LOWER TONE FLOOD DEFENCE SCHEME

PHASE I, BALTMOOR WALL HILL SECTION

EAST LYNG

SOMERSET

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

C.A.T. JOB: 0922 C.A.T. REPORT: 991110

NOVEMBER 1999

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Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS...... 2

LIST OF PLATES ...... 2

SUMMARY...... 3

1. INTRODUCTION...... 4

1.1 Introduction...... 4 1.2 Geology and topography...... 5 1.3 Archaeological and historical background ...... 5 1.4 Methodology...... 8

2. RESULTS...... 9

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS...... 11

4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... 11

5. BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 12

1 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1. Location plan...... 14

Figure 2. Study area showing location of groundworks ...... 15

Figure 3. South-east facing section through wall and embankment ...... 16

LIST OF PLATES

Plate 1. Top of Victorian stone-clad wall exposed ...... 17

Plate 2. North-east facing section of stone-clad wall exposed ...... 17

Plate 3. South-west face of rendered wall...... 18

Plate 4. North-east facing section of wall exposed, general view ...... 18

2 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

SUMMARY

During September, October and November 1999 Cotswold Archaeological Trust carried out an intermittent archaeological watching brief during strengthening and reshaping work carried out on a flood defence embankment (Baltmoor Wall), at East Lyng, Somerset.

The groundworks carried out under archaeological supervision included the mechanical excavation of an old badger sett in the existing flood bank, the mechanical excavation of a test slot on the south-west side of the embankment and the mechanical excavation of two trenches along the base of the embankment, one along its north- eastern side and the other along its south-western side. The Victorian masonry wall, which had been incorporated into the embankment, was also exposed along its north- east face so a photographic record and a survey were carried out.

The original wall, which is known to be of ancient origin, was not visible as it had been repaired and completely encased in masonry in 1883. Elsewhere on the wall no deposits or features of archaeological interest were identified, the removal of the thin topsoil exposing redeposited alluvium which had been used to reinforce the enbankment dating to the present century. A single pit dug into the earlier ground surface revealed a buried silty peat. A sample of this deposit was submitted for radiocarbon analysis, producing a calibrated date that indicates that the peat was accumulating during the later Bronze Age.

3 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 This report presents the results of an intermittent archaeological watching brief carried out during September, October and November 1999 on the Baltmoor Wall Hill Section, as part of the Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset (centred around NGR ST 340 292) (Figure 1). The watching brief was carried out on behalf of the Environment Agency in connection with groundworks carried out to reshape and strengthen the existing flood defence embankment. The archaeological work was required as a condition of both planning consent (Ref. 1/32/99/5) and Scheduled Monument consent.

1.1.2 The Somerset Levels and Moors are an internationally important wetland habitat and a significant archaeological area. The site is located at the east end of the village of East Lyng and runs near to the Scheduled Ancient Monument at Athelney. The Baltmoor Wall itself forms a recently Scheduled Ancient Monument (National Monument No: 33709). The wall begins at the point where the high ground on which the village is built falls to the normal level of the moor. It runs eastwards for 550m and then dies away into Athelney Hill; restarting at Athelney Farm it runs for another 320m until it joins the floodbank of the Tone at Athelney Bridge. The wall forms the boundary between Salt Moor and Curry Moor, both being designated as environmentally sensitive areas with parts of them being sites of special scientific interest.

1.1.3 Groundworks which had potential archaeological impact were carried out mechanically under archaeological supervision (Figure 2). The first phase was to excavate the five old badger setts along the top and north-east side of the existing flood bank, exposing parts of the late Victorian stone-clad wall. The second phase was to expose the stone-clad wall along the north-east side of the embankment so that it could be examined and recorded. The exposed

4 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

wall was surveyed and photographed once it had been hand-cleaned. At a later stage during topsoil stripping, a deep test slot was excavated on the south-west side of the embankment in order to examine the underlying deposits. The final phase was the excavation of two trenches at the base of the embankment, one along its north-eastern limit and the other along its south- western (Figure 2). The shallow trenches were excavated in order to secure anti-badger dig mesh used to cover the whole embankment.

1.2 Geology and topography

1.2.1 The site lies on fairly level ground, the top of the existing embankment being at a height of approximately 8.00m AOD, due to increase up to around 8.40m AOD after the consolidation works. The natural substrate in the area is formed of mudstones of the Triassic Period overlain by alluvium deposited during the Quaternary period and more recently (Institute of Geological Sciences 1979). Redeposited alluvium was encountered in the shallow trenches excavated around the base of the embankment down to a depth of approximately 0.60m. The deep test slot excavated on the south-west side of the embankment revealed grey alluvial silt down to a depth of approximately 1.30m then a dark grey-brown layer of silty peat down to a depth of 1.80m.

1.3 Archaeological and historical background

1.3.1 The background to this area has previously been discussed in some detail (Collings et al 1996), and the following summary draws largely on this source.

1.3.2 The area around Athelney is particularly rich in historical associations, most notably with that of King Alfred, but so few documents survive from that period that it is rarely possible to provide confirmation of statements, and it is seldom that the accuracy of the words written more than a thousand years ago

5 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

can be checked. The earliest recorded reference to the area under consideration is to be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which under the year 878 relates that ‘King Alfred with a small company, built a fortification at Athelney, and from that fortification, with the men of that part of Somerset nearest to it, he continued fighting against the host.’ This is taken to be the fort sited adjoining the eastern end of what is now the Baltmoor Wall (Aston and Leech 1977, 89). However, it has also been suggested that the original fortress was sited at Athelney Tump (otherwise Burrow Mump) some two kilometres to the north-east (Hinton 1977, 36).

1.3.3 Subsequently a better-substantiated fort was constructed at Lyng, adjoining the western end of what is now the Baltmoor Wall; this is referred to in the Burghal Hidage, a listing of fortified burghs together with the number of hides allocated for the maintenance of the defences, which dates from around 915 (Smyth 1995, 135). It appears to be the case that the only source to specifically refer to two forts is the alleged biography of King Alfred by Asser: ‘a bridge has been made with the laborious skill between two fortresses. At the western end of this bridge a very strong fort has been placed…’(Stevenson 1959 cited in Hill 1967, 64). However, a later translation refers to ‘a causeway which has been built by protracted labour’ although an endnote suggests this could have taken the form of a wooden bridge (Keynes and Lapidge 1983, 103; 271). Certainly the County Sites and Monuments Record regards the two burghs as having been connected by a 9th century bridge or causeway, citing Asser. But there remains a possibility that the date for the traditional refoundation of Athelney Abbey after the Danish raids (c. 960) (Dunning 1976, 25) represents the original foundation, with the bridge or causeway conceivably being built later that century to link the burgh to the abbey. The bridge would have been necessary to cross an earlier course of the River Tone, seemingly immediately north of the point at which it divided, with the major channel continuing on a northerly course and a minor channel running eastward.

1.3.4 At a date that remains uncertain, a nearly straight embanked channel some

6 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

1.25km long was constructed, in an area to the south still known as ‘Cuts’, to effect a diversion (Williams 1970, 59). There appears to be a discrepancy of over 200 years in accounts of when the flood alleviation work was carried out. There exists a charter from King Stephen confirming to the monks of Athelney ‘that passage and watercourse which they have made through the middle of the moor below their church on the south side…’ (Bates (ed) 1899, 168). This suggests that the work of reclamation had begun by 1154, the year of Stephen’s death. However, Williams suggests a date of 1374-5 for the diversion of the River Tone into the embanked channel, and that construction of the Baltmoor Wall was the final stage in the flood prevention (Williams 1970, 59).

1.3.5 The Sites and Monuments Records accepts that the present Baltmoor Wall is probably of 14th century date (ref. 10545). Construction of the wall would appear to have been carried out by Athelney Abbey, which owned the land to the north of the wall that would have benefited by the measure; indeed there is documentary evidence that the Abbot of Athelney admitted to having illegally expropriated ‘a water course where the river Tone used to flow, which belongs wholly to the Dean and Chapter of Wells’ (Williams 1970, 59). The latter body owned a large part of the land immediately to the south of the wall, and they could not have benefited from the enhanced risk of flooding resulting from its construction. It is generally accepted that the wall itself is of 14th century date and may have been constructed on the site of an earlier bridge or causeway (Aston & Leech, 1977, 87).

1.3.6 The westernmost section of the wall carried the Taunton to Wells road until a new turnpike road was constructed to the north between 1803 and 1806 (Dunning 1992, 54). Few post-medieval references to the wall have been found. In 1883 the wall was encased in masonry on the orders of the Somerset Drainage Commissioners.

1.3.7 Flooding in the Somerset Levels in the present century has caused the wall to be examined and altered. The top level varied from 7.72m to 8.08m, and in

7 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

the floods of October 1960, when the level in Curry Moor rose to 7.84m, overflow occurred at many places. In 1961 work was carried out to raise and strengthen the whole length of the wall and to make proper provision for the overflow by concentrating it at the lowest point, in the crest of Athelney Hill and at the Durston branch railway cutting. Serious overflow had occurred at these points in both 1929 and 1960.

1.3.8 During January and February 1995 flood levels again reached serious proportions and at Althelney Spillway water flowed at a depth of 400mm. In 1999/2000 this had increased to 830mm. Water was reported to be trickling from the wall in the area to the east of Cuts Road. Emergency works were undertaken to repair the wall almost immediately.

1.4 Methodology

1.4.1 All archaeological deposits or features revealed were planned and recorded in accordance with Technical Manual 1 Excavation Recording Manual (CAT 1996). The watching brief sought to determine whether any archaeological deposits or features survived in the areas exposed by the groundworks.

1.4.2 Sensitive groundworks were carried out mechanically under archaeological supervision. The exposed masonry wall was surveyed and a photographic record made, once the structure had been hand-cleaned by the on-site archaeologists. Post-medieval pottery and animal bone were recovered from the groundworks and taken to CAT offices for recording.

1.4.3 All finds and site archive will be deposited with Somerset County Museum Service.

8 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

2. RESULTS

2.1 No significant archaeological deposits or features were identified in any of the areas where groundworks were carried out. There were four main phases of work, in addition to the superficial stripping of turf and topsoil from the bank.

2.2 The first phase involved the excavation of the old badger sett along the top and north-east side of the existing flood bank, once the badgers had been moved (Figure 2). The soil removed contained modern material as it had been deposited to reinforce the embankment during repair work carried out in the 1960’s and 90’s. The earlier top and both faces of the wall, which were encased in masonry in 1883, were also revealed and recorded (Plates 1 & 2). The south-west face of the wall had been rendered with concrete, probably at later date (Plate 3). A section was also mechanically cut at a right angle to the wall in order to reveal its profile (Figure 3). Deposits of grey clay-silt containing modern building rubble forming the embankment were revealed by the section. This material had been dumped during works carried out to repair and reinforce the wall in the 1960’s and 90’s. At the base of the wall, a layer of reddish-brown clay containing charcoal and iron slag was revealed. This layer is probably related to the works carried out to repair and cap the wall in the late Victorian period (1883).

2.3 The second phase was to expose the full extent of the Victorian masonry wall along the north-east side of the embankment so that it could be examined and recorded. Once the dense vegetation had been cleared, topsoil and light grey silt up to a total depth of approximately 0.80m was mechanically removed. As before, the deposits contained modern material resulting from repair works carried out in the latter part of the present century. The wall was surveyed and photographed once it had been hand-cleaned (Figure 2 & Plate

9 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

4). The entire masonry face was unrendered, in contrast to the exposed sections of the south-west face.

2.4 The third phase involved the mechanical excavation of a large test slot measuring 3.50m by 10m, down to a depth of approximately 1.80m, on the south-west side of the embankment (Figure 2). The test slot, which was excavated to examine the underlying deposits present in an area of soft ground, revealed light yellow-brown alluvial clay-silt down to a depth of approximately 1.30m. Below this, a dark grey-brown layer of silty peat over 0.50m thick could be seen in the base of the test pit. A sample of the peat was collected and sent for radiocarbon dating at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. The sample produced the following result;

Context Lab Ref WK- C14 date (BP) 2 sigma 1 sigma calibration (95% calibration (95% prob) cal B.C.* prob) cal B.C.* 102 7950 2760 +/- 50 1046-1042, 970-959, 1011-804 935-928

*Calibrated by Radiocarbon Calibration Programme CALIB Rev 3.0, University of Washington, Quaternary Isotope Laboratory. Reimer & Stuiver 1993.

It can be deduced therefore that the peat was accumulating during the later Bronze Age.

2.5 The final phase involved the mechanical excavation of two trenches along the base of the embankment, one along its north-eastern limit and the other along its south-western (Figure 2). The trenches measured approximately 0.60m in width, 0.50m to 0.60m in depth, and were excavated in order to secure anti- badger dig mesh covering the whole of the embankment. These shallow trenches revealed a deposit of mid grey-brown alluvial silt which contained very occasional fragments of modern pottery and glass near the surface. It appears that this layer represents alluvium which has been redeposited as a result of repair works carried out late this century.

10 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

3.1 As outlined above, no deposits or features of archaeological significance were identified in the course of this watching brief, with the exception of the Victorian masonry wall. Elsewhere on the wall the few finds recovered from the groundworks carried out are all modern in date and were included in topsoil and alluvium dumped to build up the embankment during repair works carried out in the 1960’s and 90’s.

3.2 The only potentially ancient deposit is represented by the silty peat deposit which lay to the south-west and below the level of the historic embankment. It is likely that this forms part of one of the major peat horizons that characterise this area, overlain by the alluvial silts of subsequent flooding. The radiocarbon date indicates that the peat was accumulating during the later Bronze Age.

4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Cotswold Archaeological Trust would like to thank Mr W. Stebbing of the Environment Agency, Mr S. Reeves and Mr L. Durston of North Wessex Contracts, Mr Henry Dawkins of Posford Duvivier Consulting Engineers, and Mr Richard Brunning of Somerset County Council Archaeological Service for their assistance in the course of this project.

Fieldwork was carried out by Alistair Barber, Laurent Coleman, Richard Morton and Franco Vartuca. This report was compiled by Franco Vartuca and illustrated by Richard Morton.

11 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

5. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aston, M. & Leech, R. 1977, Historic Towns in Somerset.

Bates, E. H. (ed) 1899, Extracts from the Register of the Abbey of Athelney, Somerset Record Society, xiv.

Collings, A. G., Cottrell, P. M. & Reed, S. J. 1996, Baltmoor Wall Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng-Athelney, Somerset: Archaeological Assessment and Watching Brief. Exeter Archaeology Report No. 96.61.

CAT, 1996, Technical Manual 1 Excavation Recording Manual, Cotswold Archaeological Trust.

Dunning, R. W. (ed) 1976, Christianity in Somerset.

Dunning, R.W. (ed) 1992, The Victoria History of the County of Somerset VI.

Hill, D. 1967, ‘The Burghal Hidage-Lyng’, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society 111, 64-66.

Hinton, D. A. 1977, Alfred’s Kingdom Wessex and the South 800-1500.

Institute of Geological Sciences, 1979 Geological Map of the United Kingdom, South. 3rd Edition, Solid. Southampton.

Keynes, S. & Lapidge, M. (eds) 1983, Alfred the Great. Asser’s Life of King Alfred and other contemporary sources.

Reimer, P. J. and M. Stuiver 1993, Radiocarbon, 35, 215-30.

12 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Smyth, A. P. 1995, King Alfred the Great.

University of Waikato , 2000, Correspondence to CAT from Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, University of Waikato.

Williams, M. 1970, The Draining of the Somerset Levels.

13 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Figure 1. Location plan

14 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Figure 2. Study area showing location of groundworks

15 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Figure 3. South-east facing section through wall and embankment

16 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Plate 1. Top of Victorian stone-clad wall exposed

Plate 2. North-east facing section of stone-clad wall exposed

17 Lower Tone Flood Defence Scheme, East Lyng, Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Plate 3. South-west face of rendered wall

Plate 4. North-east facing section of wall exposed, general view

18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0 E N .0 E .0 E N .0 E .0 N .0 .0 N .0 0 N .0 E E E E E 1060.0 1040.0 1020.0 1000.0 980.

4.45

4.61 3.49 4.90 Cross Section 9

3.49 N Cross Section 10 4.84 5.23

4.85 4.81

4.22 5.49 5.62 8.10 Cross Section 8 5.85 5.80 7.08 4.22 5.82 Trench to6.38 secure anti-badger mesh 6.09 5.68 4.97 7.66

5.37 7.56 7.70 6.33 5.97

7.89 7.93 7.40 6.12 Fig. 3 7.76 6.96 7.85 8.02 6.59 7.75 7.92 7.80 5.33 7.72 Part of stone bank removed 7.64 7.88 4.87 8.01 7.36 8.06 8.05 8.24 8.06 8.01 7.55 7.38 7.89 7.79 7.96 8.27 7.79 7.38 7.45 8.26 8.12 6 7.84 SC 7.40 7.93 8.25 7.87 7.30 7.76 7.36 7.38 6 Sheet Piling 1403.743 8.20 7.93 7.62 1019.073 6.64 7.32 7.862 7.34 7.30 7.30 7.99 7.34 7.60 7.22 5.88 5.78 8.03 5.83 7.22 5.86 8.08 6.14 7.71 5.85 5.97 7.25 5.9 7 7.59 7.27 7.21 7.27 7.99 7.58 8.00 5.35 8.11 8.11 5.90 7.30 5.50 7.25 5.89 4.95 5.05 7.29 4.58 5.35 6.30 7.19 7.59 4.58 5.82 7.23 5.50 7.19 ng 7.18 5.92 7.27 6.12 Sheet Pili 6.14 7.26 7.60 7.42 4.49 5.94 7.29 4.49 5.59 4.99 6.23

5.26 5.20 6.21 6.43 5.09 5.05 7.74 5.77 5.96 7.60 5.09 6.13 Trench to secure anti-badger mesh6.08 7.28 Test trench revealing 6.20 5.13 7.68 6.21 5.15 5.32 Cross Section 7 5.14 5.35 7.61 peat deposits

4.93 5.13 4.93 6.13 5.59 5.35 5.49 5.73 7.61 5.77 5.84 5.02 Ash 4.52 Cross Section 9 6.24 4.52 6.01 7.45 5.02 5.60 5.79 4.83 Ash 7.59 5.44 5.88 4.81 5.50 Cross Section 8 5.93 5.64 4.83 5.22 5.94 7.76 5.64 5.23 5.80 7.16 6.20 7.63 4.94 4.63 5.99 7.69 5.74 6.05 5.38 4.63 5.93 Orchard New badger sett 6.04 4.57 6.06 5.84 5.88 Ash 5.61 4.57 6.02 6.01 5.49 5.45 5.78 7.51 5.90 5.09 4.53 6.03 4.53 5.42 5.74 5.94 Cross Section 7 Sheet Piling 5.79 4.42 4.25 5.93 4.42 7.64 7.36 5.90 5.90 4.25 Cross Section 10 5.58 5.54 5.90 Haggetts 5.51 5.87 3.96 7.74 3.96 5.86 7.62 7.37

5.65 5.49 5.27 5.61 5.38 5.35 5.43 5.76 5.57 7.66 3.96 5.53 Oil Tank 5.64 3.90 5.53 5.78 5.54 3.96 3.90 5.09 5.95 5.50 7.47 4.58 5.48 7.32 5.58 5.60 7.32 4.58 5.69 Cuts Lane 5.70 3.75 5.73 Ash 5.65 4.49 Orchard 5.50 6.07 4.49 5.74 7.80 3.77 7.28 5.72 Former badger setts 3.77 5.73 5.72 5.85 7.77 5.73 7.05 5.86 5.50 5.66 Ash Areas excavated around former badger setts 3.88 7.75 5.97 5.45 7.27 7.52 5.42 3.88 7.90 5.69 6.93 7.85 7.89 4.35 4.13 5.38 7.77 6.01 4.35 Other excavated areas 7.86 4.13 5.73 7.23 5.36 5.50 Stn 5 .81 1332.920 7.28 7.01 Ash 4.41 9 987.191 4.41 4.41 5.69 Limits of exposed section of Victorian stone wall SC 7.832 6.32 4.41 7.91 5.59 6.54 5.76 5.89 5.76 7.42 5.71 5.93 Continuing extent of wall 7.91 6.57 5.76 5A 5.99 1357.759 6.44 964.901 1996 evaluation trench 7.16 5.684 6.85

K 7.26 7.58 7.35

76 VP 7.75

1340.0 E 1360.0 E 1380.0 E 14 1420 1440.0 14 1 0 480.0 00 60.0 50m .0 .0 E E E E E

960.0 N 940.0 N 920.0 N 900.0 N 8 7.87

Fig. 2 Study area showing location of groundworks SW (102) NE 7mAOD 1995 deposits Victorian wall (101) (limit of excavation) 1960s deposits (102) 1960s deposits Nineteenth-century deposits Nineteenth-century deposits

0 5m

Fig. 3 South-east facing section through wall and embankment Plate 1. Top of Victorian stone-clad wall exposed (looking south-east)

Plate 2. North-east facing section of wall exposed, general view Plate 3. South-west face of rendered wall

Plate 4. North-east facing section of wall exposed, general view