NHER 69924 (Monument record) - Early Iron Age pits, probable medieval roadside settlement and post-medieval ditches

October 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of part of large proposed development site (F1, F2 and F4).
By far the most notable responses are a group of north-to-south and east-to-west aligned linear anomalies in the north-east corner of the site, which appear to represent ditches defining a group of adjoining rectilinear enclosures. A concentration of discrete anomalies recorded within the bounds of these enclosures potentially represent associated pit-type features, while a number of east-to-west aligned linear anomalies to the west may also represent broadly contemporary remains. The fact these probable enclosures appear to extent southwards from the extant trackway bounding the northern edge of the field suggests they may well relate to a former area of medieval to post-medieval roadside settlement.
Various linear and discrete anomalies recorded across the remainder of the site appear to be of limited archaeological interest. These include a number of extensive linear anomalies that clearly represent ditches associated with former field boundaries depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (S1). Three large discrete anomalies correspond with former ponds or water-filled former quarries shown on this map, while two others coincide with previously recorded probable World War Two bomb craters visible as soilmarks and cropmarks on aerial photographs (NHER 53541). Other large discrete anomalies probably represent infilled quarry pits of relatively recent date.
As in the surrounding fields the other linear anomalies recorded were probably the results of recent agricultural activity, while scattered discrete dipolar 'spikes' were probably associated with ferrous material on or close to the surface – most likely modern debris.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 July 2026.

March-June 2025. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development site (Trenches 90-121, 126-148, 154-176 and 181-204).
The 102 trenches excavated at this location revealed a large number of linear and discrete features, a significant proportion of which were of probable medieval date.
The limited evidence for earlier activity included a small amount of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age Post Deverel Rimbury pottery, which was recovered from a number of scattered pits. The bulk of this pottery was recovered from a single pit in the south-west corner of the site and identified as being of likely Early Iron Age date. A number of samples were taken from this feature as it was initially identified as a possible cremation burial but these produced no burnt bone and little in the way of charred plant macrofossils. One did though contain several fragments of an unidentified iron object. Much smaller quantities of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery were also recovered from several other otherwise undated pits. The site also produced a small number of Mesolithic/Neolithic, Neolithic/Bronze Age and Bronze Age/Iron Age worked flints, although most, if not all were probably residual within later contexts.
The features of potential medieval date were widely distributed across the site. They included a group of ditches containing small amounts of medieval pottery in the north-west corner of the site that likely represent the outlying elements of a concentration of medieval remains recorded in the field to the west (NHER 69923). Another notable concentration was recorded in the north-east corner of the site, within the area where the geophysical survey had identified a number of probable rectilinear enclosures. The majority of the linear geophysical anomalies were found to have associated sub-surface remains, with the limited dating evidence recovered suggesting that these ditches were most likely medieval in date. A range of additional ditches and various discrete features were recorded in this part of the site, many of which also produced medieval pottery. It is therefore likely that these remains were associated with some form of roadside medieval settlement, with the adjacent trackway forming the northern side of the associated enclosures. As at the site to the west the pottery recovered was a mix of early medieval and high medieval wares, with the assemblage as a whole suggesting that the main phase of activity had occurred during the 12th and 13th centuries. Other finds recovered from the features of definite or potential medieval date included lava quern or millstone fragments (one quite large), pieces of fired clay, fragments of animal bone and several iron objects.
There was little evidence for significant activity on the site from the 14th century onward, later remains being largely limited to post-medieval field boundary ditches. These ditches included a number of north-to-south and east-to-west aligned features that corresponded with former field boundaries shown on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (S1), along with several similarly-aligned features that potentially represented earlier elements of the field system present in the late post-medieval period. The latter included a north-to-south aligned ditch in the north-east part of the site that produced several late medieval/early post-medieval pottery sherds (the only pottery of this date recovered) and a post-medieval brick fragment. One of the post-medieval ditches was also found to contain a line of reused bricks, the function of which was uncertain.
Two large areas of disturbance at the eastern end of the site coincided with probably World War Two bomb craters noted on aerial photographs (NHER 53541) that had also been identified by the preceding geophysical survey. Several of the other large geophysical anomalies were also shown to correspond with large features, mostly likely infilled quarry pits.
The more notable of the various other undated features included a number of scattered pits with dark, charcoal-rich fills, at least one of was seem to have heat-scorched margins. These were possibly prehistoric but it is just as likely that they were associated with much more recent industrial activities, such as charcoal production. Samples taken from several of these features produced charcoal but little else in the way of charred plant macrofossils or other debris.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 July 2026.