NHER 51008 (Monument record) - Saxon to post medieval activity, Laurel Farm

July - October 2006. Excavation.
The Saxon period on this site was characterised by several large fire pits recorded in Area B, along with several other contemporary pits containing waste materials and sweepings. The function of these fire pits is far from certain but the most likely interpretation is that they represent small-scale iron smelting or iron working on the site. Two pits from the same period were found to contain iron slag. One of the burnt features had a number of burnt stake holes around its inner circumference and a pair of burnt fallen batons beyond it. This may represent a small structure such as a hut or an animal pen, which was burnt down, or the remains of a superstructure, possibly for a furnace.
A large ditch in the base of the dry valley appears to represent a substantial land boundary, which may have continued in use as the parish boundary until relatively recently. Several domestic rubbish pits, possibly storage pits, and isolated features indicate that there was Saxon occupation in this area as well as industrial activity.
The small-scale industrial activity that characterised the Saxon period appears to have carried on into the early medieval period as a couple of similar fire pits were recorded. A pit containing large quantities of iron slag was also dated to this period. The only structural features dated to the medieval phase were a small group of postholes, which may represent a small-scale, possibly agricultural, structure.
A single quarry pit was thought to be medieval in date and indicated the start of sand extraction on the site which would continue well into the post medieval period. Several large quarry pits dating from the post medieval period were recorded across the site. In addition, several refuse pits were also encountered, but seemed to represent sporadic use of the site for this purpose.
The post medieval period was characterised by agricultural activity across the site and features from this period included several ditches and numerous post holes representing fairly recent field boundaries. Several ephemeral structural features are thought to represent agricultural structures such as animal shelters or sheds.
See (S1) for further details.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 26 September 2007.