NHER 65558 (Monument record) - Prehistoric and medieval to post-medieval remains

May 2014. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed quarry extension.
This survey identified a number of linear responses likely to have been caused by infilled ditches. These included three linear anomalies at the northern end of the site that appear to represent the western, southern and eastern sides of an enclosure extending to the south of School Road. An extensive linear anomaly aligned roughly north-to-south extending from the south-east corner of this enclosure coincides with a former field boundary depicted on the Beetley tithe map of 1844 (S1), as do two similarly-aligned linear anomalies to the west and one to the east. Although the enclosure itself had disappeared by the mid 19th century its apparent relationship with the boundaries extant at this time suggests it was most likely of medieval to post-medieval date. A dense group of anomalies immediately to the east of the enclosure may represent a concentration of settlement remains. It is potentially notable that the small plot immediately to the east had formerly been occupied by two houses that were demolished during the latter part of the 20th century. Their age is uncertain, but they are shown on the tithe map. It is possible that the geophysical anomalies are associated with the remains of an earlier farm or dwelling(s) at this location.
Although numerous discrete anomalies were recorded across the site, only a small proportion are regarded as potentially archaeologically significant. These do though include a number of the discrete responses with the enclosure. The majority are though thought to be of natural origin, including several clusters of small anomalies. The remaining discrete anomalies were probably caused by ferrous objects in the plough soil, most likely modern debris.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 28 April 2022.

August 2014. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site of proposed quarry extension.
The 30 trenches excavated revealed a number of linear and discrete features, with the majority of the former corresponding with anomalies identified by the preceding geophysical survey.
Notable early remains included a group of four Iron Age post-holes close to the southern end of site, the arrangement of which suggested they could have been part of a post-built roundhouse. The dating evidence was though inconsistent, as while two of the post-holes both produced Early Iron Age pottery, a third was found to contained a sherd from a grog-tempered vessel of Late Iron Age/early Roman date. A slightly larger group of Early Iron Age pottery was recovered from a large pit partially exposed in the same trench.
The majority of the remaining features were of likely medieval to post-medieval date, including the southern side of the probable enclosure identified by the geophysical survey at the northern edge of the site. The corresponding ditch (which was the only element of the enclosure examined) produced a small assemblage of early medieval and high medieval pottery. Small amounts of pottery of a similar date were also recovered from several large probable quarry pits exposed in the same part of the site. Samples taken from these large features were found to contain small amounts of charred grain, along with flake hammerscale from ironworking. Similar material was also recovered from the enclosure ditch, although the quantities involved are too small to draw any conclusions about the contemporaneity of these remains. A small amount of hammerscale was also present in a sample taken from one of the Iron Age post-holes, although this may represent intrusive debris from the later phase of activity.
The majority of the other ditches were north-to-south aligned features that corresponded with the former field boundaries depicted on the 1844 tithe map (S1). Unsurprisingly these produced a range of post-medieval to modern objects. A number of perpendicular ditches were undated but presumably also medieval to post-medieval in date. The most notable of these was a feature extending westwards from the south-west corner of the probable enclosure identified by the geophysical survey, suggesting the possible presence of a second, adjacent enclosure.
It should be noted that following the completion of this work much of the eastern half of the site was removed from the proposed extraction area. As a result, many of the recorded features (including the potentially medieval enclosure and adjacent pits) now lie beyond the proposed area of impact.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 April 2022.

March-April 2018 and April-July 2019. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
These two phases of excavation took place prior to aggregate extraction in the north-west part of the site (extraction Phase 13). The route of a haul road linking this area to the lane to the south was also stripped under archaeological supervision.
This work exposed a number of ditches and numerous discrete features of varying size, although the majority of these remains produced little or no dating evidence.
A small but diverse assemblage of worked flints was recovered, comprising an Upper Palaeolithic end scraper (made on a long blade), possible burin and flake; a Late Neolithic oblique arrowhead; a potentially Early Neolithic core rejuvenation flake and blade; a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age flake and two flakes (one notched) of possible Bronze Age date. Although this material provides evidence for at least some limited activity on the site during multiple prehistoric periods, the bulk of these pieces were though either unstratified or likely to be residual within later contexts. Pottery of Early Neolithic and Early Iron Age date was though recovered from a number of features and it is therefore likely that at least some of the undated discrete features were also associated with these phases of activity.
A single sherd of Early Neolithic Plain Bowl pottery was recovered from a possible natural feature and one of the pits elsewhere on the site produced several sherds likely to be of a similar date.
A much larger assemblage of Early Iron Age pottery was recovered, with two pits and large hollow all producing 20 or more sherds and smaller groups of similar pottery found in several other pits and a single linear feature. Only a limited number of other finds were recovered from these features - one pit contained fragments of fired clay, another produced a number of cattle tooth fragments and a piece of possible iron slag was found in the large hollow. These remains were widely dispersed and, together with the evidence recovered during the preceding evaluation, indicate that activity had taken place over a large area during the Iron Age.
Samples taken from the fills of several prehistoric features produced little in the way of charred plant macrofossils, with no cereal grains identified. The one exception was a sample from one of the Early Iron Age pits, which contained the remains of rushes that had potentially been used as bedding material.
All of the ditches recorded were likely to relate to much more recent phases of activity. These included north-north-west to south-south-east and east-north-east to west-south-west aligned ditches that clearly formed the western and southern sides of an enclosure adjacent to that identified by the initial geophysical survey. These were cut by a pit containing post-medieval ceramic building material but otherwise undated. It is though likely that these remains were of medieval to post-medieval date, given the evidence recovered during the preceding trial trenching. There was again evidence for a relationship between these enclosures and the field system present in the late post-medieval period, with the western side of the newly exposed enclosure lying adjacent to a parallel ditch that continued to the south and clearly coincided with one of the former field boundaries depicted on the Beetley tithe map (S1). An adjacent ditch seen in the area of the haul road corresponds with extensive parallel boundary identified by the geophysical survey. An undated perpendicular east-north-east to west-south-west was probably also associated with this medieval to post-medieval field system. There was though only limited other evidence for medieval or later activity in this part of the site, with medieval finds limited to two pottery sherds (one recovered from a pit to the south of the enclosure and the other from one of a pair of additional north-north-west to east-south-east aligned ditches exposed in the narrow confines of the haul road).
The majority of the undated discrete features were fairly unremarkable possible pits and post-holes. One notable exception was a pit at the western edge of the site, a sample from which was found to contain thousands of charred goosefoot seeds, most likely 'fat hen' (Chenopodium album). Although normally encountered as an arable weed, the amount of seed present (and the absence of any cereal grains) suggests that fat hen was being deliberately gathered or cultivated, most likely during the Iron Age. Other undated features of note included two pits in the the north-west corner of the site that both displayed evidence for in situ burning.
Other unstratified finds were limited to three Early Iron Age pottery sherds and a small number of medieval to post-medieval and undated metal objects.
See interim report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), April 2023.