NHER 66142 (Monument record) - Possible medieval to post-medieval enclosures and other, undated remains

May 2018. Desk-based Assessment.
Environmental Impact Assessment of the potential impacts of the proposed Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm on the historic environment. This study incorporated the results of an initial walkover survey and the first phases of geophysical survey.
See relevant chapter of Environmental Statement and associated appendices for further detail (S1).
P. Watkins (HES), 24 October 2022.

November 2021-March 2022. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (Area 801).
This survey recorded a range of linear and discrete anomalies, a number of which were identified as potentially archaeologically-significant. The most notable of these are a series of north-to-south and east-to-west aligned linear anomalies at the southern end of the site, which are likely to represent infilled ditches. The arrangement of these probable features suggests they potentially represent elements of two adjacent sub-rectangular enclosures. The date of these remains is uncertain, although it is clear that their orientation differs from that of several potential early features visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs of this field. These include including a substantial north-north-east to south-south-west aligned enclosure of probable prehistoric or Roman date immediately to the north-east of this site and several similarly-aligned ditches that clearly predate the late post-medieval field system (see NHER 18191 for further details). The alignments of the features identified by the geophysical survey are much closer to those of the former field boundaries visible on the Bodham Tithe map (S2), suggesting they most likely represent remains of medieval to post-medieval date. Their position adjacent to the Kelling Road raises the possibility that they were associated with some form of roadside farm of small settlement.
Although a number of linear anomalies were identified elsewhere on the site these were all weaker and/or much more irregular. It is possible that some may also represent archaeologically-significant remains but this is far from certain.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 October 2022.

February-June 2022. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (P2TT09; Trenches 160-164).
The five trenches excavated at this location revealed four ditches and a single pit, all of which lay at the southern end of the site, where the preceding geophysical survey had identified a group of potentially archaeologically-significant linear anomalies. Three of the ditches were aligned east-to-west, of which two were likely to correspond with geophysical anomalies. Unfortunately dating evidence was limited to two lava quern fragments of possible medieval date. The forth ditch was aligned north-north-west to south-south-east, suggesting it was potentially associated with a different phase of activity. Although it contained no finds it is recorded that its fill was paler than that of the other ditches.
The single pit recorded was an unremarkable feature that also produced no finds.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 October 2022.