NHER 64662 (Monument record) - Saxo-Norman/early medieval pits and linear features

September 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The eight trenches excavated revealed a number of features of probable Late Saxon to early medieval date, the majority of which were clustered at the eastern end of the site. These remains included several parallel north-north-west to south-south-east aligned ditches and gullies and a number of adjacent pits. The small pottery assemblage recovered from these features was dominated by Saxo-Norman wares and although some early medieval handmade wares are also present there is no evidence for activity after the mid 12th century. Features that produced only Saxo-Norman pottery may have been slightly earlier in date, although it is quite possible that the entire pottery assemblage was broadly contemporary, perhaps representing a single phase of activity during the 11th century.
The most convincingly dated feature was the easternmost of the north-north-west to south-south-east aligned ditches, which produced a total of 17 pottery sherds. This feature appeared to turn to the east at its southern end.
The linear features were probably mostly associated with ditched enclosures and/or property boundaries, although it is possible that the narrower gullies were actually beam slots associated with buildings of some kind.
The date and nature of three east-north-east to west-south-west aligned ditches is less certain as one in the central part of the site producing no finds and the two at the eastern end were observed to cut the perpendicular linear features.
The only evidence for earlier activity on the site was a small number of Early Neolithic and ?Late Neolithic worked flints, all of which were either unstratified or residual within later features.
Several modern features were recorded, included a water pipe trench, a drain and a feature containing modern brickwork that had been backfilled with chalk lumps. One of the trenches at the rear of the properties couldn’t be fully excavated due to the presence of a dump of asbestos.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 March 2021.

August 2016-March 2017. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with the construction of several new residential dwellings at the eastern end of the site.
No archaeologically-significant features or deposits were recorded, primarily because the majority of the foundation trenches excavated did not reach the depth where such remains would have been visible.
No finds were recovered.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 March 2021.