NHER 64836 (Monument record) - Possible area of roadside settlement and associated enclosures and field boundaries

April-May 2012. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
This survey identified a cluster of archaeologically-significant anomalies at the eastern end of the field, adjacent to The Avenue. These included two strong positive north-to-south aligned linear anomalies likely to represent a doglegged ditch. This is set back approximately 40m from The Avenue and may represent the western boundary of enclosures associated with an area of road-side settlement - particularly as the area between the linear anomalies and the road also contains a dense cluster of discrete, pit-like responses. A series of weaker perpendicular and parallel linear anomalies to the west of this boundary appear to define some form of rectilinear ditched enclosure with an internal partition.
A west-north-west to east-south-east aligned linear anomaly that extends from the main cluster of roadside anomalies and two perpendicular north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomalies at its western end are likely to represent elements of a contemporary field system,
The only other responses of note were two linear anomalies in the south-western part of the field. The more extensive of these is aligned north-east to south-west and turns onto an east-to-west alignment towards its eastern end. This corresponds with a previously recorded cropmark (NHER 50714) and may represent another element of the same field system as the other more extensive linear anomalies to the east. There was no evidence for surviving remains associated with a second cropmark mapped at this location.
Although numerous discrete anomalies were identified to the west of the probable roadside enclosures these were much harder to interpret and it is probable that most, if not all, were of natural origin. Other responses of probable non-archaeology origin include two broad sinuous linear anomalies in the eastern half of the field which probably represent variations in the natural geology. Bands of magnetic disturbance around the margins of the field and scattered discrete small ferrous anomalies were also deemed to have no archaeological significance.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 6 April 2021.