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SOUTH MIDLANDS ARCHAEOLOGY The Newsletter of the Council for British Archaeology, South Midlands Group (Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire) NUMBER 32, 2002 CONTENTS Page Editorial Bedfordshire 1 Buckinghamshire 10 Northamptonshire 24 Oxfordshire 36 Index 95 Notes for Contributors 108 It should be noted that the reports in this volume refer, in the main, to work carried out in 2001 EDITOR: Barry Horne CHAIRMAN: Ted Legg 'Beaumont' 17 Napier Street Church End Bletchley Edlesborough Milton Keynes Dunstable, Beds MK2 2NF LU6 2EP HON SEC Chris Edbury TREASURER: Jon Hitchcock 18 North Street 75D Princes Street Middle Barton Dunstable Oxon Beds. 0X7 713J LU6 3AS Typeset by Barry Home ISSN 0960-7552 EDITORIAL Welcome to volume 32. The cumulative index to volumes 1-31, is available on the website at www.britarch.ac.uk/smaindex If anyone wishes to have a copy for their own PC would they please send me a 3.5" disk and a stamped addressed envelope and I will provide them with a copy. For those with no computer I will provide a copy at cost; this is likely to run to 10 to 20 plus post and packing as the index is large. Once again a number of new organisations have provided reports and this is very encouraging. However, some organisations continue to provide no report of their work in the area. I once again appeal to County archaeologists and peers to apply pressure to these defaulters. In conclusion I would like to thank all those who sent in reports and ask that they, and anyone else, send in articles for SMA 33. Please send a note, however short, of any work carried out in the four counties. Copy date for SMA 33 is 31st March 2003; please refer to Notes for Contributots. Barry Horne AIFA Editor CEA South Midlands Spring Conference This was held on Saturday 20th April 2002 at Buckinghamshire County Museum Church Street Aylesbury. About 50 people, including 10 committee members, attended the 2002 C.onference whose theme was Religion and Ritual in the South Midlands - Part 1: Prehistoric to Roman. The day opened with a talk from Andy Chapman on Neolithic and Bronze Age Ritual in the Nene and Upper Ouse Valleys. He was followed by Barry Home covering Bronze Age Ritual in Bedfordshire and the morning session was closed by Jean Bagnall Smith discussing Worship at Woodeaton. Mark Curteis opened the afternoon's proceedings with Ritual Deposition of Iron Age Coins in the South Midlands and the day was rounded off by Gary Lock with Ritual on the Ridgeway. All five speakers gave excellent and stimulating talks which offered many exciting and thought-provoking ideas. Shelagh Lewis I kj , 0-410 " Cl vc/L le- A. Q1c- Bedfordshire BEDFORDSHIRE Biggleswade, Stratton Deserted Medieval Village (11 2042 4417) ALBION ARCHAEOLOGY Excavations took place to the east of previous work at Ariesey, Letchworth Cemetery Extension Stratton DMV, towards the eastern margin of the known (TL 2012 3344) area of settlement Gary Edmond.son, Sally Dicks and Rob Edwards The earliest activity consisted of a small number of Archaeological evaluation comprised geophysical survey prehistoric pits, possibly late Bronze Age/early Iron Age in (undertaken by Archaeological Services WYAS) and trial date. Roman pottery redeposited within later ditches excavation of the 13ha study area. This consisted of a small indicates activity at this date in the vicinity. The area was paddock and part of a large arable field on the western first enclosed during the early medieval period (1150-1250) outskirts of Letchworth. During sand quarrying at the site in by boundary ditches. From the early medieval period a 1939 the Letchworth Museum curator, P Westall, identified complex series of small ditched enclosures, including a a significant assemblage of Iron Age and early circular one of c 12m diameter and a rectangular enclosure Romano-British artefacts, suggestive of an occupation site. 16m long, were established in the south of the area. Groups of pits found in the south contained small quantities of The geophysical survey had to be curtailed after completion domestic refuse indicating activity throughout the medieval of the scanning, which identified modem disturbance that period. correlated with quarrying visible on post-war aerial photographs. During the late medieval/early post-medieval period a series of three elongated pits measuring up to 10m x 4m were cut Within the paddock the only features in those areas into the silted up ditches of the earlier enclosures. These unaffected by quarrying were a series of furrows associated contained well-preserved organic material. Plant remains show with medieval strip cultivation. A small quantity of late that they held standing water and a partial wooden Bronze Age/early Iron Age pottery including a rim sherd revelment of stakes and planks suggests that they were kept were recovered from the subsoil, though no associated open for some time. Two of the pits had a secondary use as features were identified. The extensive sand quarries had refuse pits and they contained a range of artefacts including been bacicfilled with debris from the local steelworlcs. objects of wood and leather. The wooden objects include turned wooden bowls, a comb, a stool/workbench and two The arable field contained an undated boundary ditch and objects (reused to support the side of the pit) that have been an isolated posthole. Deposits filling a dry valley in the chalk tentatively identified as paddles from a water mill. These contained a small quantity of redeposited late Bronze were made of ash and appear from their shape to be water Age/early Iron Age pottery. A small quantity of flint worn with mortices and auger holes for fixing. The most artefacts was recovered mainly from ploughsoil and the numerous artefacts were leather: a minimum of 51 items, subsoil. mostly shoes but also harness, a possible garment fragment and a costrel. The nature of the leather shows that it was the product of a cobbling workshop; for example, the costrel had Biddenham, the Church of St James (FL 0140 4993) a large piece cut out, presumably for use in the repair of Gary Edmondson and Stephen Thorpe another item. The artefacts from the pits range in date from the late 14th to the late 16th centuries. An archaeological watching brief monitored ground disturbance associated with insertion of a French drain This part of Stratton was occupied until the area was around the exterior of the Chantry Chapel of the church. The emparked in the 17th century and dumps of rubble and tile chapel was dedicated to St William, by order of the Boteler within pits and hollows may mark the final disuse of the site. family, for a priest to say daily mass for the soul of William Boteler. Biggleswade, Dunton Lane (FL 2126 4381) Mark Phillips The trench around the 15th century Chantry Chapel revealed an offset wall footing and the remains of an associated In November 2001 salvage recording work was carried out buttress. The slight contrast in the alignment with the during construction of a balancing reservoir. Post holes, pits standing wall, may indicate that this was associated with an and ditches were found dating mainly from the early earlier chapel. As this footing merged into the Chancel wall, medieval (1150-1250) or high medieval (1250-1400) periods. it is possible that the structure was associated with the It is likely that the evidence represents an expansion rebuilding of the Chancel in the 14th century. of the settlement of Stratton during the early medieval period, probably in the form of house plots fronting the south The trenches also exposed an undifferentiated dark brown side of Dunton Lane. It is possible that this is the eastern end of grave soil, which was at least 0.8m thick in the area south occupation on both sides of the road. A short distance to of the church. No burials or other archaeological features the west a series of small enclosures surviving as earthworlcs for were identified beyond the church walls. extends 200m along the north side of Dunton Lane. 1 Bedfordshire Choakes Yard (SP 9423 2226) A small quantity of tesidual artefacts attest to Bronze Age Gary Edmondson and Andrew Thompson and earlier use of the site. The earliest features on the site were a cluster of pits situated on the higher ground and dated Archaeological evaluation of a former builder's yard by associated pottery to the early-middle Iron Age. It may comptised a desk-based assessment and trial excavation of be significant that during the excavation this area remained 039ha of land. workable when the surrounding area flooded. The study area was situated at the edge of the medieval A sequence of enclosure systems were identified which village, close to the junction of medieval routeways and originate in the late Iron Age. Only the intermittent traces of adjacent to the site of Billington Manor. The evaluation several curvilinear ditches were identified. These may have situated to the rear of the property revealed no features been associated with two possible roundhouses defined by dating to the medieval period. At the western end of the site drainage gullies, 9-10m in diameter. recut, deep, though undated features, interpreted as ponds/quarries were identified. These were subsequently In the late Iron Age/early Roman period a new rectilinear infilled and a surface was constructed. In the eastern part of enclosure system was established, extending beyond the the site, construction of the modern yard and buildings had limits of the investigation. There was considerable range in resulted in significant truncation. The only features the size of the land parcels, with the smallest measuring 14m identified in this area were an undated ditch and pond.