Nea Farm, Phase GP5, Somerley, Ringwood, Hampshire An Archaeological Excavation for Tarmac Southern Ltd by Andy Taylor Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code SOM07/114 List of Figures Figure 1 Location of site in Southern England and Ringwood Figure 2 Location of site on the Somerley Estate and previous phases of work Figure 3 Plan of Excavation Areas showing all features Figure 4 Sections (1) Figure 5 Sections (2) Figure 6 Selected pottery (see text for details) Nea Farm, Phase GP5, Somerley, Ringwood, Hampshire An Archaeological Excavation by Andy Taylor with contributions by Steve Ford, Malcolm Lyne, Rosalind McKenna and Frances Raymond Report 07/114 Summary Excavation prior to gravel extraction revealed a small number of archaeological deposits across the stripped areas mostly consisting of linear features representing field boundaries. These are tentatively dated to the Roman and/or medieval periods. Several pits and postholes were also observed, the majority of which were undated but some were medieval. Of particular significance due to their rarity was the discovery of three prehistoric pits. One of these was of Early Neolithic date with a radiocarbon determination of 3517–3393 cal BC (KIA39673), a second with Beaker pottery of Early Bronze Age date produced a radiocarbon determination of 2134–2078 cal BC (KIA39674),and a third was of Middle Bronze Age or Iron Age date. Introduction An archaeological excavation was carried out by Thames Valley Archaeological Services at Nea Farm, Somerley, Ringwood, Hampshire (SU 1290 0820) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Mr Andy Cadell of Tarmac Southern Limited, Stancombe Quarry, Stancombe Lane, Flax Bourton, Bristol, BS48 3QD. Planning consent was obtained from Hampshire County Council to extract gravel from the area (a golf course prior to this work) as part of an ongoing extraction programme. The excavation was carried out in two phases to a specification approved by Mr Stephen Appleby, then Senior Archaeologist with Hampshire County Council, who also monitored the works along with Ms Hannah Fluck, the current incumbent, between 11th September and 5th November 2007 and between the 25th September and 20th October 2008. The site code is SOM07/114. This is one of a long series of archaeological investigations on this quarry site (see below). The earlier archaeological projects were numbered phases 1–6. More recent work is referred to by new quarry extraction references (GP3 and GP4 for the immediately previous phases, and GP5 for this phase). The archive is currently held by Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 47-49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading, RG1 5NR and will deposited in due course with Hampshire County Museum Service. 1 Topography and geology Nea Farm, Somerley lies to the north-west of Ringwood on the eastern margins of Ringwood Forest (Fig. 1). The underlying geology consists of plateau gravel capped with brickearth (BGS 1990), which was observed across the site. Approximately 1km to the east lies the River Avon. The site lies at a height of between 47m and 48m AOD. The steep slope of the main valley side lies 500m to the east and the small valley of a tributary stream lies 400m to the north (Fig. 2). The current phase of the extraction site comprised an irregular, c.10 hectare area of land, of which around 7ha were stripped in two phases (Fig. 3). Archaeological background The phased extraction of sand and gravel has been preceded by a number of archaeological investigations initiated as part of the planning process (Ford 1992; 2001a; 2001b; Cass 1998; Anthony 2002; Anthony and Ford 2003; Ford and Hall 1993; Oram 2004; Pine 2003; Smith 1996; Taylor 2008; Weaver 1995) (Fig. 2). The initial document set out the archaeological background to the environs of the site and established a framework for archaeological investigation of the quarry following the guidance in Archaeology and Planning (PPG16 1990). The preliminary study included minimally invasive fieldwork comprising fieldwalking, test pitting and geophysical survey. Of relevance to the present site, the preliminary fieldwork (phase 1) revealed a dense scatter of worked flint towards the western edge of the current area (Ford and Hall 1993) with the presence of a Roman building and other features revealed in evaluation trenches to the north (Weaver 1995). A short distance to the north-east of the site (phase 5) a complex of medieval boundary features was identified (Oram 2004) which continued into the adjacent area (phase 6). Of note from phase 6, was the discovery of an early Bronze Age Beaker with barbed and tanged arrowhead (Taylor 2008). A number of linear features from the previous investigation (SOM05/62, GP3) seemed likely to continue across the current area: these were not well dated but probably medieval. Nea Farm, though, is chiefly notable for its Upper Palaeolithic site (SOM 01/41: Barton et al. 2009). The Excavation Three disconnected areas were stripped of topsoil and overburden (Fig. 3). The stripping took place under constant archaeological supervision using a 360º type machine fitted with a toothless grading bucket to expose the uppermost surface of the archaeological features. This revealed a modest number of deposits consisting of one ditch, 25 gullies, 13 pits and 17 postholes. All discrete features were fully excavated with linear features 2 extended beyond the agreed 10% sample in order to retrieve further dating evidence, usually to no avail. Despite there having been a flint scatter identified during test pitting, it appears that since the golf course was instated some significant landscaping had taken place resulting in the loss of this material. A catalogue of features excavated is presented in Appendix 1. Ditches and gullies Just two of the numerous linear features produced dating evidence (pottery). Ditch 1041 produced 13 abraded sherds of late Bronze Age/ early Iron Age pottery, from a single excavated slot and its value as for dating this feature must be regarded with caution. Short gully 13 is more securely dated to the medieval period, but unfortunately is not obviously related to any other linear feature. Unless noted otherwise, none of the other linear features produced any finds. Ditch 1041 was aligned WNW–ESE and terminated at its western end. Its relationship with gully 123 was uncertain, but it cut gullies 1040 and 1043. Eight slots (6, 19, 23, 120, 124, 203, 204 and 206) were dug across it measuring between 1.37m and 3.00m wide and between 0.27m and 1.20m deep. Slot 6 produced 13 abraded sherds of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery and five pieces of burnt flint. Slots 23 and 120 produced four and three pieces of burnt flint respectively. Gully 1030 was aligned approximately north-south and terminated at its southern end. It continues as gullies 1031, 1032 and 1034. Its northern end was truncated by pit 128/129 but neither it nor the pit could be dated. Three slots (125, 126 and 127) were dug across gully 1030 measuring between 0.60m and 0.70m wide and between 0.20m and 0.24m deep. Gully 1031 terminated at both ends but is clearly an interrupted a continuation of gully 1030. Similarly, it continues to the south as 1032 and 1034. Two slots (26 and 27) were dug across 1031 measuring between 0.50m and 0.70m wide and between 0.09m and 0.19m deep. Three slots (28, 29 and 30) across gully 1032 showed it measured between 0.42m and 0.80m wide and between 0.05m and 0.10m deep. Gully 1034 terminated at its north eastern end but continued out of the excavation area to the south. It was a continuation of 1032 and was cut by 1033. Three slots (31, 32 and 35) were dug across it measuring 0.70m wide and 0.16m deep. Gully 1033 was aligned NW–SE and terminated at both ends. It cut gully 1034. Six slots (33, 34, 36, 37, 38 and 121) were dug across it measuring between 0.36m and 0.60m wide and between 0.13m and 0.25m deep. Gully 1035 was aligned approximately north-south and terminated at its northern end. Its relationship with gully 1037 was unclear. Six slots (46, 47, 48, 49, 101 and 102) were dug across it measuring between 0.52m and 3 1.46m wide and between 0.13m and 0.36m deep. Slot 48 contained two pieces of burnt flint. No other finds were recovered. Gully 1036 was aligned east-west and terminated at its eastern end. Its western end was unclear. Two slots (117 and 118) were dug across it measuring between 0.33m and 0.40m wide and between 0.06m and 0.08m deep. Gully 1037 was a short length of gully aligned NE–SW that terminated at its eastern end. It continued as gully 1038 and its relationship with 1035 was unclear. Two slots (100 and 104) were dug across it measuring 0.51m wide and 0.07m deep. Gully 1038 was aligned NE–SW and terminated at both ends. It was a continuation of 1037 and continued as 1039. Three slots (105, 106 and 107) were dug across it measuring between 0.41m and 0.77m wide and between 0.07m and 0.19m deep. Gully 1039 terminated at both ends and was a continuation of 1038. Three slots (110, 111 and 112) were dug across it measuring between 0.35m and 0.73m wide and between 0.04m and 0.13m deep. Gully 1040 was a small stretch of curving gully aligned north-south but curved through a right angle to the west before terminating. It was cut by ditch 1041. Three slots (18, 20 and 114) were dug across 1040 measuring between 0.40m and 0.45m wide and between 0.09m and 0.14m deep.