Monument record 6573/0/1 - Early Saxon settlement, Polwell Lane

Four Sunken featured buildings were found during excavation in 2012. Pottery and other finds dated to the 5th and 6th centuries

{1} An unenclosed Anglo-Saxon settlement was established in the 5th or 6th century AD. It comprised four Sunken-Featured Buildings (SFBs), a possible post built structure and a small number of pits. The evidence suggests that, as in the late Iron Age period, cattle were predominantly exploited; pig and sheep were also kept. The four SFBs were located to the north of the slade on the west facing slope.

SFB 1 was the furthest west on the lower slope above the slade. It was sub-rectangular in plan, aligned east to west, with a centrally positioned posthole in the short ends at the east and west. It measured 3.7m long by 2.8m wide and was shallow at 0.09m deep. A worked bone handle and bone needle were recovered as well as 774g of pottery of 5th to 6th century date.

The 5kg of pottery SFB 2 include decorated sherds and fragments of a large globular jar, the profile of which can be reconstructed. The pottery from both fills, of 5th to 6th century date, is thought to be secondary deposition, probably as a result of the site of the SFB being used later as a midden.

Other artefacts from the SFB included a whetstone, loomweights and several pieces of worked bone, including part of a comb handle decorated with incised circle and dot pattern.

SFB3 was located 25m to the northwest of SFB2, it measured 2.9m long by 2.6m wide by 0.17m deep. Unlike SFBs 1 and 2 its long axis was aligned north to south, and centrally positioned postholes were at the short axes at the north and south. It produced 16 times less pottery by volume than SFB2.

SFB4, 40m east of SFB3, was 3.62m long by 2.68m wide by 0.42m deep. Its long axis was aligned east to west like SFBs 1 and 2. As with SFB2 it had two pairs of opposing postholes on the centre of each side. Five additional postholes were set along the northern edge at irregular intervals. Evidence for further internal subdivision comprised two further postholes and three stakeholes. It contained approximately half of the volume of pottery contained within SFB2, as well as two spindle whorls and two bone needles.

<1> Simmonds C. and Walker, C., 2014, Archaeological excavation on land at Polwell Lane, Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire, August to December 2012: Assessment report and Updated Project Design, p. 34 (Report). SNN110075.

<1> Simmonds C. and Walker, C., 2014, Archaeological excavation on land at Polwell Lane, Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire, August to December 2012: Assessment report and Updated Project Design, p. 34 (Report). SNN110075.

Record last edited

Feb 26 2025 7:44PM