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Wessex Archaeology Chapel Head, Warboys Cambridgeshire Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results Ref: 68730 February 2009 Chapel Head, Warboys, Cambridgeshire Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results Prepared for: Videotext Communications Ltd 49 Goldhawk Road LONDON SW1 8QP By: Wessex Archaeology Portway House Old Sarum Park SALISBURY SP4 6EB Report reference: 68730.01 February 2009 © Wessex Archaeology Limited 2009 all rights reserved Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786 Chapel Head, Warboys, Cambridgeshire Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results Contents Summary Acknowledgements 1 BACKGROUND...................................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction.................................................................................................1 1.2 Site Location, Topography and Geology ....................................................1 1.3 Archaeological and Historical Background .................................................1 1.4 Previous Archaeological Work....................................................................2 2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................2 3 METHODS...........................................................................................................3 3.1 Geophysical Survey....................................................................................3 3.2 Evaluation Trenches...................................................................................3 4 RESULTS ............................................................................................................4 4.1 Introduction.................................................................................................4 4.2 Geophysical Survey....................................................................................4 4.3 Evaluation Trenches...................................................................................5 5 FINDS ..................................................................................................................9 5.1 Introduction.................................................................................................9 5.2 Pottery ........................................................................................................9 5.3 Ceramic Building Material.........................................................................10 5.4 Fired Clay.................................................................................................11 5.5 Stone ........................................................................................................11 5.6 Worked Flint .............................................................................................11 5.7 Metalwork .................................................................................................11 5.8 Animal Bone.............................................................................................12 5.9 Other Finds...............................................................................................12 6 PALAEO-ENVIRONMENTAL summary ..........................................................12 6.1 Introduction and methods.........................................................................12 6.2 Results......................................................................................................13 6.3 Discussion ................................................................................................14 7 DISCUSSION.....................................................................................................14 8 RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................................................................16 9 ARCHIVE...........................................................................................................16 10 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................17 i Tables Table 1 Finds totals by material type and by trench Table 2 Pottery totals by ware type Table 3 The charred plant remains Appendix 1 Catalogue of Trench Descriptions Figures Figure 1: Location of site, trenches and geophysical survey areas Figure 2: Results of the geophysical survey and projected linear alignments Figure 3: Trenches 2, 3 and 6 Figure 4: Plate 1: West-facing section through possible ditch (113) Plate 2: West facing section of ditches (208) and (210) Plate 3: Detail of stony layer (207) Plate 4: Overhead view, Trenches 3 and 6 (view from the south) Plate 5: Sondage through (317) and (324) (view from the north-west) Plate 6: North-facing section through foundation trenches (603) and (605) Figure 5: Trench 4 Plate 7: South-east facing section through (415) and ditch (411) Plate 8: North-facing section through ditch (414) Figure 6: Trench 7 Plate 9: Overhead shot of Trench 7 (view from the north-west) Plate 10: South-east facing section through (706) Front cover: The site under excavation, from the north Back cover: Trench 2 under excavation, from the south ii Chapel Head, Warboys, Cambridgeshire Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results Summary Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Videotext Communications Ltd to carry out recording and post-excavation analysis on an archaeological evaluation by Channel 4’s Time Team at Chapel Head, Warboys, Cambridgeshire (centred on NGR 534216 281602). The fieldwork comprised geophysical survey and 12 machine- excavated trenches around Chapel Head, a small hillock rising above the surrounding fenland. Warboys is situated in an area dominated by the great ‘Fen Five’ Benedictine monasteries, all of which have early foundations. During the medieval period the Site was known to be the property of nearby Ramsey Abbey. Although the Site is named as Chapel Head on maps from the late 18th century, this appears to be a relatively modern name. The primary aim of the evaluation was to see whether there had actually been a medieval chapel on the site, as implied by the later field name. During the evaluation an east-west aligned structure measuring some 13.8 by 6.0m was uncovered, although this had been almost entirely robbed out. The structure lay within a series of ditches that appeared to form a surrounding enclosure. These features are believed to date to the medieval period, although dating evidence is sparse. Outside the possible enclosure, to the north, was a second structure, of probable wattle-and-daub construction, again probably medieval. Whether this was the site of the ‘lost chapel’ remains uncertain, and a more domestic function is suggested by the finds assemblage recovered. It may have formed part of a medieval grange farm. There is a suggestion that there may be an earlier phase of medieval activity pre- dating the enclosure. Other linear features were also uncovered, some of which may relate to late Iron Age/early Romano-British activity. The results of the evaluation are of at least local interest, but are too slight to warrant further analysis or detailed publication. A brief summary of the results will be submitted to the Cambridgeshire Antiquarian Journal, for inclusion in the annual round-up of archaeology in the county. iii Chapel Head, Warboys, Cambridgeshire Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results Acknowledgements This programme of post-excavation and assessment work was commissioned and funded by Videotext Communications Ltd, and Wessex Archaeology would like to thank the staff at Videotext, and in particular Michael Douglas (Series Editor), Jane Hammond (Production Manager), Ben Knappett (Assistant Producer), Louise Ord (Researcher) and Emily Woodburn (Production Coordinator) for their considerable help during the recording and post-excavation work. The geophysical survey was undertaken by John Gater, Emma Wood and Ellie Collier of GSB Prospection. The field survey was undertaken by Henry Chapman (University of Birmingham). The excavation strategy was devised by Mick Aston (University of Bristol). The on-site recording was co-ordinated by David Parry with on- site finds processing by Darren Baker, both of Wessex Archaeology. The excavations were undertaken by Time Team’s retained archaeologists, Phil Harding (Wessex Archaeology), Brigid Gallagher, Ian Powlesland, Raksha Dave, Kerry Ely, Tracey Smith and Matt Williams, assisted by local diggers James Fairbairn, Steve Wadeson, Tom Lyons, Louise Bush, Shannon Hogan, Ben Brogan and Jon House, and local metal detectorists Jason Baker and George Joyce. The archive was collated and all post-excavation assessment and analysis undertaken by Wessex Archaeology. This report was written by David Parry and Naomi Hall, with specialist reports prepared by Lorraine Mepham (finds), Jessica Grimm (animal bone) and Ruth Pelling (environmental). The illustrations were prepared by Kenneth Lymer. The post-excavation project was managed on behalf of Wessex Archaeology by Lorraine Mepham Finally, thanks are due to the landowners Mark and Jan England and Paul Wilderspin for allowing the evaluation. iv Chapel Head, Warboys, Cambridgeshire Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results 1 BACKGROUND 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Videotext Communications, Ltd. to carry out archaeological recording and post-excavation analysis on an archaeological evaluation by Channel 4’s Time Team at Chapel Head, Cambridgeshire (hereafter 'the Site') (Figure 1). 1.1.2 This