NHER 68294 (Monument record) - Possible prehistoric 'pot boiler spread, other, undated features and organic deposits

January-February 2019. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of area to be affected by proposed junction improvements and associated highway works (Area C; Trenches 17, 19 and 25-28).
Deep probable colluvial deposits were present at several locations and in two trenches their revealed a fairly extensive, black, apparently organic-rich deposit. One of the trenches exposed a more discrete patch of dark material that contained what appeared to be burnt flints and was therefore tentatively interpreted as a possible prehistoric pot-boiler spread (an accumulation of material that had been used to heat or boil water). Such activity generally took place in low-lying location close to a supply of water, so it is potentially notable that the water table was encountered within this trench. A single prehistoric worked flint recovered during the initial cleaning of this deposit was though the only find recovered. An adjacent trench exposed a somewhat irregular pit and a possible post-hole that both contained black silty sand deposits similar to those present within a group of undated features exposed on the opposite side of the A140 (NHER 68293). These features lay on the margins of some form of large hollow, the lower fill of which was a black organic-rich silty sand and therefore potentially associated with the black deposits observed in the adjacent trench.
Two isolated ditches were the only other features identified. These were both also undated (a single prehistoric worked flint being the only find recovered), although there is no evidence to suggest there were associated with former post-medieval or modern field boundaries.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 April 2024.