NHER 66866 (Monument record) - Undated pits and ditches and concentration of Late Saxon to medieval pottery

September 2016. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of part of large proposed development site.
This survey saw the examination of the northern and easternmost parts of this site.
No potentially archaeologically-significant anomalies were recorded.
This field has a very different magnetic signature to that of the land to the east, with numerous small dipolar anomalies present. As with the fields to the west (NHERs 66861 and 66864) it is suggested this might be the result of material having been imported to improve the soil. It is possible that this magnetic noise has masked any smaller archaeologically-significant anomalies present.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 April 2023.

April 2017. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of large proposed development site.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 April 2023.

February-May 2018. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development site (Fields 5 and 7; Trenches 67-82).
The sixteen trenches excavated at this location revealed a number of scattered ditches and probable pits, the majority of which produced no finds. The ditches were all aligned east-to-west and were mostly undated. The one exception was a feature that was clearly associated with the extant boundary that crosses the central part of this site. This produced several fragments of post-medieval/modern glass. A single Late Saxon pottery sherd was the only find recovered from the various possible pits recorded. The others were mostly fairly unremarkable feature, with the exception of a feature in the north-east corner of the site that had charcoal rich fills and evidence for in-situ burning. Two burnt prehistoric flint flakes were recovered from this feature and fragments of burnt flint were also noted in a sample taken from one of its fills. Two pits of obviously modern date were also recorded.
Unstratified finds included a large assemblage of almost 200 Late Saxon and medieval pottery sherds, the bulk of which were recovered from two of the northernmost trenches, close to where a significant concentration of similar material had been identified in the field to the north (NHER 66865). Other unstratified finds included single Roman, late medieval/post-medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds, medieval and post-medieval roof tile fragments, a potentially medieval sandstone hone and a medieval/post-medieval lead weight.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 April 2023.