NHER 65590 (Monument record) - Late Iron Age/Roman, medieval to post-medieval and undated remains

October 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area.
This survey identified a series of slightly sinuous positive linear anomalies that are likely to represent infilled ditches. The arrangement of these features suggests they potentially formed some kind of enclosure. A number of other, more fragmentary linear anomalies also potentially represented ditches, although it is also possible that these related to recent agricultural activity. Several discrete areas of magnetic variation may also represent archaeologically-significant remains, although the exact nature of the anomalies is uncertain. Other discrete anomalies were deemed to be of likely natural origin.
A pair of adjoining north-north-east to south-south-west and west-north-west to east-south-east aligned positive linear anomalies in the eastern half of the field correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the Wimbotsham tithe map of 1840 (S1). A large area of magnetic debris in this part of the site is thought to indicate an area of made ground.
A number of discrete magnetic 'spikes' were probably caused by ferrous objects in the soil, most likely modern debris.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 22 May 2022.

March-April 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Grantham to Bexwell pipeline (Area 215).
This survey saw the investigation of a relatively narrow strip immediately to the north of the area examined in 2015. This revealed a dense cluster of predominantly north-north-east to south-south-west and west-north-west to east-south-east aligned linear anomalies towards the western edge of the site. The density and generally high strength of these anomalies suggests they are likely to represent remains associated with an area of former settlement. This is also indicated by the presence of numerous relatively small discrete anomalies in this part of the site, the majority of which are interpreted as possible pit features.
A number of much more dispersed linear anomalies were recorded across the remainder of the area examined. Although the alignments of these anomalies are broadly similar to those within the main cluster, they are generally weaker and more sinuous. A natural origin therefore cannot be entirely discounted, particularly for the more irregular examples.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 November 2022.

November 2021-March 2022. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on route of Anglian Water Grantham to Bexwell pipeline (Area 14; Trenches 70-75)
This work uncovered evidence for extensive remains, with multiple linear and/or discrete features revealed in all but one of the six trenches excavated. Interpreting this evidence is though difficult as although there was clear artefactual evidence for activity during multiple periods, the majority of the individual features produced few, if any finds. It should also be noted that only one of the trenches coincided with area examined by the preceding geophysical survey (and this only partially), the remaining five all lying in the area to the north.
Evidence for prehistoric activity included a small assemblage of Mesolithic/Early Neolithic flint blades and blade-like flakes and six sherds of probable Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery (the majority of which came from a single ditch).
A small assemblage of Late Iron Age and Roman pottery was also recovered, with the latter including a number of notable early sherds of probable 1st-century date. Much of this material was recovered from a complex group of ditches revealed in the westernmost two trenches, close to the dense group of linear anomalies identified by the 2021 geophysical survey. Unfortunately, although at least three of the excavated ditches can be related to geophysical anomalies a small number of lava quern fragments were the only finds recovered from these particular features. Other finds recovered from the features uncovered in this part of the site include fragments of undiagnostic fired clay and animal bone. Samples taken from several deposits all produced small quantities of charred cereal grain, charcoal and other plant macrofossils.
No finds of definite post-Roman date were recovered and the only feature that can be confidently associated with more recent activity is a ditch at the eastern end of the site that coincided with a former field boundary depicted on the Wimbotsham Tithe map of 1840 (S1).
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 November 2022.

March-April 2023. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site (Trenches 1-41).
The 41 trenches excavated at this location revealed a number of linear and discrete features, although the majority produced few finds. There was little evidence for activity prior to the late medieval period, with earlier finds limited to a single sherd of handmade Early or Middle Saxon pottery (which was recovered from a probable natural feature).
A small number of ditches could be tentatively identified as being of medieval to post-medieval date, all of which lay towards the western end of the site. These included two adjacent, roughly east-to-west aligned features that corresponded with two of the linear anomalies identified by the 2015 geophysical survey. One of these ditches produced single sherds of late medieval/early post-medieval and post-medieval pottery, suggesting a possible 16th-century date for this feature. Fragments of animal bone and an iron nail were also recovered from these features. The geophysical survey had suggested that these ditches potentially formed the northern side of an irregular enclosure but there was no evidence for sub-surface remains associated with the linear anomalies thought to form its western and southern sides. Sherds of late medieval/early post-medieval and post-medieval pottery were also recovered from two adjacent north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditches in this part of the site and a north-west to south-east aligned ditch at the western edge of the field contained a medieval/post-medieval roof tile fragment and a single post-medieval pottery sherd.
Several trenches in the north-west corner of the site revealed north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear features interpreted as the traces of medieval or post-medieval ridge and furrow. It should though be noted that these trenches all fell close to or within the area in which the 2021 geophysical survey had identified various similarly-aligned linear anomalies that formed part of a dense cluster of responses thought to represent an area of former settlement. Although a number of pits were also recorded in these trenches these were all undated. A sample from one feature was though found to contain a spelt wheat glume base - which is notable, as hulled wheats became rare after the Roman period.
Potentially of a later date was a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch identified in the eastern half of the site that also corresponded with a geophysical anomaly identified by the 2015 survey. This produced single sherds of post-medieval and late post-medieval/modern pottery.
Heavy modern disturbance noted in several trenches in the eastern half of the site was almost certainly related to the use and decommissioning of Downham Market airfield (NHER 2455). No surviving features or structural remains associated with the World War Two airfield were identified.
Unstratified finds were limited to single fragments of post-medieval/modern pottery and roof tile.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 30 October 2023. Amended 14 March 2024.