NHER 65138 (Monument record) - Post-medieval structural remains and undated ditches

July-August 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The westernmost of the three trenches excavated revealed the robbed out remains of an east-to west aligned chalk lump wall and an associated spread of chalk demolition debris. This deposit and the surrounding topsoil also contained numerous fragments of brick and tile. Although some of the former are ‘Early Bricks’ of medieval or early post-medieval date, the remainder of the material is post-medieval. The later bricks are all of probable 16th- to 17th date. Single sherds of late medieval/early medieval and post-medieval pottery were also recovered from the topsoil in this trench, along with a fragment of post-medieval bottle glass.
A second east-to-west aligned chalk lump wall was recorded in the easternmost trench. This was also associated with a substantial spread of chalk demolition rubble, the removal of which exposed a surviving area of chalk floor abutting the south side of the wall. A slight mound at the western end of this trench was shown to comprise further chalk rubble and it is likely the same is true for a similar (unexcavated) feature recorded to the south. The excavated rubble contained fragments of medieval/early post-medieval and post-medieval brick similar to those associated with the structure to the west (although it is noted that the ‘Early Bricks’ are potentially slightly earlier in date). The later bricks were also of probable 16th- to 17th-century date and a brick drain in this trench was made from bricks of a similar age.
Other features of note included three adjacent east-to-west aligned ditches in the easternmost trench. Although their alignments point to a medieval to post-medieval date, finds were limited single sherds of possible Iron Age and Late Roman pottery. Features recorded nearby were tentatively interpreted as a post-hole and a possible post-bedding trench, although it is noted that these may have been natural features.
A number of other discrete features excavated in two of the trenches were all found to be of probable natural origin.
The only other unstratified find of note was an abraded pottery sherd of possible Early Neolithic date.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 July 2021.