NHER 62731 (Monument record) - Prehistoric, post-medieval and undated features

March-May 2017. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavations on route of Belton Stepshort Rising Main.
This section of the route was selected for detailed investigation due to the complex multi-period cropmarks recorded both in these fields and in those to the north, on the opposite side of New Road. This work revealed a number of prehistoric and later features, although the majority of the cropmarks that crossed the pipeline easement were found to have no corresponding sub-surface remains.
The earliest of the potentially prehistoric features was a poorly-defined possible tree-throw hollow that produced a small assemblage of Early Neolithic pottery sherds and worked flints (the latter including a flake from a polished axehead). Although post-medieval objects were also found the presence of modern plastics suggests this later material was almost certainly intrusive. The small number of Early Neolithic finds recovered elsewhere included a pottery sherd recovered from another possible tree-throw hollow and single, presumably residual sherds found in three of the excavated ditches.
Notable later prehistoric features included a small sub-oval pit that was found to contained a complete Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery vessel that had been carefully placed in an upright position. It is possible that this feature was a grave in which no bone had survived, although complete and semi-complete Beaker vessels are sometimes also encountered in non-funerary contexts. A sample taken from this feature produced alder/hazel charcoal from which a radiocarbon date of 2290-2040 cal BC was obtained (SUERC-75153; 95% probability; 3761+/-31BP). This date is earlier that those that have been obtained for similarly-decorated Beakers found in funerary contexts elsewhere but comfortably within the date range that has been suggested for domestic assemblages that include this type of vessel. Although a number of other features were identified nearby only one can be confidently identified as being of a similar date. This longer, shallow feature had a charcoal-rich fill and lumps of charcoal that appeared to represent the burnt surface of a log or plank. Although no finds were recovered a fragment of oak sapwood charcoal produced a radiocarbon date of 2200-1980 cal BC (SUERC-75152; 95% probability; 3706+/-30BP). The surrounding discrete features also produced no finds and were possibly natural features. The only other sherd of Beaker pottery recovered was found in sub-oval pit or three throw hollow some distance away, in the western field.
A west-north-west to east-south-east aligned ditch can also be identified as a potentially Bronze Age feature. Charcoal from a gorse-type plant recovered from its lower fill produced a Middle Bronze Age radiocarbon date of 1370-1090 cal BC (SUERC-75154; 95% probability; 2978 +/-30BP) and two sherds of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery were recovered from the overlying upper fill. Notably, this ditch corresponds with one of several undated fragmentary cropmarks (NHER 45261) that cannot be associated with the potentially Late Prehistoric/Roman and post-medieval field systems represented by the other cropmarks recorded in this area. A north-to-south aligned ditch identified 60m to the west corresponds with another cropmark in this group (one of a pair of parallel features likely to represent a trackway), but unfortunately this produced no dating evidence.
The majority of the other ditches excavated also produced little or no dating evidence. One exception was a north-east to south-west ditch exposed in the western field from which single sherds of Early Neolithic and Roman pottery were recovered. Whilst the Roman sherd is abraded and potentially residual it should be noted that the alignment of this ditch is similar to that of various surrounding cropmarks believed to represent enclosures and field boundaries of possible Late Prehistoric or Roman date (NHER 45215). Two north-west to south-east aligned ditches identified further to the east possibly corresponded with cropmarks in this ground, but neither produced any finds.
A number of the excavated ditches were probably of relatively recent date. These included several north-north-east to south-south-west aligned features, two of which corresponded with cropmarks believed to represent post-medieval field boundaries (NHER 11552). One of these features produced pottery of 19th-century date, along with a residual Early Saxon sherd.
The other discrete features identified during this work produced little in the way of dating evidence and most were probably natural in origin. Although a small number were more convincing as deliberately dug features these were all undated.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 May 2018.