NHER 62588 (Monument record) - Medieval pits and ditches and undated linear features

December 2017. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
Four of the five trenches excavated revealed archaeologically significant features, the majority of which were probably ditches and pits. Four features in the northern half of the site produced medieval pottery sherds, with moderate assemblages being recovered from a substantial ditch and a nearby pit or ditch terminus. Although the ditch had a relatively sterile primary fill its upper fill contained much more pottery and a sample taken from this deposit was found to contain frequent charred cereal grains and charcoal fragments. A nearby ditch and another pit also produced medieval pottery sherds. The composition of the medieval pottery assemblage suggests that it was probably deposited between the 13th and 14th centuries, although some sherds could be earlier in date. The only other finds recovered from these features were a small number of animal bone fragments, all of which were found in the two pits.
The southern half of the site was crossed by a substantially north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear feature that was observed in two of the trenches. As three nails of medieval to post-medieval date were the only finds recovered the date of this feature is uncertain. No corresponding boundaries are depicted on any of the available 19th century maps but it appears that it may be related to a similarly-aligned linear feature visible on LiDAR imagery of the site. It should also be noted that it appears to be perpendicular to the large medieval ditch to the north and does not appear to continue beyond it, suggesting they may well have been broadly contemporary.
The only other feature identified was an undated ditch close to the northern edge of the site.
No unstratified finds were recovered during this work.
P. Watkins (HES), 31 January 2018.