NHER 65133 (Monument record) - Prehistoric, post-medieval and undated remains

February-March 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of part of large proposed development area (Areas 6 and 7).
This survey identified a number of scattered linear and discrete anomalies, although none were of definite archaeological significance. The more interesting responses included a curving line of fragmentary linear anomalies in the north-west corner of the site. These may be related to an area of probable medieval settlement identified in the field to the west (NHER 65136); potentially continuing the line of a possible trackway that forms the northern boundary of a linear arrangement of plots or enclosures.
Two parallel north-to-south aligned linear anomalies in the northern field may also represent infilled ditches. Although these don’t correspond with anything shown on the available 19th-century maps, their orientation and the fact that they don’t continue into the adjacent fields strongly suggests they were associated with former post-medieval boundaries.
The remaining anomalies are of uncertain origin.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 July 2021.

February-June 2023. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development area (Trenches 93-128).
The 33 trenches excavated at this located revealed a range of scattered ditches, pits and other discrete features, the majority of which produced little or no dating evidence. One particularly notable exception was a pit containing nearly 400 Middle Bronze Age pottery sherds (the bulk from a single Deverel-Rimbury barrel-shaped vessel). This feature had initially been identified as a possible cremation burial but samples taken from its fills produced only a small amount of burnt bone (which was probably animal). A square trench extension dug around this feature revealed a second pit, which, despite 100% excavation, produced only a single Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery sherd and fragments animal bone and fired clay. Samples from its fill produced no burnt bone and little of interest in the way of charred plant macrofossils. Small amounts of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Pottery were recovered from a number of other features, including a shallow pit and three ditches (all of which displayed differing alignments). One of these ditches also contained a Late Iron Age pottery sherd, while a second Late Iron Age sherd was residual within a second, similarly-aligned ditch that was almost certainly a much more recent feature.
The limited evidence for subsequent activity of the site included two Roman pottery sherds, which were both recovered from one of two large pits recorded in the central part of the site.
Features of more recent date included two ditches that appear to have corresponded with former field boundaries shown on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S2), one of which contained medieval/post-medieval roof slate fragments and the other a post-medieval iron bolt.
The remaining features were all undated. The more notable of these remains included a shallow circular pit containing dumps of heat-reddened clay and dark, charcoal-rich material containing much burnt flint. A sample from this feature produced charcoal but else in the way of charred plant macrofossils.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 October 2025.