NHER 64802 (Monument record) - ?Iron Age pit and modern and undated ditches

January-May 2010. Geophysical survey.
Magnetometer survey of westernmost part of field adjacent to The Sheepwalk (Area 11b) and smaller, rectangular block at eastern edge of field, adjacent to A1075 (Area 11a).
No anomalies of obvious archaeological significance were identified.
The western area was dominated by 'patterned ground' geological anomalies. A pair of linear anomalies crossing this area relate to a modern track. Scattered discrete ferrous anomalies in both areas were most likely caused by modern debris in the topsoil.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
P. Watkins (HES), 25 March 2021.

November 2014. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of areas of field not covered by 2010 work (Field 11).
Interestingly, a linear anomaly of possible archaeological significance is now recorded in the previously examined area at the eastern end of the field (Area 11a), suggesting this block was either resurveyed or the data reprocessed. This anomaly is aligned north-east to south-west and turns sharply to the south-east (onto a north-west to south-east orientation) at its southern end. Two 'staple' shaped curvilinear anomalies to the north may represent another infilled ditch but is of a much more uncertain nature.
As in the previously examined areas extensive 'patterned ground' geological anomalies were present.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 March 2021.

December 2014-January 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development area (Field 11; Trenches 66-102).
The 37 trenches excavated in this field revealed several ditches and a small number of discrete features.
The ditches all related to the previously identified linear geophysical anomalies. None produced any dating evidence, although it is noted that the main north-east to south-west aligned feature potentially corresponds with a former field boundary first shown on early 20th century Ordnance Survey maps.
The majority of the scattered discrete features were of probable natural origin. The main exception was a shallow possible pit in the central part of the site that produced two sherds of Middle-Late Iron Age pottery and several flint flakes. Although the nature of this features was also somewhat uncertain it is notable that a sample from its fill first produced a small assemblage of charred plant macrofossils likely to represent scattered refuse or midden waste (including barley and wheat grains and occasional chaff elements).
No unstratified finds recovered.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 March 2021. Amended 18 January 2024.