Palaeoecology Research Services

Evaluation of biological remains from excavations at Millfield Farm, Wheldrake (nr ), North ,

a site on the Elvington to Riccall water pipeline (site code: ERP02)

by

Allan Hall, Deborah Jaques and John Carrott

PRS 2003/19

Palaeoecology Research Services Unit 8, Dabble Duck Industrial Estate Shildon, County Durham DL4 2RA

Palaeoecology Research Services PRS 2003/19

Evaluation of biological remains from excavations at Millfield Farm, Wheldrake (nr York), , a site on the Elvington to Riccall water pipeline (site code: ERP02)

by

Allan Hall, Deborah Jaques and John Carrott

Summary

Sixteen sediment samples (of twenty-seven collected), two fragments of hand-collected shell, and a single box of hand- collected bone, recovered from excavations at Millfield Farm, Wheldrake (nr York), North Yorkshire, a site encountered along the route of the Elvington to Riccall water pipeline, were submitted to PRS for an evaluation of their bioarchaeological potential. The deposits were mainly of Romano-British date, but the nature of the excavation (i.e. within the area designated for the pipeline) made detailed phasing of the site impossible. Three broad phases of activity were tentatively identified as ?pre-dating the Romano-British settlement (Phase 1), Romano-British (Phase 2), and indicative of medieval agriculture (Phase 3).

Fourteen of the samples were processed for the recovery of plant and invertebrate macrofossils. All of the resulting washovers consisted of (at most) a few cm3 of material, much of it small clasts of concreted sediment (perhaps pan?). With this were small amounts of charcoal, coal, and sometimes traces of cinder-like material and a very few charred plant remains, thought mostly to be ancient. The uncharred seeds and roots present in most samples were clearly modern. No invertebrate remains were recovered from the samples. The residues were all mostly of stones and sand and, with the exception of occasional fragments of unidentified bone, were barren of biological remains.

One box of hand-collected bone was recovered from excavations, the bulk of which was recovered from Phase 2 deposits. All of the major domesticates, i.e. cattle, caprovid, and pig were identified, whilst additionally dog and horse bones were present. Preservation was rather variable and very few fragments were recovered that could provide biometrical and age-at-death data.

No further work on the current material is recommended. In view of the fact that this evaluation has most probably encountered only the periphery of the main settlement area, any future excavation at the site should allow for the recovery of additional hand-collected material, and the collection and assessment of further samples of well-stratified archaeological deposits for biological remains.

KEYWORDS: MILLFIELD FARM; WHELDRAKE (NR YORK); NORTH YORKSHIRE; ELVINGTON TO RICCALL PIPELINE; NORTH YORKSHIRE; EVALUATION; ROMANO-BRITISH (AND ?EARLIER) TO MEDIEVAL; CHARRED PLANT REMAINS; SHELL; VERTEBRATE REMAINS

Contact address for authors: Prepared for:

Palaeoecology Research Services Northern Archaeological Associates Unit 8 15 Redwell Court Dabble Duck Industrial Estate Harmire Road Shildon Barnard Castle County Durham DL4 2RA County Durham DL12 8BN

4 March 2003

Palaeoecology Research Services 2003/19 Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline

Evaluation of biological remains from excavations at Millfield Farm, Wheldrake (nr York), North Yorkshire, a site on the Elvington to Riccall water pipeline (site code: ERP02)

Introduction All sixteen of the submitted sediment samples An archaeological evaluation excavation was were inspected in the laboratory and their carried out by Northern Archaeological lithologies were recorded, using a standard Associates at Millfield Farm, Wheldrake (nr pro forma. Fourteen of the samples were York), North Yorkshire (NGR SE 668 443), selected for processing, following the during June 2002. This work was undertaken procedures of Kenward et al. (1980; 1986), for in association with the construction of a water recovery of plant and invertebrate pipeline between Elvington and Riccall. macrofossils.

The archaeological features encountered were The washovers resulting from processing were four graves and several pits and ditches, examined for plant and invertebrate forming the edge of a multi-phased enclosure, macrofossils. The residues were examined for with an associated trackway. The area of larger plant macrofossils and other biological excavation was dictated by the route of the and artefactual remains. pipeline and formed a narrow strip across one corner of the settlement. This limiting of the The hand-collected shell fragments were excavation area prevented detailed phasing of examined and a brief record made. the site but three broad phases of activity could be tentatively identified. For the hand-collected vertebrate remains that were recorded, data were entered directly into Phase 1: mostly ditch features perhaps a series of tables using a purpose-built input representing early activity predating the main system and Paradox software. Subjective period of settlement. records were made of the state of preservation, colour of the fragments, and the appearance of Phase 2: the main period of activity broken surfaces (‘angularity’). Brief notes comprising the Romano-British (most of the were made concerning fragment size, dog recovered pottery was Roman of the 3rd to 4th gnawing, burning, butchery and fresh breaks century AD) settlement, trackway ditches and where applicable. graves. Where possible, fragments were identified to Phase 3: medieval agricultural activity species or species group using the PRS represented by a series of plough furrows and modern comparative reference collection. a field boundary ditch. Fragments not identifiable to species were described as the ‘unidentified’ fraction. Sixteen sediment samples (‘GBA’/‘BS’ sensu Within this fraction fragments were grouped Dobney et al. 1992), from a total of twenty- into a number of categories: large mammal seven collected, two fragments of hand- (assumed to be cattle, horse or large cervid), collected shell (from Context 200), and a medium-sized mammal (assumed to be single small box of hand-collected bone, were caprovid, pig or small cervid) and totally submitted to PRS for an evaluation of their unidentifiable. bioarchaeological potential.

Methods

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Palaeoecology Research Services 2003/19 Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline

Results very poor preservation, whilst material from 19 was recorded as ‘fair’. Many of the more Sediment samples poorly preserved fragments had very degraded surfaces, which was primarily a consequence All of the washovers consisted of (at most) a of chemical erosion while in the ground. Other few cm3 of material, much of it concreted bones were rather brittle and had split in to sediment (perhaps pan?), in clasts of no more layers (Contexts 407 and 471). Tooth enamel, than about 1 mm in size. With this were small which normally survives in the most adverse amounts of charcoal, coal, and sometimes conditions, was, in some cases, very degraded traces of cinder-like material and a very few (Contexts 264, 437 and 449). Only six charred plant remains, thought mostly to be contexts produced bones that were well ancient. The uncharred seeds and roots present preserved. Fragmentation was extensive and in most samples were clearly modern. No largely the result of fresh breakage damage. invertebrate remains were recovered from the Evidence of dog gnawing was present but samples. minimal.

The residues were all mostly of stones and The poor preservation and extensive sand, ranged from 0.3 to 0.6 kg in dry weight, fragmentation resulted in few identifiable and, with the exception of occasional fragments. Many of the bones recovered could fragments of unidentified bone, were barren of only be identified to categories such as large biological remains. or medium-sized mammal. Identified fragments indicated a restricted range of The results of the evaluation of the samples species, which included cattle, horse, caprovid are summarised in Table 1. and pig. A single dog mandible was also recovered (from Context 215). The most numerous elements identified for both cattle Hand-collected shell and caprovid were isolated teeth and other elements of denser bone, which are more Only two small fragments of very eroded robust and generally survive better. Skeletal ?oyster (cf. Ostrea edulis L.) shell were element representation is, therefore, more recovered, both from Context 200 (topsoil). likely to reflect the preservational conditions rather than any particular disposal patterns.

Hand-collected bone In total, 12 measurable fragments and six mandibles with teeth in situ, of use for A single box (approximately 20 litres) of providing biometrical and age-at-death data, hand-collected bone was recovered from the were recorded. site. The hand-collected animal bone assemblage amounted to 666 fragments representing 39 deposits, of which 25 were Discussion and statement of potential assigned to Phase 2; no bone was recovered from Phase 3 deposits. The bulk of the It is evident from the extremely small amounts assemblage was retrieved from ditch fills. of material (allowing for the size of the Table 2 shows the number of fragments by samples processed) that these deposits will not species by phase. repay further analysis in their own right, nor does it seem likely that further deposits from Preservation of the bones was quite varied the site will be likely to furnish more useful between contexts. Fragments from 14 of the assemblages. The presence of small amounts deposits were described as being of poor or of charred ?heather root/twig (and some other

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Palaeoecology Research Services 2003/19 Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline charred remains: root/rhizome fragments and recovery of additional hand-collected material, unidentified herbaceous material) is of interest and the collection of further samples of well- however. This kind of material is being stratified archaeological deposits, for recorded from many late prehistoric and assessment. Romano-British sites in the southern (and especially south-eastern) (and elsewhere: see Hall 2003) and it is thought Retention and disposal that it may represent remains from the burning of peat and/or turves. The deposits examined All of the remaining unprocessed sediment for this evaluation thus have a value in adding samples and the hand-collected material may to the corpus of records for such material in be discarded unless they are required for other the area and more than justify the investment purposes. in this investigation of plant remains. The retention of any unprocessed material does not, however, seem worthwhile. Archive

The two very poorly preserved fragments of All material is currently stored by shell were recovered from a topsoil layer and Palaeoecology Research Services (Unit 8, of no interpretative value. Dabble Duck Industrial Estate, Shildon, County Durham), along with paper and The bone assemblage recovered from this site electronic records pertaining to the work was too poorly preserved and fragmented to described here. be of much interpretative value. Clearly the ditches were convenient places for the dumping of rubbish, but whether or not this Acknowledgements was the primary place of deposition could not be confidently ascertained because of the poor condition of some of the fragments. However, The authors are grateful to Peter Cardwell and evidence of dog gnawing was minimal, and Phil Neal of Northern Archaeological this may suggest that the bones were quickly Associates for providing the material and the incorporated into the deposits and not easily archaeological information. accessible for scavenging.

These deposits show little potential for the References preservation of a vertebrate assemblage of sufficient size to provide useful archaeological Dobney, K., Hall, A. R., Kenward, H. K. and Milles, A. (1992). A working classification of sample types for and zooarchaeological data. Additionally, environmental archaeology. Circaea, the Journal of the dating of the deposits appears rather uncertain Association for Environmental Archaeology 9 (for beyond the broad category of Romano-British. 1991), 24-6.

Hall, A. (2003). Recognition and characterisation of Recommendations turves in archaeological occupation deposits by means of macrofossil plant remains. Centre for Archaeology No further work on the current material is Report (awaiting confirmation of report number). recommended. Kenward, H. K., Hall, A. R. and Jones, A. K. G. (1980). A tested set of techniques for the extraction of In view of the fact that this evaluation has plant and animal macrofossils from waterlogged most probably encountered only the periphery archaeological deposits. Science and Archaeology 22, of the main settlement area, any future 3-15. excavation at the site should allow for the

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Palaeoecology Research Services 2003/19 Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline

Kenward, H. K., Engleman, C., Robertson, A. and Large, F. (1986). Rapid scanning of urban archaeological deposits for insect remains. Circaea 3, 163–172.

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R

- p b (2) ); Tg=wheat ); Tg=wheat other

bone and materials - b ume of unprocessed Triticum other plants

charred - chd rr chd Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline to Ricall Elvington Evaluation: further action (i.e description aximum dimensions (in mm). Other components on-Riccall water pipeline,. Key: st five columns as: ch—charcoal s cereal - ?T ce ?Ca - 5 5 root/basal twig fragments; and other remains: co - 5 ous detritus; ci=cinder-like material; H=barley ch - 5 10 in the first four of la

Proc NFA wo wo 3 kg throughout); the figures are m ) nutlet; rr=charred root/rhizome; T=wheat ( root/rhizome; T=wheat ) nutlet; rr=charred (L.) Hull (?heather) (L.) Hull (l) Rem 7 7 (+1) (+1) all Rumex

0 3 3 Wt (kg) 6 Calluna vulgaris g)=weight of processed approximate vol subsample (kg); Rem (l) = from the washovers are recorded

s (given the sample size of illfield Farm, Wheldrake, North Yorkshire, a site on the Elvingt on the a site Yorkshire, North Wheldrake, Farm, illfield grammes in brackets); p=pot sherds fragments (with their weight in grammes brackets); p=pot sherds the final column as: b=bone ) nutlet; ce=cereal, indet.; chd=charred herbace L.) nutlet fragment; R=dock ( Carex Sediment description Sediment ); co—coal; ?Ca—charred cf. theses indicate the number of additional unseen tub; Proc=how processed – NFA=No Quercus orange-brown, brittlecrumbly andto stiff when wetted), plastic or less (working more and were common (stones 2 stony 20 mm to present), were mm) 60 (20 to stones larger ?slightly sandy modern clay, with some rootlets. to mid orange-brown, stiff to crumbly crumbly to orange-brown, stiff mid to when plastic and somewhat soft (working (2 sand). Stones clay (to clay sandy wetted), were charred material and fine 20 mm) to present. (mottled on a cm-scale) with a reddish- with a on(mottled a cm-scale) brown cast in places, brittle to crumbly when sticky and slightly (working soft wetted), ?slightly silty sandy clay. Stones (2 charred and fine and 60+ mm) 6 mm to were present. material Dry, light to mid grey-brown to light to mid mid to light to grey-brown mid to light Dry, Just moist, light to mid grey-brown to light light to grey-brown mid to light moist, Just Just moist, mid to dark grey to mid brown mid to dark grey to mid Just moist, Polygonum lapathifolium Polygonum PRS 21001 21301/T 21301/T 22801/T 22801/T 2003/19

S AB AB AA AA type Context ditch fill in 229 fill in 208 fill in 211 upper grave grave ); P=pale persicaria ( ); P=pale persicaria

CN 228 210 213

P 2 2 2 only); wo=subsample sieved to 300 microns with washover. Components (C=includes conifer; Q=includes oak, Table 1. Plant remains and other components from samples from M from Table 1. Plant remains and other components from samples P=Phase; CN=Context number; S=NAA sample; PRS=PRS sample; Wt (k sediment remaining (litres) – figures in paren ( Hordeum a=amphibian bone; b=bone fragments; C=sedge ( fragments; C=sedge bone; b=bone a=amphibian Biological and artefactual components of the residues are given in (single fragments in each case). Palaeoecology Research Services glume base). No material was present in more than ‘trace’ amount

R - b b (1) (<1) b (14) P P other bone and materials - b a ci other plants charred - C rr C

Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline to Ricall Elvington Evaluation: Other components s cereal - ?T

?H ?T

- 2 5 5 - 5

10

- 10Q 2 5 10C

Proc ch co ?Ca co Proc ch NFA wo wo wo wo (l) Rem 5 (+1) 4 (+2) 2 4 all

3 3 0 3 2 (kg) 7 Moist, mid brown to mid to dark grey-brown dark grey-brown to mid brown to mid Moist, to mid grey, crumbly and slightly sticky sticky slightly and crumbly grey, mid to (working more or less plastic), slightly sandy sand (to of yellow-brown patches with clay, sandstone). rotted very from possibly 5 mm, traces of fine charred Stones (2 to 60 mm), fragments ofmaterial, root/twig and modern rootlets were present. to light to mid orange-brown to mid to dark to mid orange-brown to mid to light to plastic), (working crumbly to stiff grey, of pot Fragments clay. sandy ?very slightly were and traces of fine charred material present. to grey, mid brittle to (working crumbly and moist ormore less plasticthe in (in clay of sand and mix parts), clay more mm) 60 (6 to Stones proportions). varying were and traces of fine charred material present. shaded to of indurated between), grey-brown brittle (working?sandy crumbly), clay. fine and 60+ mm), 20 mm (6 to Stones modern bone and rotted charred material, rootlets were present. grey, crumbly (soft and then more or less less or more and then (soft crumbly grey, 60 6 to (stones stony when wetted), plastic and larger and smaller were common mm stones were present), silty clay. A just moist to dry, light to mid grey-brown grey-brown mid to light dry, to moist A just Dry, light yellow-brown to dark grey (with (with dark grey to yellow-brown light Dry, Just moist, mid grey-brown to ligh to mid mid to ligh to grey-brown mid moist, Just Moist, mottled (cm-scale), mid grey-brown mid (cm-scale), Moist, mottled 26601 25301/T 40701/T 40701/T 27901/T 27901/T 28401/T 28401/T 2003/19

S PRS description Sediment Wt AB AB AA AA AA type ditch 265 ditch 278 number number ditch fill in 255 fill of ditch 282 group upper upper fill of fill of fill 407 253 284 266 279

P CN Context 1 1 1 1 ?

Palaeoecology Research Services

R

b b (<1) (3) other bone and materials a b ci other plants charred chd R chd Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline to Ricall Elvington Evaluation: Other components s cereal ?T T, Tg T, ce ?T ce 5 5 3 5 3 5 5 5 5

5 2 5 5 5 3

Proc ch co ?Ca co Proc ch wo wo wo wo wo wo (l) Rem 6 7 4 4 4 8 (+1) (+1) (+1) (+1) (+1)

3 3 3 3 3 3 (kg) 8 ), sandy clay to grey (slightly orange-brown in places), grey (slightly orange-brown in crumbly workingor sandy) soft (wheremore clay plastic (where more and and 60+ mm) 6 mm (2 to sand. Stones were present. fine charred material and slightly sticky (working plastic), plastic), (working sticky and slightly ?slightly20 to silty clay, with(2 stones some charred material. and fine mm) places), crumbly (working soft and places), crumbly somewhat plastic), sandy clay, with stones (2 and ?fine charred material to 20 mm), rootlets. modern brown to orange-brown, indurated and brittle plastic or less more (working to crumbly when wetted, ?slightlysmall sandy clay, with patches of buff ?silty clay (to 10 mm). charred and fine Stones (2 20 mm) to were present. material dark grey-brown, crumbly (working more or or more (working crumbly dark grey-brown, (60+ Large stones clay. sandy plastic), less rootlets and modern charcoal rotted mm), were present. brown in (working places), brittle to crumbly sticky and slightly plastic), gritty sandy clay with of lumps lightsome grey-brown 60 (2 to Stones 7 mm). (to clay indurated rootlets and modern 4 mm) (to coal mm), were present. Just moist, light to mid grey-brown to mid to to mid to grey-brown mid to light Just moist, Just moist, light to mid grey-brown to mid mid to grey-brown mid to light Just moist, Just moist, mid brown to mid grey (reddish- grey mid brown to mid Just moist, Just moist, mid grey-brown (lighter in in (lighter grey-brown mid Just moist, Moist, mid grey to mid grey-brown, crumbly crumbly grey-brown, mid to grey mid Moist, Just moist, mid grey to light to mid grey- mid to light to grey mid moist, Just 46501/T 46501/T 43001/T 43001/T 46901/T 46901/T 47301/T 47301/T 43201/T 43201/T 46301/T 46301/T 2003/19

S PRS description Sediment Wt AA AA AA AA AA AA type ditch 429 ditch 431 ditch 464 ditch 468 ditch 472 pit 462 pit fill of fill fill of fill of fill of fill of fill of fill 463 430 432 465 469 473

P CN Context 2 2 ? 2 2 1

Palaeoecology Research Services

R b (1) other bone and materials ci other plants charred rr P R P Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline to Ricall Elvington Evaluation: Other components s cereal ce 5 3 5 10 5

Proc ch co ?Ca co Proc ch wo wo (l) Rem 6 5 (+1) (+4)

3 3 (kg) 9 Moist, mid to dark grey to mid grey-brown, grey-brown, mid to to dark grey mid Moist, unconsolidated to slightly sticky (working (working sticky slightly to unconsolidated plastic), ?slightly stones silty clay, with some (6 to 20 mm). to mid to dark grey, indurated and brittle to brittle and to dark grey, indurated to mid (2 Stones sand). clay (to clay sandy crumbly, and modern charred material fine 20 mm), to rootlets were present. Dry, light to mid brown to mid grey-brown grey-brown mid brown to mid to light Dry, 48901/T 48901/T 48101/T 48101/T 2003/19

S PRS description Sediment Wt AA AA type ditch 480 ditch 444 fill of fill of fill 481 489

P CN Context 1 2

Palaeoecology Research Services

Evaluation: Elvington to Ricall pipeline to Ricall Elvington Evaluation: 10

5 6 1 2 22 49 666 Total 581

- - - - 1 2 ? 67 70

- 2 5 6 1 46 20 371 449

- - - 1 1 2 143 147

1 2003/19

dog ?pig cow pig horse sheep/goat

f. domestic f. domestic f. domestic f. domestic f. domestic f. domestic

f. domestic f. domestic f. domestic f. domestic Sus Species Canis Equus Sus cf. Bos Caprovid Unidentified Total

Palaeoecology Research Services Millfield Farm, Wheldrake. Key: ?=phase uncertain. Table 2. Hand-collected vertebrate remains from