragment from Period 2.2 ditch BE (fill 3718) are possible Mesolithic (or Early Neolithic) elements and similar dating can be inferred for implied for a broken blade or flake from Period 1.2 roundhouse S (ditch T, fill 2370) with evidence platform preparation.
Statement of Potential and recommendations for further work
The lithics group provides some evidence for earlier prehistoric activity, including some material likely dating to the Mesolithic or early Neolithic periods. All appears to be re-deposited and the small quantities of material recovered indicates that the prehistoric activity was of limited scale or intensity. The significance of this material is therefore limited and further analysis is not warranted.
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Table 4 worked flint summary quantification
Context Period Feature label Type Ct. Wt.(g) Comments Sample 2370 1.2 Roundhouse S chip 1 1 dark grey chip 33 (ditch T) 2370 1.2 Roundhouse S flake, broken 1 1 frag - longit .break; grey flint 33 (ditch T) 2370 1.2 Roundhouse S flake, broken 1 2 proximal from secondary flake or blade; plat 33 (ditch T) prep/abrasion. Yellowish margin below matt grey cortex - ?bullhead 3718 2.2 Ditch BE bladelet, 1 2 medial section of bladelet; sl recort grey broken brown flint; heavy edge damage/rolling 3767 2.3 Ditch AZ flake, broken 1 6 distal frag. of secondary flake; dark grey flint; heavy edge damage 2422 Undated Pit 2421 scraper 1 22 endscraper on tertiary flake; dark grey flint; mod edge damage. Abrupt retouch at distal. 2422 Undated Pit 2421 flake 1 1 tert flake; grey brown flint; mod edge damage 2845 Undated Pit 2844 blade, broken 1 4 medial section from blade? Dark grey flint; mod. edge damage Totals 8 39
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APPENDIX 6: FIRED CLAY BY ED MCSLOY
Fired clay amounting to 252 fragments (5130g) was recorded from 20 deposits. Material weighing 3270g (52 fragments) was hand-recovered, with the remainder recorded from bulk soil samples (Table 5). The largest proportion of the assemblage (178 fragments or 70%) was derived from pits/postholes, with the remainder from ditches (42 fragments or 17%) and Period 2.2 kiln AO (32 fragments or 13%).
The fired clay ‘fabrics’ are characteristically soft with the result that this material is well broken-up, in particular that portion recovered from soil samples. A minority of material preserved features of form suggestive of original function (Table 5).
Range The assemblage range is set out in Table 5. The majority consists of very fragmentary material which is indeterminate of function. Most occurs in a soft, buff or pale orange fired fabric containing few coarse inclusions or organic material. The flat discs from undated pit 2489 and Period 2.2 pit 2659 occur in a harder fabric containing common quartz sand.
A fragmentary object from Period 2.1 pit 3303 appears to be the apex or corner portion of a clay weight of the type usually interpreted as being used for vertical (warp-weighted) looms. Insufficient survives to determine if it was of triangular or pyramidal form; classes typical of the Iron Age and early Roman periods. A mid 1st century date was suggested for feature 3303 by associated pottery. Fragments from Period 2.2 pit 3222 and unphased posthole 3229 preserve one smoothed face and large-diameter (c. 30–40mm) perforations. They may derive from the perforated floors of oven structures of Iron Age type and known in the region for example from Ryton-on- Dunsmore (Palmer 2005).
The function of the flat plate-like fragments, measuring c. 30mm in thickness and occurring from several Period 2.2 deposits (Table 5), is unclear. Those from undated pits 2489 and Period 2.2 pit 2659 preserve edges suggesting discoid form, measuring approximately 250–300mm in diameter. Similar ceramic discs form can occur from Romano-British pottery kilns, used as spacer plates or as structural elements. A use unrelated to pottery manufacture is also possible and comparisons can be made with the fired clay plates of Iron Age and Roman known from a number of Oxfordshire sites and possibly functioning as lids or ‘hot plates’ (Barclay and Waite 2004, 384–5).
Material more certainly relating to pottery manufacture are the bar-like fragments recorded from Period 2.1 pit 3574 (not on plan) and undated pit 2424. The more complete, joining fragments from feature 3574 measure in section c. 65mm x 50mm. Identification as pre-fabricated kiln bars, used to form the temporary kiln floor is probable. The use of such kiln bars is commonest in the later 1st or 2nd centuries AD and with updraft kilns equipped with a central pedestal. Perhaps significantly Period 2.2 kiln AO was of this type, although no kiln bars or other ‘furniture’ was recorded from its fills. Material from this feature was however present as quantities of flat ‘flakes’ preserving a single smoothed face, and probably representing parts of the clay lining to the upper superstructure of the kiln.
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Statement of potential and recommendations for further analysis
The fired clay assemblage is heavily fragmented and of modest size. Of most interest are the elements probably relating to pottery manufacture and plausibly associated with Period 2.2 pottery kiln AO. A descriptive catalogue to include fired clay discs, kiln bars and probable loomweight should be prepared for inclusion in any published report, together with a short summary report and to be accompanied by illustrations of these pieces.
Table 5 Fired clay summary
Feature Context Period Fill of Type Ct. Wt.(g) Comments Sample label 3673 1.1 3671 Ditch B misc 10 183 misc; some smoothed 3731 1.2 3730 Ditch E misc 2 31 3183 2.1 3182 misc 1 88 3183 2.1 3182 misc 3 549 3304 2.1 3303 object 4 348 prob. loomwt (tri/pyramidal) 3329 2.1 3327 plate 15 304 plate/oven structure 67 3511 2.1 3574 plate/bar 4 436 straight edge – plate/bar 2051 2.2 2049 misc 10 24 crumbs 2 2108 2.2 2077 misc 30 29 crumbs 4 2147 2.2 2326 Kiln AO misc 20 278 flakes; smoothed surface 8 2147 2.2 2326 Kiln AO misc 12 169 flakes; smoothed surface 9 2169 2.2 2168 Ditch AU misc 2 71 2490 2.2 2489 plate (discoid) 2 383 30mm th; circular 2526 2.2 2525 Ditch AC plate 20 602 plate/oven structure 14 2662 2.2 2659 plate (discoid) 1 338 30mm th; circular 3401 2.2 3399 misc 1 50 hard, red 60 3260 2.2 3258 misc 4 55 3224 2.2 3222 oven/kiln 8 278 oven structure - wide perforation 3224 2.2 3222 misc 10 15 crumbs 61 3308 2.3 3307 Ditch AZ misc 1 94 finger-smoothed 3308 2.3 3307 Ditch AZ misc 2 20 3508 2.3 3506 Ditch Y misc 5 6 crumbs 77 2441 - 2424 plate/bar 8 396 square-section; plate or kiln bar? 2498 - 2497 misc 15 8 crumbs 29 3230 - 3229 oven/kiln 2 265 oven structure - perforated 67 3230 - 3229 misc 20 12 crumbs 12 3230 - 3229 misc 5 15 crumbs 64 3230 - 3229 misc 25 53 crumbs 7 3230 - 3229 misc 10 30 crumbs 63 Total 252 5130
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APPENDIX 7: GLASS BY ED MCSLOY
Five fragments of glass weighing 25g were recovered, all from Period 3 horse burial 2914. Three fragments are of a thick dark green-coloured glass, almost certainly from a wine/spirits or beer bottle, and two fragments of clear, window glass. Dating no earlier than the 19th century is suggested.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further analysis
The material described provides evidence supporting modern dating for the horse burial. This aside, its archaeological significance is minimal and further work is not required.
APPENDIX 8: METALWORK BY ED MCSLOY
A total of 114 metal items, mostly of iron were recorded (Table 6). With the exception of five items from processed bulk soil sample residues, the assemblage was hand recovered from the excavation. A large iron group consisting of hobnails (65) and nails/fragments (12) was associated with Period 2.1 Early Roman inhumation burial 2242. The remainder derives mostly from pit or ditch features and four horseshoes were recovered in situ in association with Period 3 horse burial 2914.
As is typical for the majority of archaeological metalwork the condition is poor: the majority ironwork exhibits is heavily corroded and brittle, and surfaces are obscured by soil and encrustations; the copper alloy objects are typically less affected by obscuring corrosion. To assist with identification and clarify details of form/construction, the metalwork has been X-rayed by a specialist conservator (Plates KB16/259-262, in archive). The metal finds are stored appropriately in sealable plastic boxes and with humidity controlled/monitored.
Range The assemblage range is set out in Table 6. Of the three copper alloy items, brooch Ra. 10, from Period 2.1 Early Roman pit 3303, is of most interest. It is of Langton Down type and of Mackreth’s LD2b sub-division for ‘reeded, not beaded’ forms (Mackreth 2011, 33–34). Such forms are fairly widely distributed across Britain and date to the mid 1st century AD (ibid.). The remaining items of copper alloy comprise bar fragment Ra. 9 recovered from Period 2.3 Middle Roman II Enclosure 9 (ditch X) and a plain cast ring (unstratified). From its size the latter item may be a finger ring, however other uses are possible and its date uncertain.
Among the majority ironwork, nails and hobnails dominate, some from Period 2.1 Early Roman burial 2242 (fill 2244) occurring as fused groups. X-radiography shows these to be conical-headed types typical for Roman footwear. The (carpentry) nails are forged, flat-headed types. Seven (and further fragments) were from burial 2242 and almost certainly represent coffin nails. Where measurable these are in the 50–60mm (length) range and are consistent with Roman dating.
The horseshoes from Period 3 horse burial 2914 all feature toe caps and nail holes set within a deep groove, characteristics suggesting a modern (19th century or later) date. The remainder of the ironwork consists of fragmentary items for which original function or dating are unknown.
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Statement of potential and recommendations for further work
The metalwork assemblage is small and of limited range. Alone in this group, brooch Ra. 10, is of individual interest and provides specific dating contributory to the understanding of the site. In addition, its publication will advance understanding of this brooch form and its British distribution. In most respects the remainder of the group is of limited significance or interpretative value, although nails and hobnails from burial 2242 provide some further evidence for the furnishing of Romano-British inhumations in a rural context.
The assemblage merits little further work beyond a catalogue description and illustration suitable for publication for brooch Ra. 10. To facilitate illustration (and ensure its long-term preservation) this item should be cleaned and stabilised. In addition a summary description of the hobnails and coffin nails from burial 2242 should be included with the published burial catalogue.
References
Makreth, D.F. 2011 Brooches in Late Iron Age and Roman Britain Oxford, Oxbow Books
Table 6 Metalwork identifications Feature Ra. Material Period Context Fill of Type Count Comments label no. Cu. alloy 0 0 ring 1 cast ring 25mm ext diam; lozengiform section; clear file marks. Poss finger ring 2.1 3304 3303 10 brooch 1 pin and most of catchplate absent; reeded only bow - Mackreth's Langton Down LD 2b 2.3 3505 3503 Enclosure 9 9 bar 1 straight length of narrow bar with sl twist, c. (Ditch X) 49mm x 3mm Sub-total 3 Iron 1.1 3064 3028 Ditch A - nail 1 frag 2.1 2293 2292 Ditch G - nail 1 frag 2.2 2243 2242 - nail 1 assoc with sk 2243 (sample find) 2.2 2243 2242 - hobnail 1 assoc with sk 2243 (sample find) 2.2 2245 2242 - hobnail 9 rt foot assoc with sk 2243 2.2 2245 2242 - hobnail 3 rt foot assoc with sk 2243 2.2 2244 2242 - object 4 encrusted lumps - form uncertain 2.2 2244 2242 - object 1 bar bent at rt angle; perforated at end 2.2 2244 2242 - hobnail 65 total uncertain - some clusters 2.2 2244 2242 - nail 7 fragments - v. encrusted 2.3 2361 2360 Ditch BK - nail 1 2.3 3224 3222 - hobnail 2 soil sample find 3 3597 3596 - nail 1 fragment 3 3597 3596 - strip 1 long, narrow strip. Prob modern. Poss. Perforated 3 2915 2914 - horseshoe 1 bag notes 'back left' 3 2915 2914 - horseshoe 1 bag notes 'front left' 3 2915 2914 - horseshoe 1 bag notes 'front right' 3 2915 2914 - horseshoe 1 bag notes 'back right' 3 2916 2914 3 nail 3 1 complete; 2 fragments Undated 3189 3188 5 nail 3 3 x long nails; unbent c. 40-50mm Undated 3344 3343 - strip 1 Undated 3388 3386 7 object 1 bar? Undated 3388 3386 11 object 1 wire fragment
Sub-total 111 Total 114
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APPENDIX 9: METALWORKING DEBRIS BY DAVID STARLEY
Introduction and Methodology
The very small amount of metalworking debris totalled 337g was examined visually and material deriving from iron smithing was identified. Contextual analysis may show the extent to which this iron working relates to the predominantly Roman features on the site.
No details of methodology and sampling were known to the specialist. The four small bags material supplied were recovered via hand collection and from bulk soil samples.
The material was visually examined with occasional testing with a streak plate. A magnet was also used to check the small quantity of fine debris in the bags for hammerscale. The material was classified into the categories used by the specialist, which are based on those developed by the former English Heritage Ancient Monuments Laboratory. A summary of these findings is presented in Table 7, based on the categories and divided by activity group. A full listing, by context, can be found in Table 8.
Results - Classification of debris
Diagnostic - Iron smithing A single, relatively small smithing hearth bottom was identified from the fill 3255 within undated ditch (3254). Such fayalitic (iron silicate) plano-convex blocks form in the base of a smithing hearth as a result of the reaction between iron scale and a source of silica, for example the clay lining or any sand used as flux. They are distinctive and provide good evidence of iron smithing, but may be moved from the site of working. The flake hammerscale, although present in only a tiny quantity in Period 2.2 building BA fill (3374), may provide a surer indication of the proximity of any blacksmithing (Starley 1995).
Non-diagnostic ironworking Period 2.2 building BA also produced some bulk debris in the form of undiagnostic ironworking slags. Similar material is produced during iron smithing and smelting. However the association with hammerscale strongly suggests that the former gave rise to this material.
Metalworking or other high temperature processes The fuel ash slag is a light coloured, light weight vesicular material. Such debris forms due to the reaction, at high temperatures, of alkali fuel ash with clay or other silica-rich material. Unlike most iron working slags it lacks the high density and fayalitic composition and is unlikely to be associated with any iron smithing. Various explanations have been proposed including the accidental conflagration of daub structures and funeral pyres.
Non-slags The ferruginous concretion was hollowed on one side where it had formed in contact with a stone. Such concretions, like iron panning, form where water with a high concentration of dissolved iron comes into contact with oxygen and the iron mineralises in a solid form. Although in situations where iron production waste abounds (such as the floors of smithies) this can be an important artefact. In this case it appears to be a natural product, perhaps originating with the local mudstone bedrock.
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Discussion and conclusions
Examination of the very small quantity of industrial debris from ditch fills found positive evidence for iron smithing, but no other metallurgical processes. It should be emphasised that the debris was present in minimal quantities and the importance of smithing for the economy of the site is likely to have been very limited. The debris is not stylistically datable but is compatible with the Roman date of many of the features.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further work
No phasing or distributional plots for the site were available to the specialist undertaking the assessment. Limited analysis of the locations and dating of the finds might help to suggest the relationship of the smithing activity to the occupation of the site. But further, more detailed analysis is not recommended.
References
Starley, D. 1995 Hammerscale Historical Metallurgy Society Datasheet 1
Table 7 Metalworking debris by activity and type Activity Classification Mass (g) 179 Iron smithing Smithing hearth bottom Flake hammerscale <1 Non-diagnostic ironworking Undiagnostic ironworking slag 179 Metalworking or other high temp. process Fuel ash slag 55 Non-slag Ferruginous concretion (natural) 18 Total 337
Table 8 Metalworking debris by context Period Context Cut Feature Slag classification Wt (g) Comments label 1.2 2267 2265 Roundhouse S Fuel ash slag 55 (ditch U) 2.2 3374 3373 Building BA Undiagnostic Ironworking slag 85 2.2 3374 3373 Building BA Flake hammerscale <1 2.3 2009 2007 Ditch AC Ferruginous concretion 18 Hollow on one side where (natural) formed around a stone Undated 3255 3254 Smithing hearth bottom 179 75x70x20mm Total 337
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APPENDIX 10: WORKED STONE BY RUTH SHAFFREY
Description
Four fragments of stone were recovered from the site. These included two adjoining fragments of a millstone, a block of poorly cemented (and porous) sandstone and a fragment of purple slate.
The block of sandstone was recovered from fill 3304 within Period 2.1 Early Roman pit 3303. It does not have any obvious tool marks but may have been used structurally.
Two adjoining fragments of a millstone measuring 0.7m diameter were found, reused, in kiln lining 2126 within Period 2.2 Middle Roman kiln AO. The millstone is indicative of centralised grain processing, and given the site’s proximity to the River Avon, it seems likely that a watermill was located on the River during the ?early to mid Roman period; such a mill is known to have existed from the time of Domesday.
A single fragment of purple slate recovered from 2916 within Period 3 horse burial 2914 retains one square corner and parts of two edges bevelled on one side. This could be a piece of slate roofing, though it seems on the thin side and might instead be part of a palette or similar.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further work
The worked stone has limited potential to contribute to our understanding of the site but greater potential to add to our knowledge about the organisation of grain processing during the mid Roman period. This is not well understood and any details about millstones and milling should be clearly published in order for that picture to be established. This report should be expanded for publication to include reference to other known millstones in the area as the start of a broader research aim to understand Roman grain processing organisation.
APPENDIX 11: ANIMAL BONE BY MATILDA HOLMES
Introduction
A total of 589 fragment of bone (4430g) was recovered from Period 1.2 ditches, a pit and roundhouse S; Period 2.1 ditch, pit and Enclosure 9; Period 2.2 diches, pits and well BB; Period 2.3 ditches, pit and spread, Period 3 pit and undated pits, posthole and ditches. The underlying geology (sand and gravels) meant that bones were generally poorly preserved. There was no indication of residual or mixed deposits.
Methodology
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
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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).
Results and Discussion
Bones were generally in poor condition (Table 9). There were very few observations of butchery marks or gnawing, which may be due to the destruction of the surface of the bones. There were no obvious deposits of butchery, craft-working or other processing waste. Three Associated Bone Groups (ABGs) were recorded. The first the bones from the hind leg of a red deer from Iron Age roundhouse S (ditch U; fill 2223), and the other two from the backfill of the robber cut associated with Period 2.2 well BB (fill 3242): an old dog with numerous pathologies indicating healed traumas to the ribs and foreleg and a number of cattle bones including the skull, vertebrae, scapula and humerus that may well have come from the same individual.
Cattle dominated the assemblage in all phases (Table 10), which may indicate a real preference for raising cattle at the site, or a bias resulting from poor preservation of the remains of smaller animals. A few bones and teeth of sheep/ goat, horse, dog and red deer were also recorded. No pig, bird or fish remains were recovered from the hand collected or sieved samples, although it must be remembered that this is a small sample. Very few ageing data were available (Table 11), either from tooth wear or bone fusion, which may again result from poor preservation of the assemblage.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further work
The assemblage is too small and poorly preserved to have any regional or national significance, as it falls well below the minimum recommended sample size of 100 fragments for detailed analysis. The absence of pig, small mammal, bird and fish remains from samples and hand-collected bones is most likely a reflection of the poor preservation affecting the assemblage than a definite absence of taxa. The presence of two ABGs in the lower fill of the well is interesting and consistent with similar findings throughout Roman Britain.
No further analysis of the bulk of the assemblage is required, although a list of taxa present should be included in any publications of the site to provide information to others working in the local area. The ABGs from Period 2.2 well BB 3238 should be analysed in more detail.
Reference
Baker, P. and Worley, F. 2014 Animal Bones and Archaeology: Guidelines for Best Practice Portsmouth, English Heritage
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Table 9 Preservation and bone modifications observed on the bones for each context Preservation Bone Modification Period Good Fair Poor Gnawed Butchered Burnt 1.2 - Iron Age 2 8 1 2.1 - Early Roman 2 1 2.2 - Middle Roman I 3 12 1 1 2.3 – Middle Roman II 5 7 2 3 - Medieval and post-medieval 2 Undated 4 3 Total number of contexts 14 34 4 2 Proportion (%) of all contexts 29 71 8 4
Table 10 Number of fragments recorded for the major domesticates, birds and other taxa Cattle Sheep/ goat Pig Bird Fish Other Other Taxa Period Bones Teeth Bones Teeth 1.2 - Iron Age 5 4 1 1 5 Equid, red deer 2.1 - Early Roman 1 3 2.2 - Middle Roman I 9 3 2 1 Equid 2.3 – Middle Roman II 10 5 3 4 Canid ABG, equid 3 - Medieval and post- medieval 1 Undated 5 1 1 1 Canid Total 31 16 7 1 0 0 0 11
Table 11 Number of bones and teeth likely to provide ageing and metrical data for the major domesticates
Cattle Sheep/ goat Pig Period MWS TWS Fusion Meas MWS TWS Fusion Meas MWS TWS Fusion Meas 1.2 - Iron Age 1 4 3 2.1 - Early Roman 2 2.2 - Middle Roman I 2 4 2 3 2.3 – Middle Roman II 2 1 2 Undated 4 1 1 Total 2 5 13 6 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0
MWS= mandibular wear stage; TWS= wear from individual teeth; fusion= bone fusion; meas= metrical data
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APPENDIX 12: HUMAN BONE BY SHARON CLOUGH
Introduction
Three burials containing skeletal remains were recovered (SK 2243, SK 3008 and SK 3033) as well as a deposit of cremated bone from fill 3590 within undated ditch 3589. Samples from all three burials were submitted for radiocarbon dating. Skeleton 2243 returned a date of 2–129 cal AD (SUERC-68568) and skeleton 3008 dated to 249–390 cal AD (SUERC-68569). The radiocarbon date from skeleton 3033 failed due to poor collagen survival, but given its proximity to skeleton 3008, has been assigned to the same period (Period 2.3 Middle Roman II). The cremated bone deposit is currently undated.
Methodology
All skeletal material was examined and recorded in accordance with national guidelines (Hillson 1996; Brickley and McKinley 2004; Mays et al. 2004).
Biological Age Assessment Aging is a highly variable process whose causative factors and biological mechanics are not fully understood (Cox 2000). In addition, ‘biological age’ does not always equate to ‘chronological age’ or ‘social age’ (Lewis 2007) of which adulthood is primarily a culturally defined concept (Cox 2000, Lewis 2007). With this in mind, a multi- method approach was taken (Table 12) to provide a range of estimates. Then each indicator was weighted on reliability. Where only one (less reliable) method was available, then this individual was determined to be only Adult or Subadult.
Table 12: Macroscopic techniques used Pubic symphysis Suchey and Brooks 1990 Auricular surface Lovejoy et al. 1985 Buckberry and Chamberlain 2002 (used for older adults) Dental attrition Miles 1962 Cranial suture closure Meindl and Lovejoy 1985 Sternal Rib ends Işcan and Loth 1984 Işcan et al. 1985 Epiphyseal fusion McKern and Stewart 1957 Owings-Webb and Suchey 1985 Dental eruption Moorees et al. 1963 AlQahtani 2009
Sex Estimation The biological sex of all adult skeletons was based on examination of standard characteristics of the skull and pelvis (Ferembach et al. 1980; Schwartz 1995), with greater emphasis on features of the latter as they are known to be more reliable (Cox and Mays 2000). Measurements of the femoral and humeral heads were employed as secondary indicators (Giles 1970). Adult skeletons were recorded as male, female, probable male (male?), probable female (female?), or indeterminate depending on the degree of sexual dimorphism of features. No attempt was made to sex subadults defined as individuals below 20 years of age, for whom there are no accepted methods (Cox 2000), with the exception of adolescent skeletons whose innominate bones had fused and where preservation was adequate.
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Skeletal condition and completeness The completeness of each skeleton was classified as a percentage of the whole and divided into four groups , 0– 25%, 25–50%, 50–75% and 75+%. The condition of the bone surface of each skeleton was recorded after McKinley (2004, 16) and given an overall summary score.
Metrics Measurements of long bones were used to estimate stature in adults (Trotter 1970). Measurements of other long bones and skulls were taken (where appropriate) and used in the calculation of indices to explore variation in the physical attributes of the population.
Nonmetric The presence or absence of frequently recorded non-metrical cranial and post-cranial traits were scored (Berry and Berry 1967; Schwartz 1995; Hillson 1996).
Dental Dentition was recorded using the Palmer notation. Caries were graded into small (<1mm), medium (2–4 mm) and large (>4 mm). Abscesses were recorded with reference to Dias and Tayles (1997). Periodontal disease and dental enamel hypoplasia were graded using Ogden 2008. Calculus was graded per tooth (flecks, slight, medium, heavy after Brothwell 1981) and recorded as sub and supra gingival.
Pathology Skeletal pathology and/or bony abnormality was described and differential diagnoses explored with reference to standard texts (Ortner and Putschar 1981; Resnick 1995; Aufderheide and Rodriguez-Martin 1998).
Results
The inhumations are discussed as individual burials and summarised in the Grave Catalogue (see at end of human bone report).
SK 2243; Grave 2242 This individual comprised the majority of the skeleton, with all areas represented. The areas absent or poorly represented were the facial and frontal part of the cranium, ribs, vertebral bodies, distal parts of hands and feet. The burial environment had eroded some of the spongy areas of the bone (distal epiphyses, vertebral bodies) and caused layering and flaking to some surfaces.
The morphology of the skull and pelvis concurred with male characteristics. The age at death was estimated to be between 35–45 years, this was based on the auricular surface and dental attrition.
There were 15 teeth available for examination mostly from the mandible. The third molar was absent on the lower left side, probably congenitally (unconfirmed). The right second molar was impacted, orientated medially and not in occlusion. There were some flecks of calculus on the lower left side lingual surface of the premolar and molar teeth.
Stature was calculated from the left femur 1.73m (5ft 6”).
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Few non-metric traits were observable, there was a squatting facet on the left tibia and the calcaneal facet was double. These are both very common findings and may be population specific and/or activity-related (Mays 1998: 110).
There were no observable pathological lesions.
SK 3008; Grave 3007 The skeleton comprised the skull only. The petrous portion, frontal bone, occipital bone and teeth survived. The bone was very powdery and fragmented, layers of bone flaked off. The frontal bone brow ridges were present and the mastoid process wide, both masculine indicators.
There were 22 teeth from the mandible and maxilla, they mostly lacked roots due to the poor preservation. The attrition on the molars was quite high, indicating an older age range for this individual.
SK 3033; Grave 3030 This skeleton survived only as a femoral head and associated fragments. The size of the femoral head tentatively suggested a male individual. There were no age indicators other than the fusion of the femoral head, therefore this individual can only be aged to adult.
Cremated bone deposit 3590
Fragments of white burnt bone were recovered from fill 3590 within ditch 3589.
Total weight 54.1g of cremated bone 10.3g skull – cranial and mandible and tooth 14.1g – limb (animal) 2.2g – bird? 27.5g – mix of unidentified human and animal
The cranial fragments and mandible fragment were all non-adult sized. There was an unerupted first molar crown. All the bones were warped and cracked consistent with combustion on a pyre of fresh green bone.
The molar would place the individual between 2 and 5 years.
The other bones were all questionably human or animal; there were no definitive land marks. Where the bone was considered more probably animal it was from unfused bone, suggesting a non-adult mammal.
The total low weight of cremated bone suggests that this is not the entire individual, as 500g is expected of the cremated remains of a child. Therefore, it is likely that the deposit is a ‘token’ amount, or a cremation-related feature. Truncation and taphonomic factors are also to be considered when determining the quantity of cremated bone originally deposited.
The white colour of the bone suggests a pyre temperature of over 645°C.
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Discussion
These burials represent a small group of individuals from the Roman period. All were probably supine extended in separate graves. The soil conditions were acidic enough to almost completely eroded away the bone for SK 3008. SK 3033 suffered a combination of later disturbance, due to the shallow nature of the grave, and depletion of the bone mineral resulting in soft, fragile bone. SK 2243 was from the deepest grave and the best preserved. The spongy areas of bone were affected by the soil conditions, as were some parts of the bone surface resulting in flaking and other damage.
Sex could only be ascertained with any certainty for SK 2243, male. The other two skeletons were both very tentatively sexed as male. They were all adult individuals, again only SK 2243 could be given a more accurate age estimate 35–45 years, SK 3033 could not be aged beyond adult and SK 3008 was probably in the older age ranges due to the amount of dental attrition.
There was no pathology observed on any of the individuals.
Where teeth were present, these also lacked dental pathology, with only flecks of calculus on the teeth of SK 2243.
The cremated bone deposit in the fill of ditch 3589 was probably from a non-adult individual between 2 and 5 years mixed with the cremated remains of a bird and an immature mammal. The low weight of cremated bone recovered indicated that this was not the entire individual.
Statement of potential and recommendations for further work
The human remains have been recorded, analysed and reported on fully, further osteological work will not be necessary. The results of the human bone analysis will be integrated into the final site phasing. The human bone results can then be reviewed in their correct sequence and placed in their regional and national context.
Radiocarbon dating of the cremated bone will be undertaken in order to have a better understanding of this deposit. The results can then be placed in their site phasing and regional/national context.
The human remains report should be summarised and included in the publication results.
References
AlQahtani, S.J. 2009 Atlas of human tooth development and eruption London, Queen Mary University of London
Aufderheide, A.C and Rodríguez-Martin, C. 1998 The Cambridge encyclopaedia of human palaeopathology Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
Berry, R. and Berry, A. 1967 ‘Epigenetic variation in human cranium’, Journal of Anatomy 101, 361–379
Brickley M. and McKinley, J. 2004 Guidelines to the standards for recording of human remains IFA Paper No 7
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Brothwell, D.R., 1981 Digging up bones Oxford, Oxford University Press
Buckberry, J.L. and Chamberlain, A.T. 2002 ‘Age estimation from the auricular surface of the ilium: a revised method’, American Journal of Physical Anthropology 119, 231–239
Cox, M. 2000 ‘Aging adults from the skeleton’, in Cox, M. and Mays, S. 2000, 61–82
Cox, M. and Mays, S. 2000 Human osteology in Archaeology and forensic science London, Greenwich Medical Media
Dias, G. and Tayles, N. 1997 ‘‘Abscess cavity’- a misnomer’, International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 7, 548– 554.
Ferembach, D., Schwidetzky, I. and Stloukal, M. 1980 ‘Recommendations for age and sex diagnoses of skeletons’, Journal of Human Evolution 9, 517–549
Giles, E. 1970 ‘Discriminant function sexing of the human skeleton’, in Stewart, T.D. (Ed.) 1970 Personal identification in mass disasters Washington, Smithsonian Institution Press, 99–107
Hillson, S. 1996 Dental Anthropology Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
Işcan, M.Y. and Loth, S.R. 1984 ‘Determination of age from the sternal rib in white males’, Journal of Forensic Sciences 31, 122–132
Işcan, M.Y., Loth, S.R. and Scheuerman, E.H. 1985 ‘Determination of age from the sternal rib in white females’, Journal of Forensic Sciences 31, 990–999
Lewis, M. 2007 The bioarchaeology of children: perspectives from biological and forensic anthropology Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
Lovejoy, C.O., Meindl, R.S., Pryzbeck, T.R. and Mensforth, R.P. 1985 ‘Chronological metamorphosis of the auricular surface of the illium: a new method for determination of adult skeletal age-at-death’, American Journal of Physical Anthropology 68, 15–28
Mays, S. 1998 The archaeology of human bones London, Routledge
Mays, S. Brickley, M. and Dodwell, N. 2004 Human bones from archaeological sites - Guidelines for producing assessment documents and analytical reports Swindon, English Heritage
McKern, T.W. and Stewart, T.D. 1957 Skeletal Age Changes in Young American Males, Analysed from the Standpoint of Identification Massachusetts Quartermaster Research and Development Command Technical Report EP-45.
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McKinley, J. 2004 ‘Compiling a skeletal inventory; disarticulated and co-mingled remains’ in Brickley M. and McKinley, J., 2004, 13–16
Meindl, R.S. and Lovejoy, C.O. 1985 ‘Ectocranial suture closure: A revised method for the determination of skeletal age at death based on the lateral-anterior sutures’, American Journal of Physical Anthropology 68, 29–45
Miles, A. 1962 ‘Assessment of age of a population of Anglo-Saxons from their dentition’, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine 55, 881–886
Moorees, C.F.A., Fanning E.A. and Hunt, E.E. 1963 ‘Age variation of formation stages for ten permanent teeth’, Journal of Dental Research 42, 1490–1502
Ogden, A. 2008 ‘Advances in the palaeopathology of teeth and jaws’, in Pinhasi, R. and Mays, S. (eds) 2008 Advances in Human Palaeopathology Chichester, Wiley, 283–307
Ortner, D.J. and Putschar, W.G.J. 1981 Identification of pathological conditions in human skeletal remains Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology 28
Owings-Webb, P.A. and Suchey, J.M. 1985 Epiphyseal union of the anterior iliac crest and medial clavicle in a modern multiracial sample of American males and females. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Volume 68, Issue 4, pages 457–466
Resnick, D. 1995 Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Disorders London, W.B. Saunders Company
Schwartz, J.H. 1995 Skeleton Keys: An introduction to Human Skeletal Morphology, development and analysis Oxford, Oxford University Press
Suchey, J.M. and Brooks, S. 1990 ‘Skeletal age determination based on the os pubis: a comparison of the Acsádi-Nemeskéri and Suchey-Brooks method’, Human Evolution 5, 227–238
Trotter, M. 1970 ‘Estimation of stature from intact limb bones’; in Stewart T.D. (Ed.) 1970 Personal identification in mass disasters Washington, Smithsonian Institution Press, 71–83
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APPENDIX 13: GRAVE CATALOGUE BY SHARON CLOUGH AND SARAH COBAIN
Grave Catalogue
Skeleton no: 2243 Date: 2–129 cal AD (95.4% probability) [Cut]; (Fill): [2242]; (2243) Grave fill finds: None Grave goods: 7 x carpentry nails; 13 hobnails Coffin: Yes, nails and stain present Completeness: 75%+ Preservation: Good (Grade 2) (McKinley 2004) Period: Period 2.1 Early Roman II Age: 35–45 years (Mature adult) Sex: Male Stature: 173cm Position: Supine extended Orientation: NNW–SSE Dental inventory: 15/17, calculus 4/15 Skeletal pathology: None Metrical indices: Platymeric index Femur - L 77.77, R 80. Tibia- L 80.5, R 73.6
Non-metric traits and anomalies: Left and right calcaneus double facet, left tibia squatting facet
Skeleton no: 3008 Date: 249–390 cal AD (95.4% probability) [Cut]; (Fill): [3007]; (3009) Grave fill finds: None Grave goods: None Coffin: unknown Completeness: <25%; Preservation: Moderate (Grade 3) (McKinley 2004) Period: Period 2.3 Middle Roman II Age: Older adult Sex: ??Male Stature: Indeterminable Position: Supine? Skull in upright position Orientation: W-E Dental inventory: 22/0 Skeletal pathology: None Metrical indices: Not available Non-metrical indices: Not available
Skeleton no: 3033 Date: Sample failed (insufficient collagen) [Cut]; (Fill): [3030]; (3031)
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Grave fill finds: None Grave goods: None Coffin: unknown Completeness: <25%; Preservation: Moderate (Grade 3) (McKinley 2004) Period: Period 2.3 Middle Roman II Age: Adult Sex: ??Male Stature: Indeterminable Position: Supine Orientation: NW-SE Dental inventory: None Skeletal pathology: None Metrical indices: Not available Non-metrical indices: Not available Non-metrical indices: Not available
Cremated bone deposit 3590 Date: undated [Cut]; (Fill): [3589]; (3590) Grave fill finds: None Grave goods: None Age: 2–5 years Sex: unknown Stature: unknown Dental inventory: None Skeletal pathology: None Metrical indices: Not available Non-metrical indices: Not available
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APPENDIX 14: PLANT MACROFOSSILS AND CHARCOAL BY SARAH WYLES
Introduction and Methodology
A series of 76 environmental samples (1352 litres of soil) were processed from a range of ditch, gully, pit, posthole, kiln and grave features mainly of Iron Age or Romano-British date 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 13, following nomenclature of Stace (1997) for wild plants, and traditional nomenclature, as provided by Zohary et al. (2012) for cereals.
Results
Period 1.1 Iron Age I No charred plant remains and only a few charcoal fragments greater than 2mm in size were recovered from fill 3756 (sample 87) of ditch B (cut 3754), part of droveway/trackway C.
Period 1.2 Iron Age II Low numbers of charred plant remains were recovered from eight of the ten samples from pit group L, ditches D and H, Enclosure 3, roundhouse S (ditches T, U and V) and pit 3749. The small assemblages included hulled wheat, emmer or spelt (Triticum dicoccum/spelta), and barley (Hordeum vulgare) grain fragments, hazelnut (Corylus avellana) shell fragments and seeds of oats (Avena sp.), meadow grass/cat’s-tails (Poa/Phleum sp.), docks (Rumex sp.), clover/medick (Trifolium/Medicago sp.), mallow (Malva sp.), goosefoot (Chenopodium sp.), vetch/wild pea (Vicia/Lathyrus sp.) and bedstraw (Galium sp.). Small amounts of charcoal were present in nine of these samples. The assemblages from these samples may be the result of wind-blown hearth material. A large quantity of charcoal, including mature wood fragments, was retrieved from fill 3750 (sample 88) of pit 3749.
Period 2.1 Early Romano-British Fill 3304 (samples 64 and 73) of pit 3303 contained moderately large quantities of plant remains. The cereal remains included hulled wheat, emmer or spelt, grain and glume base fragments, barley grains and possible free- threshing wheat (Triticum turgidum/aestivum type) grains. Some of the hulled wheat grains showed traces of germination and some remains were identifiable as being those of spelt wheat (Triticum spelta). The cereal remains may include waste from the processing of stored semi-cleaned grain or spikelets. Spelt wheat is the predominant wheat in this area during the Iron Age and Roman periods (Greig 1991).
The weed seeds included those of oat, brome grass (Bromus sp.), vetch/wild pea, rye-grass/fescue (Lolium/Festuca sp.), docks, black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus), meadow grass/cat’s-tails, goosefoot, clover/medicks, blinks (Montia fontana subsp. Chondrosperma) and scentless mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum). A few fragments of hazelnut shell were also noted. The weed seeds are mainly those typical of grassland, field margins and cultivated ground. A moderately small quantity of charcoal fragments greater than 2mm was recovered from this deposit. The assemblage may be representative of domestic settlement waste.
Moderate assemblages were recorded from fills 3325 and 3326 (samples 65 and 66) of pit 3324, fill 3138 (sample 59) within pit 3137, fill 3183 (sample 60) of pit 3182 and fill 3401 (sample 68) of pit 3399, moderately small assemblages from fill 2193 (sample 10) of pit 2192, fill 2706 (sample 48) of ditch AG (cut 2705) and fill
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2560 (sample 39) of ditch 2559, while only a few remains were recovered from pits 3106 (sample 57), 3574 (sample 80) and 3135 (sample 58) and ditches 2672 (sample 40) and 3327 (sample 67). The charred cereal remains included hulled wheat grain, possible free-threshing wheat grain, and glume base fragments and barley grains. Some of the chaff elements were identifiable as being those of spelt wheat. Other remains included tuber fragments, hazelnut shells, hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) stone, cherry/hawthorn-type thorn, and seeds of oats, brome grass, vetch/wild pea, clover/medick, meadow grass/cat’s-tails, small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), and docks. Charcoal fragments were present in low to moderate levels in these deposits and included round wood fragments. These assemblages may be reflective of dispersed settlement waste.
A few barley grains, hulled wheat glume bases and charcoal fragments were recovered from grave 2242 (sample 12).
Period 2.2 Mid Romano-British
Fills 2125 (sample 6) and 2147 (sample 8) of cut 2126 of kiln AO contained small amounts of both charred plant remains and charcoal. The charred remains included hulled wheat grain and glume base fragments, barley grain and rachis fragments, and seeds of oats, brome grass, clover/medick, docks and ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata). The small charcoal assemblage included round wood fragments.
Large charred plant assemblages were recovered from fills 3090 (sample 55) and 3091 (sample 56) of pit 3088. The cereal remains included hulled wheat and barley grains and glume base fragments, barley grains, culm nodes and coleoptile fragments. Some of the hulled wheat elements were identifiable as being those of spelt wheat. The weed seeds included seeds of vetch/wild pea, oats, brome grass, black bindweed, knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare), clover/medick, docks, scentless mayweed, mallow and meadow grass/cat’s-tails, and capsules of runch (Raphanus raphanistrum). The moderate quantities of charcoal fragments within these samples included round wood fragments. These assemblages may represent dumps of settlement waste.
Small assemblages were noted from pits 2049 (sample 2), 2077 (samples 4 and 7) and 2437 (sample 15). These include hulled wheat and barley grain fragments, seeds of clover/medick, goosefoot, knotgrass and persicaria (Persicaria sp.), and tuber fragments. The low to moderate quantities of charcoal fragments within these samples included round wood fragments. These assemblages may be generally representative of dispersed settlement debris.
Charred plant remains were recovered in low numbers together with small amounts of charcoal fragments from all seven samples from ditches AA (sample 51), AB (sample 49), AD (sample 18), AH (samples 34 and 47), AP (sample 50) and AU (sample 45). These assemblages included hulled wheat grain and glume base fragments, barley grains, free-threshing wheat grains, seeds of celtic beans (Vicia faba), oats, brome grass, vetch/wild pea, docks, persicaria, scentless mayweed, knotgrass and rye grass/fescue, tuber fragments and pips of rowan (Sorbus sp.). Again these assemblages may be generally representative of dispersed settlement hearth debris.
Construction cut 3353 (samples 69, 70 and 71), part of building BA, contained moderately small assemblages of hulled wheat grain and glume base fragments, barley grain fragments, seeds of oat, brome grass, vetch/wild pea, docks, nettles (Urtica sp.), meadow grass/cat’s tails and clover/medick, tuber fragments and charcoal fragments. These assemblages may be representative of dispersed domestic settlement waste.
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Period 2.3 Late Romano-British Only a few remains were recovered from graves 3030 (sample 53) and 3007 (samples 43 and 44). The charred remains included barley and free-threshing wheat grains, and seeds of oat/brome grass and vetch/wild pea.
Spread layer 2797 (sample 46) contained a moderately small assemblage of hulled wheat grain and glume base fragments, barley grain fragments, seeds of vetch/wild pea, goosefoot and stinking mayweed (Anthemis cotula), and charcoal fragments. The chaff elements included those of spelt wheat. This assemblage is likely to be domestic settlement waste material.
Small to moderately small numbers of charred plant remains were recorded in seven of the eight samples and of charcoal fragments in six of the eight samples from Enclosure 9 ditches X (samples 81 and 82), Y (samples 76, 77 and 79) and Z (samples 74, 75 and 78). These assemblages included hulled wheat, barley and free-threshing wheat grain fragments, seeds of oats, brome grass, vetch/wild pea, docks, stitchwort, goosefoots, pea (Pisum sativum) and nettle and hazelnut shell fragments. These assemblages may be representative of dispersed domestic settlement waste.
No charred plant remains and only a few charcoal fragments were recovered from fill 2972 (sample 52) of cut 2971 of ditch AZ, part of Enclosure 8. While charred plant remains were recovered in low numbers from fill 2034 (sample 16) and small amounts of charcoal fragments from fills 2034 (sample 16) and 2114 (sample 5) from ditch AC. The assemblage included barley grains, free-threshing wheat grains and seeds of docks and knotgrass. Again this material may be generally representative of dispersed settlement hearth debris.
Undated Fill 2426 (sample 14) of pit 2424 contained a small number of hulled wheat grain fragments, seeds of oat/brome grass, buttercup (Ranunculus sp.), docks and red bartsia (Odontites vernus), and charcoal fragments.
Low numbers of charred plant remains were observed in the undated pits samples 25 (pit 2382), 29 (pit 2497), 35 (pit 2710) and 37 (pit 2820) and a moderate assemblage in pit 2487 (sample 30). These included barley grain, hulled wheat grain and glume base fragments, seeds of brome grass, vetch/wild pea, oats, rye grass/fescue, small scabious, docks, hazelnut shell fragments and tuber fragments. The chaff elements included those identifiable as being those of spelt wheat. A moderate quantity of charcoal fragments were recovered from fill 2730 (sample 35) of pit 2710 and small quantities from the other samples from pits.
Fill 3264 (sample 62) of posthole 3262 contained a moderate amount of charred remains. These included hulled wheat grain and glume base fragments, barley grain fragments, seeds of vetch/wild pea and oats, and charcoal fragments. The chaff elements again included those identifiable as being those of spelt wheat. Large quantities of charcoal fragments, including round wood pieces, were recovered from fill 3230 (sample 63) of posthole 3229, together with a few buds.
Small number of charred plant remains were noted from fill 2625 (sample 33) of ditch 2624 and fill 3866 (sample 90) of gully 3865. These included barley and hulled wheat grains, seeds of oat/brome and hazelnut shell fragments. A moderate quantity of charcoal was recorded from gully 3865 and small amounts in the sample from ditch 2672.
All these assemblages from undated features would be compatible with an Iron Age or Romano-British date.
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Statement of potential and recommendations for further work
There is potential for further work on a selection of the charred plant and charcoal assemblages from Periods 1 and 2 to include a more detailed analysis of a selection of the charred plant assemblages to provide some information on the nature of the settlement and surrounding landscape, the range of crops and the crop processing activities taking place on site and whether this changed during the Iron Age and Romano-British periods There is an indication of the use of a number of different environments, such as drier areas as favoured by species such as small scabious, heavier clay soils as shown by the presence of species such as stinking mayweed, wetter areas as used by species such as mallow and hedgerow/woodland edge environments typical of species such as hazelnut. There is the potential for comparing these results with other assemblages of a similar date in the wider area, such as at Tiddington (Moffett 1986), Glebe Farm, Bubbenhall (Monckton 1999a), Billesley Manor Farm (Monckton 1999b), and Park Farm Barford (Moffett 1989).
The charcoal assemblages have the potential to provide information on the species selection and the exploitation and management of the local woodland resource. Some, such as the assemblage from kiln 2126 AO may also assist in defining the function of these features. There is the potential for comparing these results with other assemblages of a similar date in the wider area.
Samples recommended for further plant macrofossil and charcoal work are outlined in Table 13.
References
Greig, J. 1991 ‘The British Isles’, in van Zeist, W., Wasylikowa, K. and Behre, K-E. (eds) Progress in Old World Palaeoethnobotany Rotterdam, Balkema, 229–334
Moffett, L.C., 1986 Crops and crop processing in a Romano-British village at Tiddington: the evidence from the charred plant remains Ancient Monument Laboratory Report, New Series 15/86
Moffett L C. 1989 Charred plant remains from an Iron Age defended enclosure at Park Farm, Barford, Warwickshire Ancient Monument Laboratory Report, New Series 92/89
Monckton, A., 1999a Charred plant remains from a Romano-British farmstead at Glebe Farm, Bubbenhall, Warwickshire Ancient Monument Laboratory Report, New Series 24/99
Monckton, A., 1999b Charred plant remains from corn driers and other contexts of a Romano-British settlement site at Billesley Manor Farm, Warwickshire Ancient Monument Laboratory Report, New Series 25/99
Stace, C. 1997 New flora of the British Isles Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
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 Oxford, Clarendon Press
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Table 13 Assessment table of the palaeoenvironmental remains
Feature number number Context Sample Processed volume (L) Unprocessed volume (L) Flot (ml) size % Roots Grain Chaff Cereal Notes Charred Other Notes for Table Charcoal 4/2mm > Other Analysis Period 1.1 - Iron Age I Ditch B - part of droveway/trackway C 3754 3756 87 14 20 5 10 ------/* - Period 1.2 - Iron Age II Pit group L 3820 3819 86 17 20 5 20 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags * Avena, Poa/Phleum */* - P Ditch D Trifolium/Medicago, Malva, Vicia/Lathyrus, 2667 2668 41 18 0 10 40 * - Hulled wheat grain frag ** Chenopodium, Poa/Phleum, Rumex, parenchyma */** - P Ditch H 3069 3071 54 18 10 5 20 - - - * Avena */** - Enclosure 3 2084 2087 23 18 10 5 50 * - Indet. grain frags - - -/* - 2088 2090 3 19 20 10 20 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags * Chenopodium, Galium, Parenchyma */* - P 2119 2121 21 16 10 5 60 ------/* - Roundhouse S (ditch T) 2374 2376 26 20 10 5 50 * - Indet. grain frags - - -/* - Roundhouse S (ditch U) 2262 2238 28 17 10 5 20 * - Hulled wheat grain frags - - -/* - Roundhouse S (ditch V) 2240 2241 27 22 0 3 35 ------/* - Pit 3749 3750 88 14 0 100 5 - - - ** Corylus avellana shell frags ***/**** - C Period 2.1 - Early Roman Curvilinear gully 3327 3329 67 20 10 5 20 * - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags - - */* -
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Feature number number Context Sample Processed volume (L) Unprocessed volume (L) Flot (ml) size % Roots Grain Chaff Cereal Notes Charred Other Notes for Table Charcoal 4/2mm > Other Analysis Pits Avena, Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Trifolium/Medicago, 2192 2193 10 18 0 25 50 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags ** Rumex, tuber */** - P C 3106 3107 57 7 0 5 10 * - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags * Rumex */** - 3135 3136 58 10 0 5 50 * - Barley grain frags * Avena/Bromus */** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base Vicia/Lathyrus, Avena/Bromus, Trifolium/Medicago, 3137 3139 59 12 0 40 20 *** * frags *** Rumex, Poa/Phleum, Lolium/Festuca, Stellaria */** - P Avena, Bromus, Stellaria, Trifolium/Medicago, 3182 3183 60 19 10 25 50 *** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags ** Corylus avellana shell frag */** - P Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base silicaeous 3304 64 20 10 10 50 ** * ** Avena, Vicia/Lathyrus, Corylus avellana shell frag */** P frags inc. spelt material 3303 Avena, Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Lolium/Festuca, Hulled wheat, barley + ?f-t wheat grain frags. Rumex, Fallopia, Poa/Phleum, Chenopodium, silicaeous 3304 73 20 10 30 30 *** - Some trace of germination **** Trifolium/Medicago, Tripleurospermum, Montia **/** material P 3325 65 20 10 10 20 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags ** Avena/Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Scabiosa */** - Avena/Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Chenopodium, 3324 Rumex, Poa/Phleum, Trifolium/Medicago, 3326 66 14 10 20 25 *** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags *** Crataegus */** - P Avena, Vicia/Lathyrus, Prunus/Crataegus type 3399 3401 68 15 10 20 10 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags ** thorn **/*** - 3574 3511 80 15 0 5 50 * - Indet. grain frag * Avena, Vicia/Lathyrus -/* - Ditch AG Vicia/Lathyrus, Rumex, Trifolium/Medicago, 2705 2706 48 20 0 30 50 ** - Barley + hulled wheat grain frags ** Crataegus */** - P Ditches Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base 2559 2560 39 20 0 60 60 ** * frags inc. spelt * Avena/Bromus, Rumex */** - 2672 2673 40 19 0 7 40 * - Hulled + ?f-t wheat grain frags * Vicia/Lathyrus */* - Grave sk2243 11 1 0 1 50 ------2242 sk2243 12 36 0 7 30 * * Barley grain frags, glume base frags - - */** -
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Feature number number Context Sample Processed volume (L) Unprocessed volume (L) Flot (ml) size % Roots Grain Chaff Cereal Notes Charred Other Notes for Table Charcoal 4/2mm > Other Analysis Period 2.2 - Middle Roman I Kiln AO Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base, 2125 6 19 0 25 20 ** * rachis frag * Avena, Bromus */** - 2126 Avena, Bromus, Plantago, Rumex, 2147 8 9 0 10 20 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags ** Trifolium/Medicago */** - P C 2159 9 19 0 10 50 ------/* - Pits Persicaria, Polygonum, Trifolium/Medicago, 2049 2051 2 17 10 30 25 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags ** Chenopodium */* - 2108 4 19 20 30 50 * - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags - - */* - 2077 2078 7 17 0 40 20 * - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags * Tuber frags, stem frags */** - 2437 2440 15 20 20 5 50 * - Indet. grain frag - - -/* - 3222 3224 61 16 10 5 50 ------/** - Fallopia, Polygonum, Raphanus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base Avena/Bromus, Trifolium/Medicago, Rumex, 3088 3090 55 20 20 50 20 **** ** frag inc. spelt, coleoptile **** Poa/Phleum, Tripleurospermum **/*** - P C Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base Vicia/Lathyrus, Avena/Bromus, Trifolium/Medicago, 3091 56 20 20 40 20 **** ** frags inc. spelt, culm node **** Rumex, Poa/Phleum, Malva **/*** - Ditch AA 2876 2877 51 20 10 15 30 - * Rachis frag * Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus **/** - Ditch AB 2874 2875 49 20 10 20 70 - - - * Vicia/Lathyrus */* - Ditch AD 2018 2019 18 18 10 25 50 * - Barley grain frags * Lolium/Festuca */* - Ditch AH Avena, Bromus, Persicaria, Rumex, Poa/Phleum, 2641 2649 34 16 0 10 25 *** - Barley + hulled wheat grain frags ** Tripleurospermum, tuber frags */** - P 2707 2708 47 20 0 25 50 ** - Barley + hulled wheat grain frags ** ?Vicia faba, Avena/Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Rumex */** - Ditch AP
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Feature number number Context Sample Processed volume (L) Unprocessed volume (L) Flot (ml) size % Roots Grain Chaff Cereal Notes Charred Other Notes for Table Charcoal 4/2mm > Other Analysis 2718 2719 50 20 10 10 30 * * F-t wheat + barley grain frags, glume base frag * Avena */* - Ditch AU Vicia faba, Avena/Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Sorbus 2503 2504 45 20 0 10 50 * * Hulled wheat grain frags, glume base frag ** pips */** - P C Building BA (construction cut) 3354 69 20 20 10 30 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags * Avena */** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base Avena, Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Rumex, Urtica, 3353 3374 71 19 0 10 20 ** * frags ** Poa/Phleum -/** - P 3356 70 18 0 5 20 * - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags * Trifolium/Medicago, tuber */* - Period 2.3 – Middle Roman II Graves 3030 3031 53 17 0 20 25 * - Barley grain frags * Avena/Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus */** - 3009 43 30 0 150 75 ------/* - 3007 3009 44 63 0 100 75 * - F-t wheat grain frag * Avena/Bromus */* - Spread Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base - 2797 46 20 0 25 50 ** * frags inc. spelt ** Vicia/Lathyrus, Chenopodium, Anthemis cotula */** - P Enclosure 9 (ditch X) 3477 81 16 10 5 40 * - Hulled wheat grain frag * Bromus */* - 3476 3568 82 18 0 30 75 ------Enclosure 9 (ditch Y) 3478 3479 79 20 10 10 30 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags * Vicia/Lathyrus */** - 3507 76 20 0 5 60 * - Hulled wheat grain frag * Avena/Bromus */* - 3506 Avena, Vicia/Lathyrus, Rumex, Stellaria, 3508 77 20 10 7 50 ** - Hulled wheat + barley grain frags ** Chenopodium, Corylus avellana shell frag **/** - P C Enclosure 9 (ditch Z) 3443 74 20 10 5 20 * - Hulled wheat grain frags * Vicia/Lathyrus, ?Pisum sativum */* 3442 3446 75 20 10 3 50 * - Barley + f-t wheat grain frags - - - - 3558 3561 78 20 10 10 40 * - Hulled wheat grain frags * Rumex, Utica */** - Ditch AC
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Feature number number Context Sample Processed volume (L) Unprocessed volume (L) Flot (ml) size % Roots Grain Chaff Cereal Notes Charred Other Notes for Table Charcoal 4/2mm > Other Analysis 2057 2034 16 20 10 25 65 * - Barley grain frags * Rumex, Polygonum, */* - 2113 2114 5 3 0 5 25 ------/* - Ditch AZ 2971 2972 52 20 20 120 65 - - - - - */* - Undated Pits Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, Lolium/Festuca, Scabiosa, 2382 2384 25 17 10 25 50 ** - Barley + hulled wheat grain frags ** tubers **/** - 2424 2426 14 9 0 10 50 * - Hulled wheat grain frags ** Avena/Bromus, Ranunculus, Rumex, Odontites */** - 2487 2488 30 17 0 25 30 *** - Barley + hulled wheat grain frags ** Avena, Bromus, tuber frags **/*** - ?P C 2497 2498 29 18 10 10 50 * - Barley grain frags * Avena/Bromus */** - 2710 2730 35 16 0 35 10 - - - ** Corylus avellana shell frags **/**** - 2817 2819 36 12 0 10 50 - - - - - */** - Hulled wheat grain frags, glume base frags inc. Lolium/Festuca, Rumex, Bromus, Vicia/Lathyrus, 2820 2836 37 12 0 15 50 ** * spelt ** tuber frags -/* - P 2884 2885 38 16 0 5 50 ------/* - 3737 3739 84 16 10 50 75 - - - - - */* - Postholes 3229 3230 63 5 0 185 5 - - - * Buds *****/***** - ?C+ Hulled wheat + barley grain frags, glume base 3262 3264 62 4 0 100 25 **** ** frags inc. spelt ** Avena, Vicia/Lathyrus **/*** - ?P C Ditch 2624 2625 33 19 20 10 10 * - Barley + hulled wheat grain frags * Avena/Bromus */** - Gully 3865 3866 90 18 20 75 25 * - Hulled wheat grain frags * Corylus avellana shell frags **/**** -
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APPENDIX 15: RADIOCARBON DATING BY SARAH COBAIN
Radiocarbon dating was undertaken in order to confirm the dates of skeletons 2243, 3008 and 3033. Unfortunately the bone from skeleton 3033 was poorly preserved and did not contain sufficient collagen to yield a radiocarbon date. The remaining two samples were analysed during August 2016 at Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, Glasgow, G75 0QF, Scotland. The uncalibrated dates are conventional radiocarbon ages. The radiocarbon ages were calibrated using the University of Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit calibration programme OxCal 4.2 (Bronk Ramsey 2013) using the IntCal13 curve (Reimer et al. 2013) (Table 14).
References
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2013 ‘Recent and Planned Developments of the Program OxCal’, Radiocarbon 55, 720–730
Reimer, P.J., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Blackwell, P.G., Bronk Ramsey, C., Grootes, P.M., Guilderson, T.P., Haflidason, H., Hajdas, I., HattŽ, C., Heaton, T.J., Hoffmann, D.L., Hogg, A.G., Hughen, K.A., Kaiser, K.F., Kromer, B., Manning, S.W., Niu, M., Reimer, R.W., Richards, D.A., Scott, E.M., Southon, J.R., Staff, R.A., Turney, C.S.M., & van der Plicht, J. 2013 ‘IntCal13 and Marine13 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves 0–50,000 Years cal BP’, Radiocarbon 55, 1869–1887
Table 14 Radiocarbon dating results and graph
Feature Lab No. Material δ 13C δ 13N C/N Radiocarbon Calibrated Calibrated ratio age radiocarbon age radiocarbon age 95.4% probability 68.2% probability Skeleton 2243 SUERC- Human bone - -20.9‰ 10.9‰ 3.2 1939 ± 29 yr BP 2–129 cal AD 24–86 cal AD Grave 2242 68565 Humerus (95.4%) (68.2%)
Skeleton 3008 SUERC- Human bone - -22.6‰ 11.6‰ 3.4 1720 ± 29 yr BP 249–390 cal AD 258–285 cal AD Grave 3007 68569 Cranium (95.4%) (22.7%) 290–295 cal AD (3.2%) 322–358 cal AD (29.0%) 363–381 cal AD (13.3%) Skeleton 3033 SUERC- Human bone - Failed; insufficient collagen. No suitable replacement. Grave 3030 N/A Femur
Graph 1 Calibrated radiocarbon dates
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APPENDIX 16: OASIS REPORT FORM
PROJECT DETAILS
Project Name Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire Short description A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between January and July 2015 at the
request of Taylor Wimpey West Midlands at Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire. A total of 1.99ha was excavated across the development area.
The excavation revealed archaeological activity dating from the Iron Age and through the Roman period. Two phases of Iron Age activity were identified on site with the first phase comprising a droveway/trackway which extended north-south across the site with the second phase included the development of an Iron Age enclosed farmstead with associated roundhouse, small oval enclosure and storage/waste pits. Occupation on the site continued into the Early and Middle Roman periods and comprised the remodelling of the enclosure into a farmstead of complex form. Features within the farmstead included small enclosures, a building, well, ditches/gullies, a possible pottery manufacture kiln and a series of pits and postholes.
A large assemblage of pottery along with quantities of ceramic building material, clay tobacco pipe, flint, fired clay, glass, metalwork, metalworking debris and worked stone was recovered from the site. The majority of the pottery dates to the Iron Age and Early/Middle Roman periods, with a single residual sherd of Beaker pottery, and a small number of post-medieval sherds also recovered. Artefacts of note include a Langton Down type brooch, a fragment of a possible (loom)weight and two adjoining fragments of a mill stone.
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 5 January to 24 July 2015 Project type Excavation
Previous work Geophysical Survey (AS 2012) Field evaluation (WA 2012)
Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire Study area (M2/ha) 1.99ha Site co-ordinates SP 2681 6057
PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator N/A Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology, in conjunction with Anna Stocks (Warwickshire County Council Planning Archaeologist) Project Manager Derek Evans Project Supervisor Julian Newman
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MONUMENT TYPE Iron Age Enclosure Romano-British Farmstead SIGNIFICANT FINDS Langton Down type copper alloy brooch PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content (e.g. pottery, (museum/Accession no.) animal bone etc)
Physical Warwickshire Museum Pottery, ceramic building material, burnt/fired clay, clay tobacco pipe, flint, metalwork, metalworking debris, worked stone, animal bone, human bone, plant macrofossils, charcoal Paper Warwickshire Museum Context sheets, skeleton sheets, registers, plans, sections, matrices Digital Warwickshire Museum Database, digital photos, site survey BIBLIOGRAPHY
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2017 Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design CA Report 17048
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SP N Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
RE PROJECT TITLE W SHI O WARWICKSHIRE N RC O Land off Westham Lane, Barford, ES T T P E Warwickshire R M S A H H IR T FIGURE TITLE E R O N Site location plan
D0 1km
FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the 2004 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 GLOUCESTERSHIRE OXFORDSHIRE the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller CHECKED BY RP DATE 27-01-2017 of Her Majesty's Stationery Office c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1 2 270 7 0
cursus
Sherbourne cursus
n vo A r ve Ri
Barford
inset
River Avon
Hampton Lucy (EWA9907) site excavated features cropmarks 559090
01:5,000 250m Wasperton
Wasperton (HERMWA957)
SPSP
Andover 01264 347630 N Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 crop marks Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk Gravel e [email protected] PROJECT TITLE Alluvium Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Mercia Mudstone Warwickshire FIGURE TITLE urban extent Cropmarks and geology along the Avon valley, including the excavation site FIGURE NO. 01:25,000 1km DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 Illustration based on Warwickshire County Council Report 1046. CHECKED BY DATE 8000 Years at Barford: The Archaeology of the A429 Barford Bypass, AO 17.02.2017 Warwickshire, 2005-7 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A4 1:25,000 2 P:\669022 Westham Road, Barford PXA\Illustration\Drafts\669022 Westham Lane Barford Fig 3.dwg SP 606 605 0 T1
T6 1:2000 A429 T2 T3 T5 T4 14 T8 20
100m WESTHAM LANE WESTHAM T7 T10 T9
12 T11 267 T15 T12 T13 9 T14 T16 T19 T18 T17 Mill End 14 20 2a 32 2 Shelter Pear Tree Cottage 2
20 WELLESBOURNE ROAD WELLESBOURNE
13 WESTHAM LANE WESTHAM 15 WELLESBOURNE ROAD 12 WELLESBOURNE 607 1
12 268
MILL LANE 11 9 15 HEMMINGS 19
MILL 6 3 1
2 New 1a
House 5 4
1 Steeds Court 1 6
5 269 4 4a 6 20 12 8 32 2 1 Shelter Pear Tree Cottage 3 2
9 WELLESBOURNE ROAD WELLESBOURNE 11
13 15 WELLESBOURNE ROAD WELLESBOURNE Sub El Sta 11a 15a Land off Westham Lane, Barford, CHECKED BY evaluation trench inset DRAWN BY FIGURE TITLE PROJECT TITLE Warwickshire APPROVED BY All feature plan, with geophysics and Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital mapping with permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller Her Majesty's Stationery Office &URZQFRS\ULJKW&RWVZROG$UFKDHRORJ\/WG 0 Archaeological Surveys (2012) Geophysical Survey Results RP DJB SC modern evaluation trench excavation area archaeological feature site boundary tree-throw pit furrow SCALE@A3 DATE PROJECT NO. 1:1000 1:1000 (inset 1:2000) 669022 27-01-2017 e Milton Keynes Exeter w Cirencester Andover [email protected] www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk 01908 564660 01392 826185 01285 771022 01264 347630 FIGURE NO. 50m 3 12 9 2 268 6 8
14
Enclosure 1 20 Enclosure 3
Enclosure 2 droveway C
ditch A
ditch B
660606
ditch T
roundhouse S pit group ditch D/E BN 2993
ditch V
ditch U
ditch I ditch J
ditch H
pit group K B
B
2354
2385
ditch D
3655
ditch E
3659 3749 pit A group A L 3827 3820
SP
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 N Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 excavated/unexcavated Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk Site boundary Period 1.1: Iron Age I e [email protected] WESTHAM LANE PROJECT TITLE excavation area Period 1.2: Iron Age II (Enclosures 1, 2 & 3) Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire tree-throw pit FIGURE TITLE furrow The Site, showing Iron Age features modern intrusion 01:500 25m
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the digital Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission CHECKED BY RP DATE 27-01-2017 of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A3 1:500 4 c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109 12 9 2 268 6 8 Enclosure 7
ditch AD 14 ditch AC
Enclosure 6 ditch AD Enclosure 4
AArearea 1 ditch AC Enclosure20 8
Enclosure 5 ditch AA 2421
Enclosure 9 ditch AB
AArearea 3 2077 ditch BJ ditch G AreaArea 24 2710 ditch AE spreadspread 2844 2043 ditch AU 2817 2624
ditch AG ditch AB spread 2634
2132 3596 ditch AH 2049 2914 2740 2989 ditch AP pit 2626 2884 spread 2797 ditch AF
Kiln AO ditch AY/AZ grave 2242 ditch AV ditch AU 660606 grave ditch AP 3007 2820 ditch G 2192
2382 3399 ditch BJ spread 2224 ditch AH 3386 ditch AS
2943
ditch AR ditch BL
3088 2437 grave 3030 3148 3135 3137 3106 3229 3182 ditch AU
3262 3254 ditch AQ C C ditch BK 3258 ditch BD 3327 well BB
33589303 3303 E ditch BO ditch X 3324 building BA ditch AW D B 3434 ditch BE E spread ditch Y/Z 2489 B 2424 3561 2487 D ditch AU 3222 3484 3343
3188 2643 ditch AY/AZ 2659 2559
2497 ditch AH 3737
25722672
A A
ditch AG
ditch N 3865
SP
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 N Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 excavated/unexcavated Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk Site boundary Period 2.1: Early Roman (Enclosures 4 & 5) e [email protected] WESTHAM LANE PROJECT TITLE excavation area Period 2.2: Mid Roman I (Enclosures 4, 6 & 7) Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire tree-throw pit Period 2.3: Mid Roman II (Enclosures 8 & 9) FIGURE TITLE furrow Period 3: Medieval/post-medieval The Site, showing Roman and later undated 0 25m features modern intrusion spread
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the digital Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission CHECKED BY RP DATE 27-01-2017 of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A3 1:500 5 c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109 Section AA
W E 45.25m AOD
3793 3795 3797 3799 ditch AH (cut 3798)
ditch B ditch AG (cut 3796) (cut 3790) ditch B 3792 (recut 3794)
3791
01m1:20
Ditches B, AG, and AH, looking north (scales 1m)
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire FIGURE TITLE Section AA, with photograph
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY AO DATE 27-01-2017 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A4 1:20 6 Section BB
SW NE 45.2m AOD
2364 2355 2361 2357 2356 2365
ditch BO 2358 (cut 2363) 2359 2362
pit 2354 (pit group K) ditch BK (cut 2360)
01m1:20
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected] Pit 2354 (pit group K) and ditches BK and BO looking north-west (scale 2m) PROJECT TITLE Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire FIGURE TITLE Section BB, with photograph
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY AO DATE 27-01-2017 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A3 1:20 7 Section CC
W E 45.0m AOD
3242 3242
3241 3241 3462 well BB 3239 (construction cut 3238) well BB (construction robber cut cut 3238) robber cut 3606 3606 3239
well lining 3240
01m1:20
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected] Construction cut 3238 for well BB, looking west (scale 1m) Well BB, looking south (scale 0.5m) PROJECT TITLE Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire FIGURE TITLE Section CC, with photographs
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY RP DATE 27-01-2017 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A3 1:20 8 Section DD
N S 45.3m AOD
2312 3306 3308 3310 ditch AW 2314 (recut 2311) ditch AY (cut 3309) ditch AW pit (cut 2313) 3305
ditch AZ (cut 3307)
01m1:20
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected] West facing section through pit 3305 and ditches AZ, AY, and AY (scale 2m) PROJECT TITLE Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire FIGURE TITLE Section DD, with photograph
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY RP DATE 27-01-2017 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A3 1:20 9 Section EE
S N 45.5m AOD
3490 3488 3492 ditch X (cut 3489)
3573
ditch Z ditch Y (cut 3489) (cut 3491) 3571 3572
01m1:20
East facing section through Enclosure 9: ditches X, Y and Z (scale 2m)
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire FIGURE TITLE Section EE, with photograph
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY RP DATE 27-01-2017 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A4 1:20 10 11 12
11 Skeleton 2243 (scale 1m) 12 Building BA looking west (scales 2m) 13 Kiln AO, looking south (scale 1m)
13
Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE Land off Westham Lane, Barford, Warwickshire FIGURE TITLE Photographs: building BA, skeleton 2243 and kiln AO
DRAWN BY DJB PROJECT NO. 669022 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY AO DATE 27-01-2017 APPROVED BY SC SCALE@A3 N/A 11-13
101