NHER 34338 (Find Spot record) - Neolithic and Saxon to post medieval artefact accumulation, river edge

April 1999. Excavation and Watching Brief.
Excavation of trench on site of new water tank and monitoring of associated test hole. Contexts 1-5.
The trench exposed a buried deposit which appears to represent a gradual accumulation of material within an open area. Finds recovered from this layer include post medieval brick and tile, Prehistoric struck flint, animal bone, and a small quantity of Late Saxon to medieval pottery. The layer was also observed at the base of a test hole excavated to the west, yielding additional pottery and animal bone finds as well as an 11th century decorated copper alloy horse harness pendant or mount decorated in the Ringerike style, (S3). The range of finds suggests that this area remained relativey open from the medieval period, and it has been postulated that it may have formed part of the Priory gardens.
Overlaying this gradual accumulation of material was a layer of possible post medieval demolition debris. Finds from this deposit included post medieval brick, stone and chalk as well as a medieval limestone fragment. The latter has been identified as a limestone voussoir with a hollow and roll profile likely of 14th century date, but its sides were encrusted with post medieval limestone mortar, suggesting re-use during this period. It is possible that this layer is associated with levelling carried out during construction of the ring road immediately west of the site.
Further evidence for disturbance associated with the construction of the ring road was recovered from a test hole dug to the west, which revealed a mixed layer containing seven residual fragments of human bone representing at least two individuals. The condition of the bones indicates that they had been subject to considerable post deposition disturbance and they may be related to remains encountered on the opposite side of the river during the construction of the ring road in 1968 (see NHER 5921).
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
E. Rose (NLA) 8 April 1999. Updated by H. Hamilton (NLA), 18 August 2008.