NHER 69719 (Monument record) - Post-medieval and undated remains

April 2025. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
The only responses of potential archaeological interest were two discrete anomalies in the northernmost part of the site that potentially represent pit-type features. Several linear trends in the central part of the site may also represent sub-surface remains, although their origin is regarded as undetermined and it is possible they were caused by variations in the underlying geology.
Although the survey also identified a number of north-to-south and east-to-west aligned linear anomalies, these all correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (S1). A large discrete anomaly at TF 9999 1420 relates to a pond or water-filled former extraction pit shown on the same map. A large area of magnetic disturbance in the north-west corner of the site coincides with the extent of one the former fields and was probably caused by either green waste or ground disturbance associated with a different form of land use.
There was no evidence for surviving remains associated with an area of now-levelled medieval ridge and furrow earthworks visible on aerial photograph at the northernmost part of the site (NHER 66907). There was also no trace of sub-surface remains associated with two east-to-west aligned linear cropmarks mapped at the southern end of the site (part of a group of undated field and enclosure boundaries recorded as NHER 66906).
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 February 2026.

October 2025. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The 58 trenches excavated revealed a number of ditches and several discrete features, all of which were either undated or likely post-medieval.
The ditches recorded were all aligned either north-to-south or east-to-west, with the majority corresponding with former field boundaries depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (S1). These had all been identified by the preceding geophysical survey. A range of post-medieval or later finds were recovered from these features (not all of which were excavated) including pottery sherds, ceramic building material, bottle glass and pieces of clay tobacco pipe stem, along with an iron handle, several unidentified iron objects and a small amount of animal bone. Earlier material was notable absent. The small number of other ditches included two north-to-south aligned features in the northernmost part of the site that presumably represented former sub-divisions of the fields present in the late 19th-century. One produced a small amount of post-medieval ceramic building material. These features were potentially related to the similarly-aligned ridge and furrow earthworks visible in this part of the site on aerial photographs (NHER 66907). Two additional north-to-south aligned ditches were also noted in the southern half of the site but there was again no evidence for surviving sub-surface remains associated with a pair of east-to-west aligned linear cropmarks noted in this area (NHER 66906).
A large discrete feature seen in two adjacent trenches in the central part of the site had also been identified by the preceding geophysical survey and corresponds with a pond or water-filled quarry shown on (S1). A machine-excavated sondage dug into this feature revealed a pair of steep-sided cuts interpreted as a recut well. Post-medieval finds were recovered from the fills of both the pond and the possible well. A sample taken from the latter produced a small number of residual prehistoric flint flakes but little else of note. Several undated pits were also recorded, along with two that appeared to be modern.
The only other evidence for earlier activity on the site was a small number of possible Roman tile fragments, all of which were residual within a post-medieval ditch.
No unstratified finds were recovered.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 February 2026.