NHER 69800 (Monument record) - Possible area of medieval to post-medieval roadside settlement and other, post-medieval and undated remains

May 2019. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of potential archaeological impact of large proposed development.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 April 2026.

April and September 2022. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of part of large proposed development site (Area 6).
This survey identified a dense band of strong linear and discrete responses at the western edge of the site, with the former almost certainly representing ditches forming a series of adjoining rectilinear enclosures. The discrete anomalies all lay within the bounds of these enclosures and potentially represent associated pit-type features. The form and strength of these responses suggest they most likely represent an area of former medieval to post-medieval roadside settlement.
A pair of adjacent, north-west to south-east aligned linear anomalies extending eastwards from the enclosure group potentially represent a contemporary trackway. A similar pair of linear anomalies aligned slightly more west-north-west to south-south-east is also visible a little way to the south. Several north-north-east to south-south-west and north-east to south-west aligned linear anomalies are likely to represent former field boundaries, all of which clearly predate the last post-medieval field system depicted on 19th-century maps. One corresponds with an extensive previously mapped cropmark, which is part of a group thought to represent field boundaries of Iron Age to Roman date or later date (NHER 52384). The survey also recorded two west-north-west to east-south-east aligned linear anomalies that correspond former field boundaries shown on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (S2). Other responses of note include a circular anomaly at TG 1692 1529. This has the appearance of a ring-ditch but is one of a number of responses in this part of the site regarded as being of undetermined origin.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 April 2026.

July-September 2025. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development site (Trenches 74-79).
Only six trenches were excavated at this location, with the majority placed along the proposed route of a new road crossing the middle of the site. There was therefore no investigation of the main group of geophysical anomalies at the western edge of the site.
A small number of ditches and a single pit were recorded, all of which were undated - finds being limited to a prehistoric retouched flint flake and a small amount of burnt flint.
Although the trenches coincided with three linear geophysical anomalies no corresponding remains were identified.
See report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 April 2026.