ENN111040 - The Hermitage, 2023 (Trial trench)

This archaeological evaluation by trial trenching identified the eastern continuation of the moated enclosure, pertaining to the former medieval hermitage and monastic grange, identifiable as earthworks to the immediate west of site. Moat [109] and [414] formed the substantial outer limit of the enclosure area. Boundary ditch [403] meanwhile is identifiable as the eastern face of an internal boundary which formed two conjoining enclosures within the moated area. This internal boundary was noted previously in the desk-based assessment, with Ordnance Survey mapping from 1817 and 1886 showing its survival to the immediate west of site, running east-northeast – west-southwest. All features had been infilled through natural processes, with their waterlogged conditions providing the anaerobic conditions needed for the excellent levels of organic preservation. Moat [109] and [414] displayed evidence of later deliberate infilling, likely executed prior to the construction of the still-upstanding farmstead during the 19th century. Subsequent land development appears to have had a limited impact upon the archaeological resource identified within the evaluation trenches, due to the scale and depth of the features. No evidence was found within the trial trenches of the proposed burial area related to monastic grange, believed to be present to the southwest of site. This would suggest that the burial area could lay to the immediate west of Trench 4, towards the 19th century farmstead. The subsoil and buried topsoil identified in Trenches 2, 3 and 5 is undated. Due to the lack of interaction with the archaeological features recorded, it is uncertain whether these limited remains are contemporary to the farmstead or earlier. [Information from OASIS online form]