Monument record 955/0/3 - Late Bronze Age Features

{1} The south-easternmost corner of Area 2 is characterised by a cluster of pits and postholes with no obvious arrangement. Five of the thirtyfive pits in this area were dateable, of which two were late Bronze Age. As well as remaining largely undated, the function of the pits is also largely unknown, although a lack of iron slag suggests that they were not open during the later industrial phase of activity in the area.
The largest of the pits was 6m x 4.3m x 0.5m deep and contained small undiagnostic sherds of late Bronze Age pottery along with a small assemblage of Mesolithic/early Neolithic flint knapping waste including a number of blades. It is possible that the irregular base of the cut indicates quarrying, or even an abandoned attempt to excavate a well, with similar features identified elsewhere in the vicinity.
A substantial tree throw yielded flint-tempered late Bronze Age pottery and 17 worked flints. The flints mainly comprised knapping waste generated from a limited number of cores. It also included 2 competently made but broken blades suggestive of Mesolithic or early Neolithic technology. This tree throw had also been re-cut by a small concave profiled pit, the finds assemblage from which was similar to that of the original tree throw.
North-west of the pit/posthole cluster was a 2m deep well, measuring 4.5m x 4.25m in plan. From the top this feature shelves from a shallow profile to an almost vertically sided cut. Towards the base was what has been interpreted as a closing deposit, with a sherd of thin-walled small, undecorated vessel with a fine rounded rim which is part of a small cup characteristic of the late Bronze Age post Deveral Rimbury plainwares tradition. Conjoining and forming part of the well at its north-east edge was a shallow pit also containing a small sherd of undiagnostic late Bronze Age pottery.
A small pit located close to the southern limit of Area 1 contained a small single sherd of undiagnostic late Bronze Age pottery along with a heavily burnt small circular flint scraper with semi-invasive retouch. The scraper most closely matches the thumbnail scraper types of later Neolithic/early Bronze Age and may have been associated with personal grooming. It may have been deliberately burnt and deposited as part of ceremonial or funerary practices.

<1> Hall R., 2008, Excavations at Priors Hall, Northamptonshire, 2006: An Iron Age and Romano-British Ironworking Complex, p.9-11 (checked) (Report). SNN106586.

Record last edited

Jun 22 2021 4:14PM