NHER 55956 (Monument record) - Potentially prehistoric pits, possible Late Iron Age/Roman post hole and undated gully

January-May 2010. Geophysical survey.
Magnetometer survey of two parts of proposed development site (Area 16a and Area 16b).
No anomalies of obvious archaeological significance were identified.
The western area is crossed by a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned gas mains. Another service of unknown type was identified at the southern edge of the site.
It is noted that both areas exhibited a high level of background magnetic noise, suggesting the plough soil is heavily contaminated with ferrous debris, brick rubble, slag or other magnetic debris.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
P. Watkins (HES), 25 March 2021.

August-September 2010.Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development area (Trenches 42-44).
Three trenches were excavated in the easternmost part of this field. Four archaeologically significant features were identified, including two pits. The first pit (Trench 43) was unremarkable and only produced a single prehistoric flint flake. The second pit (Trench 44) was a shallow feature with a charcoal-rich fill that a number of prehistoric flints, including a Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic serrated blade. This pit was cut by a possible posthole containing a sherd of Iron Age/Roman pottery. These features were similar to those encountered to the east (NHER 55954).
An undated gully was also identified.
See report (S3) for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 11 August 2011. Edited and amended by P. Watkins (HES), 9 May 2013.

December 2014-January 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development area (Field 16; Trenches 103-112).
The ten trenches excavated in the western part of the site revealed only a single feature of interest - an undated north-to-south aligned ditch or gully.
No unstratified finds recovered.
See report (S4) for further details.
Previously recorded under NHER 64803.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 March 2021. Amended 18 January 2024.

May 2023. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site of proposed electrical substation and route of associated supply cabling (Trench 10).
The single trench excavated at the northern end of this site revealed no archaeologically-significant features or deposits.
See report (S5) for further details.
Previously recorded under NHER 64803.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 April 2025.

July 2025. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area (Area 2).
This survey of a substantial portion of the site revealed nothing of definite archaeological interest. The more notable responses included fragmentary linear anomalies in the western half of the area examined and a number of strong discrete anomalies in the eastern half – all of which are regarded as being of undetermined origin.
All the other anomalies recorded are thought to be either natural in origin or the result of recent agricultural activity.
There was no evidence for surviving sub-surface remains associated with a pair of adjacent north-east to south-west aligned cropmarks visible on aerial photographs in the central part of the site (part of a group of undated possible ditches recorded as NHER 53454).
See report (S6) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 June 2026.

October-November 2025. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site (Trenches 1-34).
The 34 trenches excavated in the central and northern parts of this site revealed only a small number of pits and two linear features, the majority of which lay in the western half of the area examined. These produced little in the way of dating evidence, although the finds that were recovered are exclusively prehistoric.
The more notable features included a pit in the north-west corner the site that was found to contain a coherent/single-period assemblage of Mesolithic worked flints, comprising two microliths, a bladelet and what appears to be contemporary micro-debitage. The bulk of this material was recovered from a sample that also produced a single charred barley grain (although this would be out of place in a Mesolithic context and is therefore potentially intrusive). Several pits in a nearby trench were also potentially prehistoric, with one found to contain a single handmade pottery sherd and samples from two producing worked flint debitage and fragments of burnt flint. Charcoal and burnt hazelnut shells were also present.
The other features were all undated including a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch and a narrow gulley.
There was again no evidence for surviving sub-surface remains associated with a pair of adjacent north-east to south-west aligned cropmarks visible on aerial photographs in the central part of the site (part of a group of undated possible ditches recorded as NHER 53454).
Information from draft report.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 June 2026.