ENN110275 - Elton 2, 2021 (Strip, map and sample)

Reference is BE10155 Due to the quantity of archaeological features exposed during the initial trial trenching evaluation, and the difficulty distinguishing geological activity from archaeological features within the confines of the trenches, it was agreed by NCC CAA to proceed to open-area investigation via ‘strip, map and sample’. Two areas were subject to archaeological excavation. The northernmost excavation area (Area 1) took place in the vicinity of initially flooded Trenches 21, 23, 24 and 25 – primarily to investigate the Iron Age droveway and parallel ditches. The southernmost excavation area (Area 2) took place in the vicinity of Trenches 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33. Six broad phases of archaeological activity were identified, the earliest of which comprised a middle Neolithic pit cluster found in association with sherds of hand-made grog-and-shell-tempered ware and struck flint (Phase 1). A series of pits and a natural hollow were likewise found in associated with hand-made grog-and-shell-tempered ware, but the lack of diagnostic sherds means that the sherds are less-precisely dated to the Neolithic to early Bronze Age period (Phase 2); the features may have been contemporaneous with the middle Neolithic features. The first substantial phase of activity on the site occurred between the middle and late Iron Age (Phase 3). The archaeological remains comprise a series of relatively narrow north-east to south-west and north-west to south-east ditches that form a wider system of land division. The coaxial ditch system appears to be indicative of a series of small livestock management plots. A series of pits, and a small number of postholes, of this date were also encountered. Relatively limited assemblages of Iron Age shell-tempered ware were recovered from the features. No domestic features or structures were encountered, but the findings may allude to their existence within the surrounding landscape. The continuation of a probable droveway of late Iron Age to early Romano-British date, which was encountered to the east during a previous archaeological investigation, was encountered running west-north-west to east-south-east across the excavation area (Phase 4). Two heavily truncated triple-ditched boundaries were also encountered, the earliest of which extended perpendicular to the droveway and the latter of which extended parallel to the droveway. A notable paucity of artefactual evidence was recovered from the features, though on of the ditches contained a small assemblage of Belgic’ grog-and-shell-tempered ware of 1st century BC or AD date. A comparably small number of archaeological remains dating to the 12th to 14th centuries, comprising a single ditch and a tree hollow, were encountered (Phase 5). Post-medieval remains were likewise limited (Phase 6); these features comprised a series of co-axial ditches found in association with post-medieval glazed earthenware, indicative of an 18th century or later date, and post-medieval red earthen ware field drain or water pipe. In addition to relatively substantial truncation likely caused by agricultural activity, modern landscaping efforts appeared to have truncated earlier archaeological remains (Phase 7). Information from OASIS online form.