Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Sharnbrook ... · Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Catherine Collins and

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Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012

Catherine Collins and Alex Pryor

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Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire

2007-2012

Catherine Collins and Alex Pryor

Access Cambridge Archaeology Department of Archaeology and Anthropology

Pembroke Street Cambridge CB2 3QG

01223 761519

[email protected]

www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk

(Front cover images: left HEFA excavation at SHA/10/5 and right, community excavation at SHA/11/14. Both images copyright ACA)

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/

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Contents

1 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................ 1

2 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 2

2.1 THE HIGHER EDUCATION FIELD ACADEMY (HEFA) ........................................................................... 2 2.2 ACCESS CAMBRIDGE ARCHAEOLOGY (ACA) ...................................................................................... 2 2.3 TEST-PIT EXCAVATION AND RURAL SETTLEMENT STUDIES ................................................................ 3

3 AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND DESIRED OUTCOMES ........................................................................... 4

3.1 AIMS .................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.2 OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 OUTCOMES .......................................................................................................................................... 4

4 METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................... 5

5 LOCATION ................................................................................................................................................ 6

5.1 THE VILLAGE TODAY .......................................................................................................................... 6

6 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................... 9

7 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ............................................................ 10

7.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 10 7.2 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND..................................................................................................... 11

8 RESULTS OF THE TEST PIT EXCAVATIONS IN SHARNBROOK ............................................. 14

8.1 2007 EXCAVATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 15 8.2 2008 EXCAVATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 21 8.3 2009 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................... 33 8.4 2010 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................... 44 8.5 2011 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................... 62 8.6 2012 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................... 79

9 DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................................................... 89

9.1 PREHISTORIC PERIOD ........................................................................................................................ 89 9.2 ROMAN PERIOD ................................................................................................................................. 90 9.3 ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD ..................................................................................................................... 90 9.4 HIGH MEDIEVAL PERIOD ................................................................................................................... 91 9.5 LATE MEDIEVAL PERIOD ................................................................................................................... 92 9.6 POST-MEDIEVAL AND LATER PERIODS .............................................................................................. 93

10 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................... 94

11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................. 95

12 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................... 96

13 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................ I

13.1 POTTERY REPORTS – PAUL BLINKHORN ............................................................................................... I 13.1.1 Pottery Types ..................................................................................................................i 13.1.2 2007 Results ..................................................................................................................v 13.1.3 2008 Results ................................................................................................................ vii 13.1.4 2009 Results ..................................................................................................................x 13.1.5 2010 Results ............................................................................................................... xiii 13.1.6 2011 Results ............................................................................................................. xviii 13.1.7 2012 Results .............................................................................................................. xxii

13.2 OTHER FINDS – CATHERINE RANSON ............................................................................................ XXIV 13.2.1 2007 Finds ................................................................................................................ xxiv 13.2.2 2008 Finds ................................................................................................................ xxvi 13.2.3 2009 Finds ............................................................................................................... xxxii 13.2.4 2010-1 Finds .......................................................................................................... xxxviii

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13.2.5 2010-2 Finds .............................................................................................................. xliii 13.2.6 2011 Finds .................................................................................................................. xlv 13.2.7 2012 Finds .................................................................................................................... lii

13.3 MAPS ................................................................................................................................................ LVI 13.3.1 Pottery Distribution Maps ............................................................................................ lvii

List of Figures

Figure 1: Map of England with insert of East Anglia and the village of Sharnbrook highlighted in red ................................................................................................................. 6 Figure 2: The parish of Sharnbrook highlighted © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .......................................................................... 7 Figure 3: The extent of the Sharnbrook conservation area (shaded area) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .................... 8 Figure 4: 1880’s OS map of Sharnbrook © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .........................................................................13 Figure 5: Map of test pit sites by year of excavation (NB test pits are not to scale!) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service ...................14 Figure 6: Location map of the Sharnbrook test pits from 2007 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .......15 Figure 7: Location map of Test Pit SHA/07/1.....................................................................16 Figure 8: Location map of Test Pit SHA/07/2. .....................................................................17 Figure 9: Location map of Test Pit SHA/07/3......................................................................18 Figure 10: Location map of SHA/07/4.................................................................................19 Figure 11: Location map of SHA/07/5.................................................................................20 Figure 12: The lead weight (top right) with the other finds from SHA/07/5, context six .......20 Figure 13: Location map of the Sharnbrook test pits from 2008 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .......21 Figure 14: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/1 ....................................................................22 Figure 15: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/2 ....................................................................23 Figure 16: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/3 ....................................................................24 Figure 17: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/4 ....................................................................25 Figure 18: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/5 ....................................................................26 Figure 19: The ducks bill from SHA/08/5, context four ........................................................26 Figure 20: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/6 ....................................................................27 Figure 21: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/7 ....................................................................28 Figure 22: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/8 ....................................................................29 Figure 23: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/9 ....................................................................30 Figure 24: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/10. .................................................................31 Figure 25: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/11 ..................................................................32 Figure 26: Location map of the Sharnbrook test pits from 2009 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .......33 Figure 27: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/1 ....................................................................34 Figure 28: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/2 ....................................................................35 Figure 29: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/3 ....................................................................36 Figure 30: The clay surface identified in SHA/09/3 .............................................................36 Figure 31: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/4 ....................................................................37 Figure 32: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/5 ....................................................................38 Figure 33: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/6 ....................................................................39 Figure 34: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/7 ....................................................................40 Figure 35: Livery button from SHA/09/7, context three .......................................................40 Figure 36: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/8 ....................................................................41

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Figure 37: The patio slab (left) and the stone surface under it ............................................41 Figure 38: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/9 ....................................................................42 Figure 39: Location map of Test Pit SHA/09/10 ..................................................................43 Figure 40: Location map of the Sharnbrook test pits from 2010 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .......44 Figure 41: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/1 ...........................................................................45 Figure 42: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/2 ...........................................................................46 Figure 43: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/3 ...........................................................................47 Figure 44: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/4 ...........................................................................48 Figure 45: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/5 ...........................................................................49 Figure 46: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/6 ...........................................................................50 Figure 47: The small vial from SHA/10/6, context three ......................................................50 Figure 48: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/7 ...........................................................................51 Figure 49: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/8 ...........................................................................52 Figure 50: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/9 ...........................................................................53 Figure 51: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/10 .........................................................................54 Figure 52: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/11 .........................................................................55 Figure 53: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/12 .........................................................................56 Figure 54: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/13 .........................................................................57 Figure 55: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/14 .........................................................................58 Figure 56: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/15 .........................................................................59 Figure 57: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/16 .........................................................................60 Figure 58: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/17 .........................................................................61 Figure 59: The potential knife blade from SHA/10/17, context four .....................................61 Figure 60: Location map of the Sharnbrook test pits from 2011 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .......62 Figure 61: Location map of SHA/11/1.................................................................................63 Figure 62: Location map of SHA/11/2.................................................................................64 Figure 63: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/3 ...........................................................................65 Figure 64: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/4 ...........................................................................66 Figure 65: Copper alloy ring from SHA/11/4, context three .................................................66 Figure 66: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/5 ...........................................................................67 Figure 67: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/6 ...........................................................................68 Figure 68: The remains of the bicycle in SHA/11/6 .............................................................68 Figure 69: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/7 ...........................................................................69 Figure 70: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/8 ...........................................................................70 Figure 71: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/9 ...........................................................................71 Figure 72: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/10 .........................................................................72 Figure 73: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/11 .........................................................................73 Figure 74: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/12 .........................................................................74 Figure 75: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/14 .........................................................................75 Figure 76: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/15 .........................................................................76 Figure 77: The brooch from SHA/11/15, context two ..........................................................76 Figure 78: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/16 .........................................................................77 Figure 79: Location of Test Pit SHA/11/17 .........................................................................78 Figure 80: The pottery fragments on the possible limestone surface at SHA/11/17 ............78 Figure 81: Location map of the Sharnbrook test pits from 2012 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service .......79 Figure 82: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/1 ...........................................................................80 Figure 83: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/2 ...........................................................................81 Figure 84: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/3 ...........................................................................82 Figure 85: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/4 ...........................................................................83 Figure 86: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/5 ...........................................................................84 Figure 87: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/6 ...........................................................................85 Figure 88: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/7 ...........................................................................86

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Figure 89: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/8 ...........................................................................87 Figure 90: Location of Test Pit SHA/12/9 ...........................................................................88

List of Tables

Table 1: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/1 ..................................................................16 Table 2: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/2 ..................................................................17 Table 3: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/3 ..................................................................18 Table 4: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/4 ..................................................................19 Table 5: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/5 ..................................................................20 Table 6: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/1 .....................................................22 Table 7: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/2 .....................................................23 Table 8: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/3. ....................................................24 Table 9: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/4 .....................................................25 Table 10 : The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/5 ..................................................26 Table 11: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/6 ...................................................27 Table 12: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/7 ...................................................28 Table 13: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/8 ...................................................29 Table 14: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/9 ...................................................30 Table 15: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/10 .................................................31 Table 16: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/11 .................................................32 Table 17: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/1 ...................................................34 Table 18: Pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/2 ..........................................................35 Table 19: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/3 ...................................................36 Table 20: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/4 ...................................................37 Table 21 : The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/5 ..................................................38 Table 22: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/6 ...................................................39 Table 23: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/7 ...................................................40 Table 24: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/8 ...................................................41 Table 25: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/9 ...................................................42 Table 26: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/10 .................................................43 Table 27: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/2 ...................................................46 Table 28: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/3 ...................................................47 Table 29: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/4 ...................................................48 Table 30: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/5 ...................................................49 Table 31: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/6 ...................................................50 Table 32: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/7 ...................................................51 Table 33: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/8 ...................................................52 Table 34: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/9 ...................................................53 Table 35: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/10 .................................................54 Table 36: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/11 .................................................55 Table 37: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/12 .................................................56 Table 38: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/13 .................................................57 Table 39: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/14 .................................................58 Table 40: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/15 .................................................59 Table 41: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/16 .................................................60 Table 42: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/17 .................................................61 Table 43: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/1 ...................................................63 Table 44: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/2 ...................................................64 Table 45: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/3 ...................................................65 Table 46: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/4 ...................................................66 Table 47: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/5 ...................................................67 Table 48: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/6 ...................................................68

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Table 49: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/7 ...................................................69 Table 50: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/8 ...................................................70 Table 51: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/9 ...................................................71 Table 52: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/10 .................................................72 Table 53: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/11 .................................................73 Table 54: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/12 .................................................74 Table 55: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/14 .................................................75 Table 56: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/15 .................................................76 Table 57: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/16 .................................................77 Table 58: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/11/17 .................................................78 Table 59: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/1 ...................................................80 Table 60: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/2 ...................................................81 Table 61: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/3 ...................................................82 Table 62: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/4 ...................................................83 Table 63: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/5 ...................................................84 Table 64: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/7 ...................................................86 Table 65: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/9 ...................................................88

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1 Summary A series of two-day archaeological 1m2 test pitting was undertaken in the village of Sharnbrook in Bedfordshire by Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA), based in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge between 2007 and 2012 as part of the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) programme. The excavations were coordinated with members of the Sharnbrook Local History Group who also excavated a number of test pits themselves both with ACA and on separate events, but have all been included in this report. The excavations showed that earlier phases of occupation in Sharnbrook are still present under the modern village; the small nature of the test pits allows excavation in otherwise inaccessible places for normal methods of commercial archaeological investigation. Finds dating to the later prehistoric, Romano-British, Late Anglo Saxon, medieval and post medieval were all recorded through the test pits with one possible medieval mortar floor from SHA/09/7. The test pit data has also demonstrated how the settlement shifts over time in relation to the multiple manors that have been recorded in the parish as well as from outside factors such as the Black Death, which did cause the village to contract slightly.

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2 Introduction A total of 68 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated over a six year period between 2007 and 2012 in the village of Sharnbrook, in the Borough of Bedford, Bedfordshire. Yearly this total figure breaks down as five pits excavated in 2007, 11 in 2008, 10 pits excavated in 2009, 17 in 2010, 11 test pits in 2011 and 14 pits excavated in 2012. The test pitting was run by Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) out of the University of Cambridge, initially as part of the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) that gives local Year 9 and 10 school children the chance to try something new and to experience a world class university first hand. Excavations were also undertaken by the Sharnbrook Local History Group utilising the methodology and recoding system of the HEFA programme, some under direct supervision of ACA and are so are all included within the results section of this report.

2.1 The Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA)

The Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) programme aims to raise the aspirations, enthusiasm and attainment of 14-17 year-olds with regard to higher education by making a valuable contribution to current academic research at the University of Cambridge. The three day learning-extension course has been run by Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) since 2005, aimed at UK students in state school years 9, 10 and 12. HEFA was developed as a collaboration between ACA, Aimhigher and the Assessment Research Division at Cambridge Assessment.

On HEFA, participants spend two days running their own small (1m2) archaeological excavation within living villages, just like thousands did in TV's Big Dig in 2003 and Michael Wood's Great British Story in 2012, with the aim of applying and developing a wide range of learning skills, boosting their academic confidence and giving them a taste of life and learning at university level. They make new discoveries for and about themselves, and in the process contribute to the university's CORS research into the development of rural communities and settlements in the past. The third day is spent in the University of Cambridge analysing the excavation results in discussive learning sessions which aim to engage and challenge participants, prepare them to produce a written analysis for assessment as well as provide an inspirational and positive experience of higher education. After the field academy, learners receive detailed individual feedback on their data collection, personal, learning and thinking skills developed during the fieldwork as well as their reporting and research skills exhibited in the written assignment, which will support applications to further and higher education.

2.2 Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA)

Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) (http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/) is an archaeological outreach organisation based in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge which aims to enhance economic, social and personal well-being through active engagement with archaeology. It was initially set up by Dr Carenza Lewis in 2004 and specialises in providing opportunities for members of the public to take part in purposeful, research-orientated archaeological investigations including excavation. Educational events and courses range in length from a few hours to a week or more, and involve members of the public of all ages.

http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/

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Thousands of members of the public have taken part in scores of programmes run by ACA, including teenagers involved in Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) test pit excavation programmes intended since 2005 to build academic skills, confidence and aspirations. More widely, ACA has involved thousands of members of the public of all ages and backgrounds, including those with special needs, in a wide range of archaeological activities including field-walking, excavation, analysis and reporting. These have included projects funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and events in 2011-12 as part of the Cultural Olympiad for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

2.3 Test-pit Excavation and Rural Settlement Studies

Rural settlement has long been a crucial area of research for medieval archaeology (Gerrard 2003; Lewis et al 2001, 5-21), notably since the pioneering work of W. G. Hoskins, Maurice Beresford and John Hurst in the 1940s and 1950s (Hoskins 1955; Beresford 1954; Beresford & Hurst 1971), but until recently attention was focused largely on the minority of medieval settlements which are today deserted or extensively shrunken. Currently occupied rural settlements (CORS), overlain by domestic housing and related buildings of living secular communities – the villages, hamlets and small towns of today – were generally largely disregarded as targets for research-driven excavation. Very few regions have seen any systematic research-driven primary investigation aimed at CORS, and most of that which has taken place has not involved excavation, including those of a survey based nature (Roberts 1987; Roberts and Wrathmell 2000; Roberts and Wrathmell 2003). However, recent attempts to redress this bias in favour of the majority of medieval rural settlements which are still inhabited have opened up new areas for debate which are beginning to call into question established theories about the development of rural settlement in the historic period (Aston & Gerrard 1999; Jones & Page 2007). However, despite these recent advances, the number of CORS to have seen methodical research-orientated investigation including excavation remains very small. In order to begin to resolve this problem, Access Cambridge Archaeology, working with members of the public including school pupils, has carried out test pit excavations in more than 30 CORS, most in eastern England. This will help allow the evidence upon which knowledge and understanding of the origins and development of the medieval rural settlement pattern of eastern England is based, to be more representative of the entire range of medieval settlements, not just on the minority of sites which are currently deserted (Lewis 2005, 2006; 2007a; 2007b, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013).

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3 Aims, objectives and desired outcomes

3.1 Aims

The aims of the test pit excavations in Sharnbrook were as follows:

Raise the educational aspirations of participants by providing the opportunity to acquire, develop, refine and demonstrate new skills, experience and confidence.

Increase learners’ capacity to succeed in applying to and studying at university by providing activities which enable them to reinforce generic skills in team-working, problem solving, communication, presentation and planning.

To engage with local communities and widen the participation of people in the heritage of the area.

To increase knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the setting, origins and development of Sharnbrook and its environs.

3.2 Objectives

The objectives of test pit excavations in Sharnbrook were as follows:

To provide the opportunity for participants to learn and develop cognitive, practical, personal and technical skills.

To support and engage with members of local communities through involvement with the project.

To investigate the archaeology of the environs of Sharnbrook through test-pitting carried out by school students in properties throughout the village.

3.3 Outcomes

The desired outcomes of the test pit excavations in Sharnbrook were as follows:

Raise the educational aspirations of participants.

Provide an educational and vocational challenge allowing participants to develop transferable skills for life and learning in school and for higher education.

An improved knowledge and understanding of the archaeological resource of the village of Sharnbrook.

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4 Methodology The six years of test pitting in Sharnbrook was organised by ACA in conjunction with Sharnbrook Local History Group, with both the excavation and recording following the standard Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) instruction handbook and recording booklet. The test pit digging takes place over two days, which begins with an initial lecture explaining the aims of the excavation, the procedures in digging and recording the test pit and the correct and safe use of equipment. Participants are then divided into teams of three or four individuals, with a mix of students from different schools. Each team is provided with a complete set of test pit excavation equipment, copies of the HEFA instruction handbook and a record booklet into which all excavation data are entered. The test pits are all 1m2 and the turf, if present, was removed in neat squares by hand. Each test pit is excavated in a series of 10cm spits or contexts, to a maximum depth of 1.2m. The horizontal surface of each context/spit is then drawn at 1:10 scale before excavation, a photograph taken and the colour recorded with reference to a standardised colour chart, included in the written handbook. A pro-forma recording system was used by the students to record their test pit excavation. This comprises a 16-page pro-forma Test Pit Record booklet which has been developed by ACA for use with students and members of the public with no previous archaeological experience. The site code is SHA/year, so SHA/07 for 2007, SHA/08 for 2008, SHA/09 for 2009, SHA/10 for 2010, SHA/11 for 2011and SHA/12 for 2012. During the excavation 100% of the spoil is sieved through a 10mm mesh (with the occasional exception of very heavy clay soils which have to be hand-searched). All artefacts are retained, cleaned and bagged by context. Cut and built features are planned at 1:10 and excavated sequentially with latest deposits removed first. Pottery and most other finds are identified promptly by archaeological experts who are on site for the duration of the field academy and visit the test pits regularly; and at the same time provide advice and check that the excavation is being carried out and recorded to the required standard. Test pits are excavated down to natural or the maximum safe depth of 1.2m, whichever is encountered first. A minority of test pits will stop on encountering a feature, (ancient or modern) which archaeological staff deem inadvisable or impossible to remove, and occasionally excavation may cease at a level above natural due to time constraints. On completion of each test pit excavation, all four sections are drawn at 1:10 along with the unexcavated base of the test pit prior to backfilling by hand and the turf replaced neatly to restore the site. After the two days of excavation are completed, the archaeological records and finds (all of which are kept and cleaned on site) are retained by ACA at the University of Cambridge for analysis, reporting, archiving and submission to HER’s, publication and ongoing research into the origins and development of rural settlement. Ownership of objects rests in the first instance with the landowner, except where other law overrides this (e.g. Treasure Act 1996, 2006, Burials Act 1857). ACA retain all finds in the short term for analysis and ideally also in the longer term in order that the excavation archives will be as complete as possible, but any requests to return finds to owners will be agreed.

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5 Location

5.1 The Village Today

The village of Sharnbrook is situated in the historic county of Bedfordshire 11km north of the county town of Bedford, 24km east of Northampton and 14km southeast of Wellingborough, centred on SP 99093 59600 (figure 1). Sharnbrook lies beside the Sharn Brook that gives the village its name, just west of the A6 road and immediately north of a loop in the River Great Ouse that forms the southern boundary of the parish. Sharn Brook itself is a small stream that rises near Hobbs Green a few km west of the village and joins the River Great Ouse just east of the village. The brook has been managed and diverted in recent times, and it seems likely that it once connected drainage ditches north and west of Sharnbrook village. The village parish is approximately 6km across at its widest extent (figure 2).

Sharnbrook today is a large nucleated village of around 2000 people, with a range of shops, primary and secondary schools and large areas of relatively recent housing, mainly arranged as a double row in a NW-SE orientation running parallel to Sharn Brook with High Street to the north and Lodge Road to the south (figure 2). There are 50 listed buildings, mostly 17th and 18th century houses. The Grade I listed parish church of St Peter's dates back to the Norman period and lies c.200m south of the High Street within a large churchyard, while the circular banked and ditched earthwork remains (Beds HER 994) lie approximately 0.5 km west of the parish church set back from Lodge Road, to the west of the area occupied by the modern village. The largest employer in the area is Unilever, which uses one of the old medieval manors – Colworth House – as its base. The Midland Railway line passes just to the north of the main village centre. Sharnbrook station, which

Sharnbrook

Figure 1: Map of England with insert of East Anglia and the village of Sharnbrook highlighted in red

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enabled Sharnbrook to be connected directly to Leicester, Bedford and London, was closed in 1960 and the station buildings were subsequently demolished. Sharnbrook Viaduct (10 arches) that crosses the River Great Ouse is another surviving testament to this Victorian-era history.

Figure 2: The parish of Sharnbrook highlighted © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service

The conservation area in Sharnbrook was designated in 1971 and updated in 1982 and is focused along the High Street, with extensions south around the church and Castle Close, as well as toward the south east to the River Great Ouse and Ouse Manor (figure 3)

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Figure 3: The extent of the Sharnbrook conservation area (shaded area) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service

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6 Geology and Topography Bedfordshire is an inland county in East Anglia, and is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Hertfordshire to the south and Buckinghamshire to the west. Sharnbrook lies between 40m and 70m OD sloping gently upwards from the River Great Ouse valley towards an area of high ground to the NW. The village is located near a boundary in bedrock geology between sedimentary mudstones, limestone and interbedded sandstones and siltstones, all dating from the Jurassic era. These deposits are capped by superficial deposits dating from the Quaternary Period of the last two million years, comprising a mixed sand, gravel and clay diamicton of the Oadby Member and mixed sands and gravels from the Felmersham Member1. The surrounding landscape is broadly composed of flat or gently undulating open farmland with drainage ditches, water courses and fragmented hedgerows forming field boundaries.

1 http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html?location=sharnbrook (Accessed February 2017)

http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html?location=sharnbrook

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7 Archaeological and Historical Background

7.1 Historical Background

The name Sharnbrook (recorded as Scharnbroc in 1278 but also variously as Seernebroc, Sernebroc and Sarnebroc2) probably has a Saxon origin, with various meanings suggested including "dung brook" or “dirty or muddy brook” from its name in the Domesday Book as Scernebroc, taken from the Old English ‘scearn’ and ‘broc’ (Mills 2003). The Domesday Book is also the first written reference to Sharnbrook and records eight landowners are by name suggesting an established settlement existed by the later 11th century (Williams and Martin 2003). The first Domesday Book reference is to the land of the Bishop of Coutances who had a small holding in Sharnbrook of land and meadow for one plough each. This manor went on to be owned by the Knights Templar from the 12th century and was known as Temple Hills. The second Domesday Book references the land of Count Eustace that had land for four ploughs, meadow for two ploughs, three bordars and four slaves with woodland for 60 pigs. This became known as Tofte Manor, and was sited just north of the parish church, which from the 13th century was owned by Newnham Priory until the Dissolution when it became property of the Crown. The earthwork site at Castle Close in the village is also thought to have belonged to the manor of Tofte. The third Domesday reference is of the land of Hugh de Beauchamp and the one and half virgates of land for three oxen that became known as Langtons Manor and grew into an estate that was held by the barony of Bedford, the Langtons, despite naming the manor, only held onto it for a relatively short time during the 14th century. The land of Albert of Lorraine in Domesday also contained one mill and woodland for 40 pigs and it was this estate that came to be known as Lorings or Pipings Manor. Also mentioned in the Domesday Book were four further small land estates belonging to Osborn the Fisherman who had a mill, woodland for 10 pigs and a fishpond; Countess Judith who held a small parcel of land with land and meadow for one plough each, the land of the Burgesses of Bedford with land for just half a plough and Hugh the Flemming who had land and meadow for one plough each. Additional manors also developed in the medieval period, one of these was Parentines manor that was attached to the barony of Bedford from the later 13th century and was still being referenced as a separate estate as late as 1766. Today this is believed to be on the site of Sharnbrook House along the High Street and was probably assimilated with Langtons Manor. Ouse Manor, southeast of the village and on the northern banks of the River Ouse had its origins from about the 13th century through various grants given by the Child family to Newnham Priory. Sharnbrook Manor was owned by Henry Chicheley during the early to mid-15th century and passed through the Dacres family and by the mid-16th century was in the Boteler family who assimilated the manor with their other lands at Lorings (or Pipings) Manor. The final manor in Sharnbrook is that of Colworth Manor to the west of the village; Originally Colworth would have been a hamlet attached to Sharnbrook, its first reference being in 1278 when the barony of Beauchamp held property there. The manor passed through a number of families, notably the Furels, the Druels and the Greene family before becoming property of the Crown. In the later 15th century, Richard III granted the estate to Lynom who only held it briefly before it was taken again by the Crown and subsequently granted to Mondague in the mid-16th century. By the 17th century the manor was in the hands of the Antonie family, who also built the structure of the property that can

2 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42388 (Accessed February 2017)

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42388

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be seen today. Only three of the original eight manors still exist today in Sharnbrook, namely Colworth House, Tofte Manor and Ouse Manor. The post medieval period saw a great many changes to rural settlements, enclosure acts from the 18th century started the long process of enclosing the open common land that would have been present in all medieval villages, to the small fields, defined by boundaries and hedges that can still be seen today. As the land was divided, public roads, paths and bridleways were also often re-laid out to accommodate these new boundaries and to distinguish the public roads from private ones. It was also during the later post medieval that the transport network across the country greatly improved, with the introduction of turnpike trusts. One of the earliest trusts established in the county was the Bedford to Luton turnpike in the early 18th century, the current route of the A6 with the section passing to the east of Sharnbrook completed by the mid-18th century. Connecting to the A6 from the west was also the Great Staughton to Lavendon turnpike that was established in 1802 and passed through Odell and Sharnbrook along Church Lane and then turning right along the High Street to continue out of the village along Mill Road3. River transport was also improved with the navigation made possible along lengths of the River Great Ouse and it has been recorded that Bedford was able to be reached by river by the later 17th century4. However the advent of the railway during the 19th century reduced the use of waterways for transport as it was quicker and more efficient to take a direct route on the new railway line that also connected the towns and cities and their markets to the rural suppliers of Sharnbrook and Colworth. The railway line passes to the east of Sharnbrook, as part of the Midland Railway between Bedford and Leicester and Sharnbrook station was opened in the 1850’s to the east of Kennell Hill close to the higher ground of the village to allow a bridge crossing of the River Ouse5. A discrete area of settlement now exists, between the old station and Mill Road, which likely dates to around the time of the station closure in the later 20th century.

7.2 Archaeological Background

The following paragraphs summarise the finds and monuments listed on the Historic Environment Record, accessed via the Heritage Gateway website from a 2km detailed search, centring on Sharnbrook6. Archaeological evidence for human activity around Sharnbrook dates back to the prehistoric period, with a small number of chance spot finds that were recorded on the HER during metal detecting of a Neolithic to Bronze Age flint scraper (HER MBB19544), a flint arrowhead (HER MBB 19540), a retouched flint flake (HER MBB 20282) and flint blades (HER MBB 29542 and 20281) that were found around the Colworth Science Park. Two later Mesolithic to Neolithic flint blades were also found to the north of Colworth Science Park (HER MBB 19541 and 19543). Fragments of Late Iron Age pottery were also found at Felmersham Bridge on the northern bank of the River Ouse with some bronze items (HER 67) and additional Iron Age pottery was also found to the south of Temple Wood in the north of the parish (HER 2696). Evidence for prehistoric occupation is limited in the parish but earthworks and cropmarks of various features have however been recorded on the HER. These include a number of ring ditches identified from crop marks in aerial photographs in the fields to the south of Castle Close on the northern side of the River Ouse. Three ring ditches were identified south of Prospect Place (HER 15084); an isolated ring ditch was found to the east of Glebe Farm (HER 732); and one or three ring ditches

3 http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/occupations/britain19c/roads/ (Accessed February 2017)

4 http://www.canoetrail.co.uk/index.php/top-secret/history-of-the-river-great-ouse (Accessed February 2017)

5 http://sharnbrookonline.co.uk/about-us/sharnbrook-history/ (Accessed February 2017)

6 http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/ (Accessed February 2017)

http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/occupations/britain19c/roads/

http://www.canoetrail.co.uk/index.php/top-secret/history-of-the-river-great-ouse

http://sharnbrookonline.co.uk/about-us/sharnbrook-history/

http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/

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were recorded to the south west of the village (HER 1839), all of which are likely to be Bronze Age in date. A small irregular enclosure was also noted to the north of Felmersham gravel pits (HER 16534) and a possible trackway was also identified by cropmarks by Temple Wood (HER 14063). A small scatter of Roman pottery identified by fieldwalking just south of St Peter's church indicates the presence of a small settlement in the area at this time, although the site was disturbed by gravel pits and is now under a housing development (HER: 2684). Possible cropmarks of enclosures were also noted in Stoke Brook Field (HER 1989) that may be contemporary with a possible temple enclosure to the south (HER 13745), both of these lie close to the A6 road. Additional finds spots were also recorded on the HER mainly through metal detecting around the Colworth Science Park. These include a number of 1st – 4th century coins (HER MBB 21047, 19548, 20604, 21046, 21044, 21041 and 19547), a coper alloy finger ring (HER 20914) and some fragments of Romano-British pottery during digging at Colworth House (HER 85). The only surviving archaeological evidence from the Anglo Saxon period in Sharnbrook is a fishpond (HER 14461), possibly that mentioned in the Domesday Book belonging to Osbern the Fisherman, with also a mill. A number of mainly later Anglo Saxon finds were however also recorded through metal detecting around the Colworth Science Park and consist of two copper alloy strap ends (HER MBB 19546 and 20910), a likely Saxon copper alloy mount (HER MBB 20906) and a fragment of a pair of copper alloy tweezers (HER MBB 20919). The find of a copper alloy girdle hanger, also from around the Colworth estate was thought to be of late 5th to 6th century AD in date, the only Middle Saxon material to so far be found on the HER, which at the time was also the first of its kind to be reported in Bedfordshire (HER MBB 20299). Archaeological evidence from the medieval period in Sharnbrook is plentiful. The oldest surviving building in the village is St Peter's Church, which is mainly 13th-15th century in date with later additions, and is built of limestone rubble and ashlar (HER 1112). A bank and ditch earthwork enclosure is also present in Castle Close (HER 994; Scheduled Ancient Monument number 20404). This was investigated in 2013 by a joint AHRC-HLF funded community project assisted by Access Cambridge Archaeology, with a 2m x 2m trench excavated in the central part of the monument (Lewis and Pryor 2013). This investigation produced a large collection of exclusively 12th century pottery sherds and uncovered archaeological remains of a hearth or oven and other structural features. Cross-referencing with textual evidence suggested the Castle Close monument was associated with the historic site of Triket bury (that subsequently moved to the current location of and became known as Tofte Manor), confirming the monument as one of several medieval moated manors in villages along the northern slopes of the Ouse valley such as the moats at Bletsoe and Thurleigh and castles at Thurleigh and Odell. Aerial photographs and fieldwalking have also identified areas of ridge and furrow field systems near the village (HERs 1642; 10698; 15675), and a possible deserted medieval village on the north bank of the Sharn Brook as the ground slopes down towards the stream, north of the area occupied by the present village (HER 15675). Investigations at no. 48 High Street and at 2 Church Lane revealed no evidence for medieval occupation in these locations (HER 16946), suggesting that the core area of settlement at Sharnbrook has shifted through time, although a large quantity of medieval pottery was found at 58 High Street while gardening (HER 15642). A medieval rectangular earthwork enclosure is also known to the SE of the village, close to the River Great Ouse (HER 10697). Evidence for post medieval activity and later from Sharnbrook appears mostly on the HER as spot finds, particularly through metal detecting, and apart from the many listed buildings in the village there are also structural remains as well as sites of buildings and industrial works and place name evidence for previous land use. These include windmill sites (HER

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929), the site of a watermill (HER 2632), a bridge on Park Lane crossing the Sharn Brook (HER 14980) and the discovery of a spring and trough also along Park Lane (HER 15641). The site of another bridge close to Yellow Lane was also recorded (HER 2982) as was the site of a brick and tile works (HER 3035) and place name evidence suggests there were gravel pits in the village (HER 10754 and 3039) as well as quarrying (HER 10755 and 3038), a Maltings (HER 10760), the site of a probable medieval green (HER 10759), and a lime kiln site (HER 3037). Cropmarks of likely post medieval enclosures were also noted from Wellpond Hill (HER 10757); the name also suggesting the presence of a well (HER 10758). The spot finds comprise jetton’s (HER MBB 20291, 19964), a love token that was made from a 17th century coin (HER MBB 20675), as well a number of coins (HER MBB 19549, 20290 and 20287), buckles (HER MBB 20676, 21021, 20911 and 20285), a thimble (HER MBB 20288), a button (HER MBB 20674), a mount (HER MBB 20286), a finger ring (HER MBB 20913) and a seal matrix (HER MBB 20993). Also recorded were evidence for toys in the form of a probable fragment of a toy cauldron (HER BB 20673) and a lead whirligig toy (HER MBB 20284) as well as other miscellaneous finds found whilst digging on Yellow Lane (HER 11460) and fragments of floor tile to the west of Temple wood (HER MBB 19966).

Figure 4: 1880’s OS map of Sharnbrook © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service

Little previous excavation has been carried out in Sharnbrook, and that which has been conducted has yielded little of interest. Four excavations recorded on the NMR Excavation Index are: Site code SCS04 at 2 Church Lane, revealing modern activity only; Site Code SOR03 at Fox Hedge Estate, adjacent to Sharnbrook Upper School, where a possible hearth of unknown date was found; Site Code SPS1076 St Peter’s Church churchyard, where unmarked burials and crypts of modern date were identified and Project Code WB173 St Peter’s Churchyard in which no archaeologically significant deposits were revealed.

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8 Results of the test pit excavations in Sharnbrook The approximate locations of the 68 test pits excavated across six excavation seasons between 2007 and 2012 can be seen in figure 5 below. The data from each test pit is set out below in numerical order and by year of excavation. Most excavation was in spits measuring 10cm in depth, but in cases when a change in the character of deposits indicated a change in context, a new spit was started before 10cm. An assessment of the overall results, synthesizing the data from all the pits, including deductions about the historic development of Sharnbrook and the potential of the buried heritage resource of the village is presented in the following Discussion section (Section 9). Finds from each test pit are discussed in summary in this section, and listed in detail in the relevant appendices (Section 12). Photographs of sites under excavation and of all finds are included in the archive, but not included in this report for reasons of space.

Figure 5: Map of test pit sites by year of excavation (NB test pits are not to scale!) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service

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8.1 2007 Excavations

The 2007 excavations in Sharnbrook were undertaken over the 26th and 27th June where five 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated by 19 HEFA participants from Denbigh High School and Sandy Upper School (school names correct at the time of participation). The test pits were all focused in the east of the village, and set along the High Street.

Figure 6: Location map of the Sharnbrook test pits from 2007 (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2017. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service

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Test Pit one (SHA/07/1) Test pit one was excavated in the small enclosed rear garden of a 19th century cottage fronting the High Street in the far south east of the village (Barnholme, 7 High Street, Sharnbrook, SP 499821 259440). Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 1.2m, at which natural was reached. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. All the pottery excavated dated to the 18th and 19th centuries with 12 sherds of Creamware excavated from context five, whereas Victorian pottery was recovered from the upper six contexts of SHA/07/1.

CR V

TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range

1 1 4 33 1800-1900

1 2 1 6 1800-1900

1 5 12 41 5 33 1750-1900

1 6 5 32 1800-1900 Table 1: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/1

The finds and pottery excavated from SHA/07/1 suggest that there was no activity prior to the 18th century, when most probably the current house was constructed. The more recent finds that were excavated consist of glass, CBM, slate, iron nails, tile and fragments of concrete and found through the upper six contexts, with animal bone only recovered from context nine. Although medieval occupation has been identified further north west along the High Street, this site appears to have been outside the extent of the medieval occupation of Sharnbrook.

Figure 7: Location map of Test Pit SHA/07/1

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Test Pit two (SHA/07/2) Test pit two was excavated in a long back garden of a Grade II listed 18th century cottage set back from the High Street in the south east of the village. The test pit was sited quite close to the east side of the house (Peach House, 21 High Street, Sharnbrook, SP 499775 259508). Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.6m, at which natural was reached. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A large sherd of Iron Age pottery was excavated from context three with a smaller sherd of St Neots Ware. Four additional sherds of medieval pottery were also recovered from contexts two and three – Lyveden ‘B’ Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware, but the assemblage was dominated by Victorian pottery that was identified through the upper three contexts.

IA SN LB LMOx V

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

2 1 5 7 1800-1900

2 2 1 4 2 10 1200-1900

2 3 1 21 1 3 3 19 2 12 500BC-1900 Table 2: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/2

The presence of a large sherd of Iron Age pottery is the first evidence for Iron Age occupation in Sharnbrook through the test pitting strategy. Its location just south of the River Sharn suggests that potentially the occupation was focused along and close to the river and may extend along the length of what is now the High Street. The same pattern appears to be true for the later Saxon period with activity again on the south side of the river, which continued through the medieval period. The lack of pottery from this test pit may suggest that there was little occupation activity on site during this time and potentially the site was open fields until the current house was built in the 18th century. The finds mainly date to the 19th and 20th centuries with coal, CBM, slate, iron nails and animal bone excavated with an aluminium ring pull, a metal button, a half penny coin dated to 1945 and a silver six pence coin (date unknown) and were all found from the upper three contexts of SHA/07/2. The clay pipe also recovered from test pit two may also suggest that this site continued to be farmland through the post medieval period too.

Figure 8: Location map of Test Pit SHA/07/2.

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Test Pit three (SHA/07/3) Test pit three was excavated in the rear garden of an 18th-19th century semi-detached house fronting the High Street in the south east of the village. The test pit was sited centrally in the lawn and close to the conservatory added to the rear of the house (29 High Street, Sharnbrook, SP 499721 259553). Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.9m. Natural was not found but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A range of medieval and post medieval wares were excavated from SHA/07/3. Early Medieval Shelly Ware was mainly recovered from the lower half of the test pit, while Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Late Medieval Oxidised Ware and Late Medieval Reduced Ware were identified throughout the test pit. The post medieval wares of Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Black-glazed Earthenwares were also excavated mixed through the upper six contexts only. The vast majority of the pottery identified however dates to the Victorian period and was also found in the upper seven contexts of test pit three.

SHC EMW LMOx LMRd GRE SMW BG V

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

3 1 1 4 1 17 17 106 1100-1900

3 2 1 5 30 88 1550-1900

3 3 1 15 1 13 30 99 1100-1900

3 4 1 8 27 80 1100-1900

3 5 1 3 12 11 1800-1900

3 6 2 11 2 36 1 4 4 16 1100-1900

3 7 1 12 1 5 1100-1900

Table 3: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/3

The medieval pottery identified from SHA/07/3 suggests there was a focus of occupation along the High Street during that time which continued through the later medieval and into the post medieval. Potentially after the early medieval the site was peripheral to the main focus of activity due to the minimal number of finds and pottery recovered dating to the later medieval and post medieval periods. The majority of the pottery and finds relate to the use and construction of the current house and include animal bone, coal, iron nails, modern window and bottle glass, CBM fragments with concrete, slate, oyster shell, plastic, scrap metal and clay pipe that were found through the upper six contexts of the test pit. The presence of slag suggests there was metal working on site or close by and burnt stone may suggest later prehistoric activity also on site, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


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Test Pit four (SHA/07/4) Test pit four was excavated centrally in the rear garden of an early 20th century detached house, situated quite central in the village and just east of the church (52 High Street, Sharnbrook, SP 499493 259654). Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.6m, at which natural was reached. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/07/4 dates to the Victorian period and was recovered from the upper five contexts. Two sherds of Glazed Red Earthenware and three sherds of Black-glazed Earthenware were also identified from the lower half of the test pit.

GRE BG V

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

4 1 7 21 1800-1900

4 2 17 44 1800-1900

4 3 1 38 20 32 1680-1900

4 4 2 19 3 9 1680-1900

4 5 2 6 3 5 1550-1900 Table 4: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/4

The minimal numbers of finds and pottery excavated to date to the post medieval suggest the site was open fields during that time with the main focus of occupation during the 19th century just prior to the construction of the house in 1920 for the head gardener of the Sharnbrook House estate. The finds excavated are generally contemporary with the house and include bottle and window glass, coal, CBM fragments, iron nails and animal bone and were found through the seven contexts. The presence of a curvy-linear feature, cut into the natural in the base of the test pit and orientated north south yielded animal bone only. It had a maximum width visible in the test pit of 0.4m and was quite shallow at 0.1m in depth. Further excavations are needed to determine its extent, function and date, but as Iron Age pottery and prehistoric flints have been excavated along the High Street it is possible that this feature may also be prehistoric in date.

Figure 10: Location map of SHA/07/4

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Test Pit five (SHA/07/5) Test pit five was excavated in the small enclosed rear garden of a very late 18th century property fronting the road, quite central in the village and just south east of the church (Cherry Tree Cottage, 6 Church Lane, Sharnbrook, SP 499526 259611). Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this

level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A range of pottery types were excavated from SHA/07/5 with the medieval and post medieval wares excavated in small numbers. Early Medieval Shelly Ware and Bourne ‘D’ Ware was both recovered from contexts two and three, whereas Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Black-glazed Earthenwares were mixed throughout the test pit and were identified from the upper and lower contexts. The vast majority of the pottery excavated however dates to the Victorian period with significant quantities recovered from every context.

SHC BD GRE SMW BG V

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

5 1 1 1 12 20 1550-1900

5 2 1 5 1 2 16 25 1450-1900

5 3 1 18 1 5 65 113 1100-1900

5 4 18 35 1800-1900

5 5 25 51 1800-1900

5 6 1 16 2 5 19 43 1550-1900 Table 5: The pottery excavated from SHA/07/5

The evidence for both medieval and post medieval activity on site suggests that the site was most probably utilised as open fields during that time, especially as most of the pottery recovered are quite small sherds, with little in the way of occupation evidence until the current house was built in the late 18th century. The finds are consistent with the main focus of occupation during the Victorian period with slate, coal, iron nails, window and bottle glass, animal bone, CBM, oyster shell, scrap iron and a slate pencil all recovered through the six contexts. The presence of clay pipe suggests use through the post medieval period and a rounded lead weight with a central hole was also identified and may potentially be used in domestic duties such as sewing or may also have been utilised in more industrial activities as a balance.


Figure 12: The lead weight (top right) with the other finds from SHA/07/5, context six

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8.2 2008 Excavations

The two day excavations in 2008 took place on the 21st and 22nd of May, when 11 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated by 39 HEFA participants from Manshead School, Barnfield South Academy, Denbigh High School and Sandy Upper School (school names correct at time of participation). The majority of the test pits were still focused along the High Street, this time along the northern end with test pits either side around Lodge Road and Park Lane. The total number of test pits excavated by 2008 was 16.


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Test Pit one (SHA/08/1)

Test pit one was excavated in the far north of the village. It was the northern of two test pits excavated within this property; see also SHA/08/9. This test pit was excavated on a small open patch of lawn opposite the granary to the front of the Grade II listed 17th century farmhouse (Manor Farm, Park Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499787 259847). Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.5m, at which depth natural was recorded. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/08/1 dates to the Victorian period and was also recovered from all contexts. A single sherd of Thetford ware and Cistercian Ware were also recovered from context three with three additional sherds of Staffordshire Manganese Ware from context two.

THET CIST SMW VIC

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

1 1 2 5 1800-1900

1 2 3 22 11 20 1700-1900

1 3 1 4 1 4 2 4 850-1900

1 4 1 4 1800-1900

Table 6: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/1

The location of SHA/08/1 high out of the river valley to the north suggests a prominent position overlooking Sharnbrook. The presence of late Saxon pottery indicates the possibility that the site was part of a dispersed late Saxon settlement spanning both sides of the River Sharn along the High Street. Activity continued on site into the medieval but the lack of pottery recovered may mean that the site was not intensively occupied until the post medieval period in the 17th century or that there was a shift in the disposal of rubbish to elsewhere in the garden. The finds excavated include a lot of building rubble and iron nails with coal, slate and scrap iron, most probably from the numerous farm buildings that used to surround the house that were included in the garden through a lot of disturbance during the 19th century. Modern glass and plastic were also mixed in the upper contexts.


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Test Pit two (SHA/08/2) Test pit two was excavated in the north east of the village, directly south of the Methodist church. The test pit was excavated in the rear garden of a Grade II listed 18th century cottage set side on to the road (Stoney Cottage, Park Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499632 259706). Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.7m, at which depth natural was recorded. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. All the pottery excavated from SHA/08/2 dates from the 15th century and later. Twenty five sherds of Victorian pottery were excavated in the upper three contexts and accounts for the majority of the pottery recovered. Single sherds of Midland Purple ware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware were also excavated.

MP ES SWSG VIC


2 1 1 9 11 50 1450-1900

2 2 7 7 1800-1900

2 3 1 6 1 1 7 14 1700-1900 Table 7: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/2

The pottery results suggest that later medieval activity expanded north from the high street, closer to the River Sharn that also continued into the post medieval and Victorian periods. The finds suggest that all the contexts were disturbed as foil and modern glass were recorded in the lower contexts with clay pipe, degraded glass and CBM fragments excavated from the upper contexts of SHA/08/2.


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Test Pit three (SHA/08/3) Test pit three was excavated within the walled garden of Sharnbrook House, a Grade II listed house dated 1749 that is now utilised now as a retirement home. The test pit was excavated close to the wall boundary with the High Street. (Sharnbrook House, High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499488 259704). Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.7m, at which depth natural was recorded. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. All the pottery excavated from SHA/08/3 dates to the Victorian period, suggesting very little activity on site prior to the 18th century.

VIC

TP Context No Wt Date Range

3 2 8 18 1800-1900

3 3 2 5 1800-1900

3 4 2 2 1800-1900 Table 8: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/3.

Sharnbrook House is a Georgian listed building and the pottery evidence suggests the peak of occupation during the 19th century. Although the test pit was excavated to the rear of the property, generally the finds were very few with tile and brick fragments and modern glass, but also clay pipe that suggests there was activity on sites during the post medieval period, although the area was potentially just open fields.


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Test Pit four (SHA/08/4) Test pit four was excavated quite centrally in the village along the High Street, in the enclosed long rear garden of a modern terraced house (60 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499389 259729). Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.3m. Natural was not recorded at this level but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Singe sherds of St Neots Ware, Early Medieval Shelly Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware were excavated either in the upper contexts or from an unmarked context in SHA/08/4. Victorian pottery dominates the assemblage with 10 sherds of pottery excavated from all the contexts.

SN SHC LMOx VIC


4 unmarked 5 4 1 21 4 16 850-1900

4 1 1 4 3 8 1100-1900

4 2 1 1 1800-1900

4 3 2 15 1800-1900 Table 9: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/4

The spread of late Saxon occupation evidence along the High Street and parallel to the river is evident from SHA/08/4. This focus of activity continued through the medieval period fronting the High Street, but into the post medieval period settlement shifted away from this site and the area became open fields until the current houses were built in the late 19th to early 20th century. The finds consist of small CBM fragments and modern glass with a large amount of coal in the lower contexts suggestive of the disturbance encountered during the 19th century after the construction of the current house. The recovery of slag is also suggestive of metal working on site or close by.


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Test Pit five (SHA/08/5) Test pit five was excavated quite centrally in the village along the High Street. The test pit was situated in an enclosed side garden of a modern house that runs parallel with the High Street (84 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499313 259853). Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.65m, at which depth natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. This test pit produced a range of pottery dating from the late Saxon period with Thetford and Stamford Wares from contexts three and four, continuing into the medieval period with 13 sherds of Early Medieval Shelly Ware, four sherds of Potterspury Ware and 31 sherds of Late Medieval Oxidized Ware which dominated the pottery assemblage. Six further sherds date to pre 1600, Cistercian Ware, German Stoneware and Glazed Red Earthenwares before a gap until the Victorian period, evident by nine sherds of pottery.

THET STAM SHC EMW PT LMOx CIST GS GRE VIC

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

5 1 2 7 1800-1900

5 2 1 5 7 13 1450-1900

5 3 1 1 4 52 16 81 1 2 4 23 1100-1600

5 4 1 4 1 2 5 25 14 62 1 10 850-1550

5 5 5 26 1100-1350

5 6 3 9 1 5 1100-1350

Table 10 : The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/5

As recorded from SHA/08/4, the late Saxon expansion along the High Street was also identified in SHA/08/5 and was also potentially more intense here with the larger number and range of late Saxon pottery identified. The occupation on site continued through the medieval period as a probable late medieval hearth was excavated in the base of the test pit. A shallow circular feature was excavated in corner 2 of the test pit and contained a layer of charcoal, over which was a layer of limestone blocks, the majority of which were burnt. The hearth was surrounded by a compact clay floor and potentially that the test pit was located centrally over a medieval building, although no evidence for a structure was identified within the confines of the test pit. The finds excavated include CBM fragments, unburnt limestone, iron nails, oyster shell with clay pipe and the early post medieval pottery suggest that the land continued to be occupied until the start of the 17th century but was probably still worked through to the Victorian period, until the land was incorporated into a large garden, before being sold for the current house to be built. Unusually a ducks bill was also found (right) with other pieces of animal bone.


Figure 19: The ducks bill from SHA/08/5, context four

27

Test Pit six (SHA/08/6) Test pit six was excavated along the western end of the High Street, in a small enclosed rear garden of a 20th century house that was built to the rear of a 17th century cottage (123 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499171 259934). Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found at this level but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The pottery evidence from SHA/08/6 suggests occupation on site from the early medieval period with three sherds of Early Medieval Shelly Ware found in the lower contexts. Seven sherds of Late Medieval Oxidized Ware were also recovered from contexts three through six with additional Glazed Red Earthenware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware also excavated from context three. The vast majority of the pottery identified dates to the Victorian period. Eighty seven sherds in total were excavated from all six contexts.

SHC LMOx GRE SMW VIC


6 1 13 18 1800-1900

6 2 22 28 1800-1900

6 3 2 9 2 9 1 2 27 63 1450-1900

6 4 2 23 2 12 15 32 1100-1900

6 5 1 5 3 35 10 24 1100-1900


The location of SHA/08/6 at the most north westerly extent of the High Street has yielded evidence for medieval occupation, most probably due to its proximity to the River Sharn. The medieval occupation of Sharnbrook appears to span nearly the length of the High Street and continued through the post medieval with a definite peak of activity into the 19th century, when a row of cottages fronted the road. The CBM, iron nails and slate excavated were likely demolition rubble that included a lot of later disturbance with coal, modern glass and a button.


28

Test Pit seven (SHA/08/7) Test pit seven was excavated in the south west of the village, in the long enclosed rear garden of a modern house. The property sits close to the medieval earthworks, Castle Close, the site of a former manor house (21 Lodge Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498878 259570). Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found at this level but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Four sherds of pottery were excavated from SHA/08/7. A single sherd of Early Medieval Sandy Ware was excavated from context four with two sherds of Creamware and a single sherd of Victorian pottery excavated from the lower contexts.

EMW CRM VIC


7 2 1 3 1740-1850


The location of SHA/08/7 in the far west of the village was situated close to a large probably medieval moated site that contained a manor house rather than be used as a defensive site. The single sherd of medieval pottery and two sherds of 18th century pottery excavated suggest that the surrounding area was most probably used as open fields through the medieval period, into the post medieval where rubbish was dumped, including slate, coal and CBM fragments until the current houses were built in the 20th century.


29

Test Pit eight (SHA/08/8) Test pit eight was excavated to the south west of the church in the enclosed rear garden of a modern property (Amberley, 39 Church Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499273 259556). Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found at this level but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The majority of the pottery dates to the 18th century with 14 sherds of Creamware excavated from context three. A further four sherds of Victorian pottery were excavated from all the upper contexts of SHA/08/8.

CRM VIC


8 2 1 1 1800-1900

8 3 14 85 3 18 1740-1900


The location of SHA/08/8 was situated to the south west of the church and was situated close to a previous road that was orientated east west and told to the author by the local history society. The test pit yielded little evidence for occupation prior to the 18th century although clay pipe was excavated from the test pit that suggests there was activity on site during the post medieval, but the site was most probably open fields. The CBM, iron nails, plastic and modern glass excavated suggest a lot of disturbance on site, but may have occurred during the construction of the current house in the 20th century


30

Test Pit nine (SHA/08/9) Test pit nine was excavated in the far north of the village. It was the southern of two test pits excavated within this property; see also SHA/08/1. This test pit was excavated in the large garden to the south and side of the Grade II listed 17th century farmhouse (Manor Farm, Park Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499794 259829). Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found at this level but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A range of pottery types were excavated from SHA/08/9. The earliest of which were 10 sherds of Early Medieval Shelly Ware and Early Medieval Sandy Ware from contexts three and seven. Potterspury Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Wares were also excavated in contexts three and five. Post medieval activity was identified with Glazed Red Earthenwares, Manganese Wares and English Stonewares. The majority of the pottery dates to the Victorian period with 34 sherds excavated from the upper four contexts.

SHC EMW PT LMOx GRE MG ES VIC


9 1 7 46 1800-1900

9 2 2 5 13 102 1700-1900

9 3 1 4 1 2 1 11 1 2 1 24 9 18 1100-1900

9 4 1 112 1 5 5 6 1700-1900

9 5 1 1 3 16 1 6 1 6 1250-1750

9 7 6 16 2 6 1100-1350 Table 14: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/08/9

The location of SHA/08/9 high out of the river valley to the north suggests a prominent position overlooking Sharnbrook. As was identified in test pit one, the presence of late Saxon pottery indicates the possibility that the site was part of a dispersed late Saxon settlement spanning both sides of the River Sharn along the High Street. However, the activity prevailed through the medieval and post medieval periods, that has previously not been identified in test pit one. The finds excavated include a lot of building rubble and iron nails with coal, slate, slag, animal bone and clay pipe, most probably from the numerous farm buildings that used to surround the house that were included in the garden through a lot of disturbance during the 19th century with modern glass also excavated in the upper contexts.


31

Test Pit 10 (SHA/08/10) Test pit 10 was excavated in the east of the village in the back garden of a modern house set back from the High Street (4 Normans Road, Sharnbrook. SP 499653 259487). Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found at this level but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A range of pottery was excavated from SHA/08/10 suggesting activity on site from the early medieval period, continuing through the post medieval with single sherds of German Stoneware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Slipware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware evident throughout the test pit. The majority of the pottery excavated however, dates to the Victorian period with 48 sherds excavated from every context. SHC GS GRE SS SMW SWSG VIC

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

10 1 1 62 1 10 1 14 1100-1900

10 2 1 122 6 13 1550-1900

10 3 10 19 1800-1900

10 4 1 9 1 9 1 5 17 46 1650-1900

10 5 1 4 8 15 1700-1900


A layer of burning was identified at 0.2m that was from a fire that destroyed the properties previously situated on the site in the 19th/20th century. The finds excavated also yielded a lot of building rubble and iron nails, scrap iron with coal and modern glass, all of which are mixed through all the contexts due to the disturbance during the 19th century. The medieval activity identified here, although set back from the High Street suggests that the south eastern extent of the High Street was also utilised in the medieval, with a slight drop off in activity during the later medieval and continuing again through the post medieval and Victorian periods.

Figure 24: Location map of Test Pit SHA/08/10.

32

Test Pit 11 (SHA/08/11) Test pit 11 was excavated centrally in the village, situated opposite the church to the east. The test pit was dug in the enclosed front garden of a likely 19th/20th century house fronting the road and church (The Garden House, 22 Church Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499477 259599). Test pit 11 was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found at this level but due to time constraints excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery dates to the Victorian period with 34 sherds of pottery identified and present from every context. Dating to pre 1800, three sherds of pottery were excavated including Early Medieval Shelly Ware, Midland Purple Ware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware, excavated from the lower contexts of the test pit.

SHC MP SMW VIC


11 1 12 33 1800-1900

11 2 1 10 11 37 1450-1900

11 3 1 16 7 51 1100-1900


The location of SHA/08/11 slightly away from the High Street and opposite the church yielded medieval pottery that suggests that medieval activity in Sharnbrook expanded south of the High Street, away from the River Sharn to focus around the church that also continued through the later and post medieval periods. The peak of activity was certainly during the 19th century during the expansion of the village. CBM, iron nails, slate and coal with modern glass and a half farthing coin dated 1843 were also all excavated, but mixed throughout the test pit.


33

8.3 2009 Results

The excavations in 2009 took place on the 8th and 9th July where 10 1m2 test pits were excavated by 35 HEFA participants from Barnfield South Academy, Biddenham Upper School, Hastingsbury School and Sharnbrook Upper School (schools correct at time of participation). Over half the test pits were again focused along the length of the High Street; with again additional test pits excavated either side of that on Church Lane and Park Lane and bought the total so far excavated in the village to 26.


34

Test Pit one (SHA/09/1) Test pit one was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house opposite the church to the west (3 The Drive, Sharnbrook. SP 529090 284824). Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.4m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A small amount of pottery was excavated from SHA/09/1; although a wide range of pottery types were identified. Later Saxon St Neots Ware was mixed in with later deposits including Early Medieval Shelly Ware, Late Medieval Oxidized Ware and Cistercian Ware. The post medieval wares of Glazed Red Earthenware, Cologne Stoneware and Victorian pottery were also mixed through the test pit. SN SHC LMOx CIST GRE WCS VIC


1 1 1 4 1 8 900-1900

1 2 1 6 1 2 1 4 2 3 1100-1900

1 3 3 13 1 2 1450-1600


The late Saxon pottery identified at SHA/09/1 has been the only evidence of later Saxon activity around the church so far identified from test pitting. The small amounts of pottery recovered though suggests that the site was potentially only open fields through the late Saxon, medieval and post medieval periods, with perhaps the only evidence for occupation during the 20th century when the current house was built. A small number of finds were also recovered, including coal, glass, iron nails, concrete, CBM and clay pipe. Two pieces of slag were also identified and may indicate metal working on or close to site.


35

Test Pit two (SHA/09/2) Test pit two was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a Grade II listed late 17th century cottage, fronting the main road in the north of the village (Westbury Cottage, 95 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499364 259875). Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.34m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/09/2 dates to the Victorian period, with single sherds of both St Neots Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware mixed through the upper contexts.

SN LMOx VIC


2 1 1 3 2 17 900-1900

2 2 1 6 12 66 1450-1900

2 3 1 2 1800-1900 Table 18: Pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/2

The activity on site during the later Saxon period appears to be part of a more widespread area of activity during that time, stretched out along the High Street. But the very small amount of both late Saxon and late medieval pottery indicates that SHA/09/2 was most probably open fields until the current house was built during the 17th century. Despite the date of the house there appears to be very little evidence here of activity until the 19th century. The finds are also quite small in number and also appear to be more recent in date too, consisting of modern brick, concrete, glass, CBM, asbestos, iron nails, a plastic plant tag with coal, a thick metal ring and tile.


36

Test Pit three (SHA/09/3)

Test pit three was excavated on a small patch of lawn to the front of a modern house, set back from the main road to the north of the village (The Rectory, 81 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499403 259788). Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.43m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/09/3 dates to the Victorian period and was found mixed through all the contexts of the test pit. The post medieval wares, of Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware, were all recovered from the lower half of the test pit. The medieval wares however, of Early Medieval Shelly Ware and Potterspury Ware were both excavated from context one.

SHC PT GRE SMW SWSG VIC


3 1 1 5 1 17 6 12 1100-1900

3 2 10 45 1800-1900

3 4 1 5 3 8 1550-1900

3 5 1 10 15 51 1550-1900


A clay and cobble surface was identified at c.0.4m in depth (below) (and may have been the surface of one of the buildings that originally lined the High Street, before the modern house was built during the late 20th century. There has been a great deal of disturbance on site, mainly during the 19th century mixing up all the finds and pottery above the floor surface. A lot of modern finds were also identified including modern CBM, Perspex, concrete, glass, concrete, part of a battery and modern nails found with coal, iron nails, CBM and tile, slate, oyster shell, animal bone and clay pipe.


Figure 30: The clay surface identified in SHA/09/3

37

Test Pit four (SHA/09/4)

Test pit four was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a late 19th century cottage fronting the main road in the south east of the village (Almora, 31 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499704 259552). Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.8m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single small sherd of medieval Potterspury Ware was excavated from context seven of SHA/09/4, the rest of the pottery recovered dates to the post medieval. Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Slipware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware, Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware and Victorian pottery were all identified in reasonably large number from the upper six contexts of the test pit. PT GRE SS SMW SWSG VIC


4 1 1 6 1 12 1550-1900

4 2 1 4 1 1 13 33 1680-1900

4 3 1 1 20 63 1720-1900

4 4 1 3 1 17 1 3 9 17 1550-1900

4 5 1 1 1 1 5 10 1680-1900

4 6 1 1 1 1 1680-1750


SHA/09/4 appears to be part of the concentration of medieval occupation along the High Street in Sharnbrook, but as only one tiny sherd of medieval pottery was identified from test pit four it is probable that this site was actually fields or grassland during that time rather than a settlement site. More intense activity is present from the post medieval increasing into the 19th century, when the house was built. A lot of more recent finds were also recovered, including slate, glass, coal, iron nails, buttons, CBM and tile with clay pipe and oyster shell.


38

Test Pit five (SHA/09/5) Test pit five was excavated close to the side of the house, in the enclosed rear garden of a late 19th century property along the main road in the south east of the village (29 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499714 259545). Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/09/5 dates to the Victorian period with large numbers found through the upper six contexts. Three sherds of post medieval Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware were also recovered from the lower half of the test pit, with Early Medieval Shelly Ware and two sherds of later medieval Cistercian Ware.

SHC CIST SMW SWSG VIC


5 2 3 12 1800-1900

5 3 14 68 1800-1900

5 4 1 1 20 56 1720-1900

5 5 1 1 1 1 24 74 1470-1900

5 6 1 9 1 7 1 1 11 31 1100-1900 Table 21 : The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/5

The pottery and finds excavated from SHA/09/5 are very similar to that of SHA/09/4, with minimal activity during the medieval period, despite its location on the High Street. Activity again appears to increase into the post medieval, peaking in the 19th century with the construction of the house. A lot of more modern finds were again excavated and include coal, CBM, glass, a metal curtain hook, plastic, iron nails, slate, mortar, scrap iron and tile with clay pipe and slag, which may indicate the presence of metal working on or near to site.


39

Test Pit six (SHA/09/6) Test pit six was excavated close to the eastern side of large Grade II listed 18th century house, set back from the main road, in the far south east of the village (Peach House, 21 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499770 259501). Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.6m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/09/6 dates to the Victorian period and was also found through the upper five contexts of the test pit. A large number of medieval wares were also recovered, including Early Medieval Shelly Ware, Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Potterspury Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware. A single small sherd of post medieval Staffordshire Manganese Ware was also identified from context three.

SHC EMW PT LMOx SMW VIC


6 1 1 2 2 5 2 2 27 114 1100-1900

6 2 2 20 28 106 1100-1900

6 3 1 1 1 2 18 58 1100-1900

6 4 6 48 1 7 5 9 1100-1900

6 5 1 2 1 2 1100-1900


From the test pitting so far undertaken in Sharnbrook, SHA/09/6 appears to be the south eastern extent of the medieval occupation, centred along the High Street. From the pottery, there appears to be a dramatic decrease in occupation through the later medieval and into the post medieval, the site at this time was probably open fields or grassland. The peak of activity again appears to have been during the 19th century, most likely when the current house was also built and to which most of the finds appear to date. These include fragments of tarmac, glass, a metal stake and iron nails, CBM, tile, modern nails, plastic, concrete and a toy plastic wheel, with coal, animal bone, clay pipe and two pieces of slag – which indicates the presence of metal working in or near site. Burnt stone was also found from the test pit and could point to later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


40

Test Pit seven (SHA/09/7) Test pit seven was excavated centrally in an enclosed rear garden of a likely early 20th century detached set back from the main road in the far south east of the village (The Elms, 16 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499732259451). Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/09/7 dates to the Victorian period and was found mixed through the upper seven contexts of the test pit. An additional three sherds of Early Medieval Shelly Ware were also recovered from the upper half of the test pit.

SHC VIC


7 1 1 3 1 3 1100-1900

7 2 1 5 2 4 1100-1900

7 3 5 13 1800-1900

7 4 1 4 1100-1250

7 5 1 5 1800-1900


A mortar floor was identified at 0.6m, but any evidence of a building was not identified within the confines of the test pit. The floor could potentially be medieval in date given the medieval pottery recovered above the feature, with no other evidence for occupation until the 19th century, which also caused a lot of disturbance on site. The finds appear to mainly relate to the construction and use of the house from the 19th century and include slate, coal, asbestos, glass, CBM, iron nails and tile. Two pieces of slag and a possible fragment of slightly vitrified CBM were also identified and may indicate metal working on or close to site. Burnt stone was also found from the test pit and could point to later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this. A metal livery button was also excavated from context three, with a Stag on the front and likely dates to between 1875 and 1915 (below).

Figure 35: Livery button from SHA/09/7, context three


41

Test Pit eight (SHA/09/8) Test pit eight was excavated in the large open rear garden of a likely 20th century detached house set in the far north east of the village, close to the railway line (Barleycroft, Park Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499897 260016). Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.38m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Single sherds of later medieval Cistercian Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware were both excavated from the upper half of SHA/09/8. A larger number of post medieval sherds were also recovered from the lower half of the pit, with both Staffordshire Slipware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware recovered. The majority of the pottery however, dates to the Victorian period, with sherds identified from each context.

LMOx CIST SS SMW VIC


8 1 4 7 1800-1900

8 2 1 10 54 77 1450-1900

8 3 1 3 14 124 1470-1900

8 4 2 18 33 75 1680-1900


A partial concrete patio slab was excavated just under the turf in the south western corner of the test pit, which hindered full excavation of the pit (below). A compact stone surface was also identified at 0.3m in depth that may have been part of a yard surface, but further excavation will be needed to confirm that. The small amounts of both late medieval and post medieval pottery recovered suggest that there was little activity on site during this time; perhaps the area was fields, until the original washer woman cottages were built during the 19th century. The finds also reflect this, with CBM, plastic, glass, iron nails, concrete, scrap iron and an iron stake, mortar, a black bottle stopper, the metal casing for a pocket watch, slate and coal with clay pipe and animal bone. Burnt stone was also found from the test pit and could point to later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


Figure 37: The patio slab (left) and the stone surface under it

42

Test Pit nine (SHA/09/9) Test pit nine was excavated in the large enclosed rear garden of a likely 18th century cottage set in the far north east of the village. It was also the western of two pits excavated within the property; see also SHA/09/10 (Barleycroft Cottage, Park Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499837 260066). Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/09/9 dates to the Victorian period, with large number recovered from the upper four contexts. A range of post medieval wares were also identified mixed through the test pit and include Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Slipware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware. Three sherds of medieval pottery were also recovered from context four, with a single sherd of Early Medieval Shelly Ware and two sherds of Potterspury Ware.

SHC PT GRE SS SMW EST SWSG VIC


9 1 2 9 3 13 15 35 1550-1900

9 2 1 1 1 6 1 4 30 44 1680-1900

9 3 2 8 1 15 1 1 21 39 1650-1900

9 4 1 2 2 5 5 20 1 4 1 2 26 38 1100-1900 Table 25: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/09/9

Along with SHA/09/10, this test pit appears to be the north eastern extent of the medieval activity so far identified in Sharnbrook by test pitting, but it is on higher ground the other side of the River Sharn to the rest of the village and the small number of medieval pottery sherds recovered suggests that this area was used as fields. Activity increased into the post medieval, when the cottage was most likely built and peaking in the Victorian period. The finds consist of coal, iron nails, concrete, glass, CBM; scrap iron, slate, a metal button and clay pipe. Burnt stone was also found from the test pit and could point to later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


43

Test Pit 10 (SHA/09/10) Test pit 10 was excavated in the large enclosed rear garden of a likely 18th century cottage set in the far north east of the village. It was also the eastern of two pits excavated within the property; see also SHA/09/9 (Barleycroft Cottage, Park Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499865 260052. Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Two sherds of later medieval pottery, Midland Purple Ware and Cistercian Ware were both excavated from the middle contexts of SHA/09/10. The majority of the pottery dates to the post medieval, with sherds of Staffordshire Slipware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware mixed through the test pit. A large number of Victorian sherds were also excavated from the upper three contexts of test pit 10.

MP CIST SS SMW SWSG VIC


10 1 1 7 1 2 22 49 1680-1900

10 2 1 20 1 10 12 28 1470-1900

10 3 1 6 1 5 8 13 1400-1900


Much like SHA/09/9, there appears to be a small amount of activity on site during the medieval period, as the north eastern extent of medieval occupation so far identified in Sharnbrook. There is evidence for occupation during the post medieval, most likely when the house was built that also peaked in the Victorian period and created a lot of on-site disturbance. The few finds that were excavated consist of glass, iron nails, snail shells, CBM and clay pipe.


44

8.4 2010 Results

Two, two day test pitting events were undertaken in Sharnbrook in 2010, the first of which was on the 16th and 17th of June where 11 archaeological test pits were excavated by 42 HEFA participants from Hastingsbury School, John Bunyan Upper School, Biddenham Upper School and Barnfield South Academy (school names correct at time of participation). These were spread across the village from the Sharn Brook in the east to the Castle Close earthwork in the west. With the HEFA students, Sharnbrook Local History Group also excavated a single test pit, with an additional five pits also dug over the weekend of the 19th and 20th June, the majority in the gardens of volunteers.


45

Test Pit one (SHA/10/1) Test pit one was excavated towards the rear of a long enclosed rear garden to a modern house in the far west of the village (11 Lodge Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498817 259567). Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. No pottery was excavated from SHA/10/1. The location of SHA/10/1 in the far west and away from the original core of the village, with the presence of the heavy clay soils is most likely why there was very few finds and no pottery at all excavated from the test pit. This is despite the presence of medieval pottery and other finds that were all excavated from SHA/08/7, in a similar back garden a few doors down to the south east, although this site was also closer to the medieval moated site, the earthworks of which are still visible. The few finds that were recovered consist of CBM, tile and snail shell and may have been used to manure the land as this area was most likely utilised as open fields until the current houses were built in the mid-20th century.

Figure 41: Location of Test Pit SHA/10/1

46

Test Pit two (SHA/10/2) Test pit two was excavated on a flat area of garden, up slope to the west of the modern house and set back from High Street towards the north of the village (82 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499276 259820). Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.7m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/10/2 dates to the Victorian period with over 25 sherds recovered from the upper five contexts. A number of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware sherds were also identified with single sherds of both Medieval Shelly Ware and Potterspury Ware. Additionally, a single large sherd of Roman Greyware was also excavated from towards the base of test pit two.

RB SHC PT GRE SMW VIC


2 1 1 47 9 47 1680-1900

2 2 1 6 6 67 1680-1900

2 3 1 5 1 8 16 25 1250-1900

2 4 1 4 3 8 1680-1900

2 5 1 1 2 10 1680-1900


This test pit along with SHA/10/6 further along the High Street to the east, yielded the first evidence for Roman activity in Sharnbrook through the test pitting strategy, but the small amounts recovered suggest the activity was likely peripheral to more intense occupation elsewhere, either in the village or elsewhere. The limited medieval and early post medieval activity also identified at SHA/10/2 suggests that again this area was peripheral to the core of the medieval village around the church and eastern end of the High Street and was most likely utilised as farmland until the end of the 17th century when the land was incorporated into the large garden to a house just to the west, before being sold off in the mid to late 20th century when the current house was built. A number of finds were also excavated from test pit two and consist of part of a battery, modern blue glazed kitchen or bathroom tile fragments, modern nails, tile, glass, coal, iron nails, screws and bolts, melted plastic, slate, a metal button, CBM and snail, most of which most likely relate to the construction of the current house. A single small possible piece of slag was also identified that is probably earlier in date and indicates the presence of metal working on or close to site and the burnt stone also found from the test pit could point to later prehistoric activity on site, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


47


Test pit three was excavated in the walled rear garden of a modern house set quite centrally in the village and just northwest of the church (18 Stileman Way, Sharnbrook. SP 499238 259645). Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.98m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints and the presence of a pipe, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Two sherds of medieval pottery were excavated from the upper half of SHA/10/3, as Midland Purple Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware and were mixed in with two sherds of Victorian pottery.

MP LMOx VIC


3 3 1 2 2 10 1450-1900


The ground at SHA/10/3 appears to have been greatly disturbed with both the presence of a large pipe close to a metre in depth and the large amounts of builder’s rubble and concrete that are also evident through the test pit, any further evidence for earlier activity has most likely been destroyed or removed from site altogether. Limited evidence for later medieval activity has been recovered from the upper half of the test pit that may be related to more dispersed occupation at that time, but more likely that the area has remained open fields through to the mid-20th century when the current house was built. The mix of finds also excavated consist of tile, slate, glass, coal, tarmac, concrete, CBM, iron nails, plastic and Perspex with a single large piece of slag which indicates the presence of metal working either on or close to site.


48

Test Pit four (SHA/10/4) Test pit four was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set quite centrally in the village and opposite the church to the west. (5 The Drive, Sharnbrook. SP 499273 259591). Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.5m, with a sondage in the south western corner of the pit to 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A small amount of pottery was excavated from SHA/10/4, but the majority of which dates to the 16th century and later with both Glazed Red Earthenware and Victorian pottery identified from the upper contexts of the pit. An additional three sherds of Late Medieval Oxidized Ware were also recovered from test pit four.

LMOx GRE VIC


4 2 2 6 1 3 4 16 1450-1900

4 3 2 9 1 1 1550-1900


Despite the location of SHA/10/4 opposite the church to the west, there is no evidence for activity on site prior to the 15th century with occupation evident through to the 16th century, after which there appears to be a shift in settlement patterns to most likely focus along the High Street and the land was utilised as open fields until the current house was built in the mid-20th century. A mix of finds were also excavated from test pit four and consist of a small plastic toy cowboy figure with a tiny white Greek/Roman plastic toy figure, glass, a plastic tube, coal, metal wire, plastic wrappers, muscle shell, tile, CBM, iron nails, a long metal bolt and a round black plastic disc or counter. The majority of these finds relate to the construction and subsequent occupation of the current house.


49

Test Pit five (SHA/10/5) Test pit five was excavated towards the southern boundary of a large enclosed rear garden to a modern house and just south of the church (4 Churchill Close, Sharnbrook. SP 499450 259450). Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.6 m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Four sherds of medieval pottery were excavated from the lower half of SHA/10/5, including Medieval Shelly Ware, Early Medieval Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware. An additional five sherds of post medieval pottery were also recovered from the upper two contexts and identified as Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and English Stoneware.

SHC EMW LMOx GRE SMW EST


5 1 1 35 1550-1750

5 2 1 46 2 6 1 2 1550-1750

5 4 1 4 1450-1500

5 5 1 1 1 1 1100-1200


The location of SHA/10/5 was sited close to the original north-west to south-east road through the village, most likely running parallel with the High Street and leading to the church. The pottery suggests almost continual activity on site from the 12th century to the present day, but the small amounts recovered imply that the site was likely peripheral to the main settlement and may even have just been utilised as open fields until the current house was built in the later 20th century. A small number of finds were also recovered and consist of CBM, iron scraps, coal, iron nails, metal wire and a possible piece of clay pipe stem and mostly relate to later activities on site.


50

Test Pit six (SHA/10/6) Test pit six was excavated in the enclosed side garden of a modern house set up hill from the High Street. It was the eastern of two pits excavated within the property; see also SHA/10/7 (Risby, 26a High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499657 259506). Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.6 m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/10/6 dates to the Victorian period with sherds identified from each context. A number of both medieval and post medieval sherds were also recovered, including Medieval Shelly Ware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware. Single sherds of both Roman Greyware and Early Anglo-Saxon pottery were also excavated from the lower half of test pit six.

RB E/MS SHC GRE SMW EST SWSG VIC


6 1 9 15 1800-1900

6 2 1 8 1 4 1 2 22 36 1100-1900

6 3 1 3 1 5 1 11 1 5 12 24 450-1900

6 4 3 45 1 3 1 1 11 32 1100-1900

6 5 1 1 1800-1900


Along with the Roman pottery excavated from SHA/10/2, this is the first evidence for Roman activity in Sharnbrook as identified through the test pit strategy and is most likely peripheral to more intense Roman occupation either located elsewhere in the village or close to it. The same is again true for the Early Saxon activity also identified for the first time with SHA/10/7, but this time seems to be a cluster of occupation along the south side of the High Street, compared to the Roman activity which was quite spaced out. Also from the pottery there appears to be periods of both occupation and abandonment, with activity evident again during the high medieval period until the 14th century and then again from the late 17th century, peaking into the 19th century before the current house was built in the 20th century. A mix of finds were also recovered and consist of coal, CBM, iron nails and scraps, half a metal ring, glass, nut shells, slate, tile, a possible bullet casing, plastic, clay pipe, oyster shell, with a piece of slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site with a small clear glass vial with yellow liquid inside that was probably used for medicinal purposes (right).


Figure 47: The small vial from SHA/10/6, context three

51

Test Pit seven (SHA/10/7) Test pit seven was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set up hill from the High Street. It was the southwestern of two pits excavated within the property; see also SHA/10/6 (Risby, 26a High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499636 259499). Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 1.1m, with a sondage in the north western corner to 1.2m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of Early Anglo-Saxon pottery was excavated from the upper half of SHA/10/7 and was found with a small number of medieval sherds including both Medieval Shelly Ware and Lyveden ‘B’ Ware. The post medieval wares excavated consist of Staffordshire Manganese Ware and English Stoneware, but the vast majority of the pottery identified from test pit seven dates to the Victorian period.

E/MS SHC LB SMW EST VIC


7 1 1 5 26 39 1680-1900

7 2 3 15 2 4 38 44 1680-1900

7 3 2 3 22 38 1800-1900

7 4 1 2 10 10 450-1900

7 5 2 4 1 39 1100-1300


The finds and pottery excavated from SHA/10/7 are very similar to those recovered from SHA/10/6 that was excavated just to the north east of this test pit within the same property boundary. The first evidence for Early Saxon activity from test pitting was also identified on site with test pit six, but potentially due to the location of test pit seven, further back from the High Street than test pit six, fewer sherds of medieval pottery were recovered, but similar periods of occupation and abandonment to test pit six were also recorded here, as evident from the pottery. This test pit produced further evidence that the site was indeed abandoned in the early 14th century until the 17th century and continued until the present day with a peak in occupation during the 19th century before the current house was built in the mid-20th century. A mix of finds were also recovered from SHA/10/7 and consist of a clear glass bottle stopper, clay pipe, glass, coal, slate, iron nails and scraps, CBM, metal wire and mortar.


52

Test Pit eight (SHA/10/8) Test pit eight was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of the former bakery, likely dating from the 19th century and fronting the High Street in the west of the village (23 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499759 259527). Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constrains, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/10/8 dates to the Victorian period, with a number of sherds recovered from each context. A quantity of post medieval wares were also identified, including Staffordshire Manganese Ware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware, these were also mixed in with a single small sherd of Late Medieval Oxidized Ware.

LMOx SMW EST SWSG VIC


8 1 2 3 52 116 1700-1900

8 2 2 31 56 145 1700-1900

8 3 1 4 1 1 2 5 1 1 67 135 1450-1900

8 4 6 125 15 73 1680-1900


Despite the location of SHA/10/8 along the eastern section of the High Street, which from the test pitting seems to be the focus of occupation during the medieval period, the extent of this activity did not appear to extend as far east as test pit eight, until the 15th century when there was probably a shift in settlement patterns, but the site was only still marginally utilised. Occupation appears evident on site from about the 17th century onwards, perhaps suggesting the presence of an earlier structure on site. A great deal of later disturbance seems evident on site from the 19th century with the large amount of Victorian pottery that was excavated through the test pit with a mix of finds consisting of tile, CBM, glass, a belt buckle, a large door hook, metal rods, iron nails, bolts and scrap iron, slate, coal, clay pipe, oyster shell, the centre part of a battery, fragments of a black plastic tube, a metal spring, white Perspex and a number of pieces of slag suggestive of metal working on or very close to site.


53

Test Pit nine (SHA/10/9) Test pit nine was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of the former schoolmaster’s house, dating to the mid-19th century and is Grade II listed, fronting the main road in the west of the village (School House, 37 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499665 259683). Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constrains, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/10/9 dates to the Victorian period, but single sherds of both medieval Brill Ware and post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware were also identified mixed through the test pit.

BB GRE VIC


9 1 4 5 1800-1900

9 2 1 1 1800-1900

9 3 48 115 1800-1900

9 4 1 26 31 58 1550-1900

9 5 1 54 2 5 1200-1900


The construction of the house in the 1830’s as a school masters house is also from when the majority of the pottery and finds date to, with evidence for a great deal of disturbance through the test pit. The finds consist of glass, clay pipe, tarmac, slate, modern nails, coal, tile, CBM, iron nails, oyster shell and a couple of slate pencils. Both the medieval and post medieval pottery also suggests that there was limited activity on site at those times, the Brill Ware is actually a large piece of a jug handle that was also in quite a good condition suggesting that there has been very little disturbance on site until the current house was built and the land was more of less left abandoned, despite its location close to the centre of the village.


54

Test Pit 10 (SHA/10/10) Test pit 10 was the northern of three pits excavated on the grassed playing field between the school buildings and the River Sharn; see also SHA/10/11 and SHA/10/12 (John Gibbard, Lower School, High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499705 259703). Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 1m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. All the pottery excavated from SHA/10/10 dates to the medieval period, with Medieval Shelly Ware, Early Medieval Sandy Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware all identified from the upper contexts of the pit.

SHC EMW LMOx


10 1 1 4 1100-1200

10 2 1 3 1100-1200


Medieval activity only has been recorded through SHA/10/10 suggesting that was continual activity on site from the 12th to the 16th century, which may be due to its location just on the south side of the River Sharn, although the small amounts of pottery recovered suggest that it may have been farmland and the small sherds broken up in ploughing. Perhaps rising water levels or general changes in settlement patterns account for the fact that there is no later evidence of occupation, despite the fact that the site has most probably remained undeveloped through to the present day, until it was incorporated into the primary school. A very small number of finds were also recovered and consist of coal, CBM, slate and glass with a small piece of marble like stone that were all mixed through the upper half of the test pit with the pottery and may also have been utilised for manuring. Possible worked flints were also excavated from the test pit that may be later prehistoric in date, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


55

Test Pit 11 (SHA/10/11) Test pit 11 was the south eastern of three pits excavated on the grassed playing field between the school buildings and the River Sharn; see also SHA/10/10 and SHA/10/12 (John Gibbard, Lower School, High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499751 259637). Test pit 11 was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Like SHA/10/10, all the pottery excavated from SHA/10/11 dates to the medieval period. Medieval Shelly Ware, Hertfordshire Greyware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware were all identified in the upper contexts of the test pit.

SHC HG LMOx

Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

2 1 7 2 22 1150-1550

4 1 5 2 13 1100-1550 Table 36: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/10/11

Much like the finds and pottery excavated from SHA/10/10, the results from SHA/10/11, in the east of the field, have yielded very similar dates of activity evident only during the medieval period between the 12th and 16th centuries, but again with the small amount of pottery actually found, suggesting that the site was likely farmland with the pottery and finds broken up by the plough. The very few finds also recovered consist of slate, CBM and iron nails and were excavated from the same contexts as the pottery and may also have been used for manuring before possibly either rising water levels or general changes in settlement patterns meant the land was abandoned until it was incorporated into the current school grounds.


56

Test Pit 12 (SHA/10/12) Test pit 12 was the south western of three pits excavated on the grassed playing field between the school buildings and the River Sharn; see also SHA/10/10 and SHA/10/11 (John Gibbard, Lower School, High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499676 259661). Test pit 12 was excavated to a depth of 0.3m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Much like both SHA/10/10 and SHA/10/11, all the pottery excavated from SHA/10/12 dates to the medieval period, and includes Medieval Shelly Ware, Early Medieval Sandy Ware and Late Medieval Oxidized Ware, all of which was also recovered from context three.

SHC EMW LMOx



The finds and pottery excavated from SHA/10/12 again emulate the results from both SHA/10/10 and SHA/10/11, all excavated within the same field and suggest that there was activity on site throughout the medieval period from the 12th to the 16th century, after which it was abandoned until being incorporated into the modern school grounds. A mix of finds were also recovered from the upper contexts of the pit and for the first time out of the three pits suggest later disturbances, although this may be due to its proximity to a school building. The finds consist of CBM, slate, black rubber, glass, with a possible piece of concrete and iron rods and the presence of both burnt stone and work flints suggest the presence of later prehistoric activity along the Sharn Brook, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


57

Test Pit 13 (SHA/10/13) Test pit 13 was excavated close to the River Sharn on a patch of scrub land next to the driveway and at the northern end of a long rear garden of a Grade II listed 18th century cottage that fronts the main road in the north of the village (117 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499212 259959). Test pit 13 was excavated to a depth of 0.7m, with the northern half of the pit dug down to 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/10/13 dates to the Victorian period, but three sherds of Staffordshire Manganese Ware were also identified mixed through the test pit.

SMW VIC


13 1 1 1 1800-1900

13 2 1 4 1680-1750

13 4 6 79 1800-1900

13 5 2 16 1800-1900

13 6 1 21 20 55 1680-1900

13 7 1 6 58 149 1680-1900


Despite the location of the test pit alongside the River Sharn, there seems to be no evidence for occupation on site until after the house was built in the 18th century. It does however seem to have been an area for the disposal of rubbish, especially after the 19th century, most likely due to its location away from the house. The finds consist of asbestos, tile, glass, Perspex, iron nails and bolts, U shaped metal tacks, a modern white painted metal door hook, modern screws, modern cream china tile fragments, concrete, coal, slate, snail and cockle shells, iron scraps, CBM, mortar, a thin strip of aluminium, an internal computer component and fragments of plastic. Burnt stone was also found from the test pit and could point to later prehistoric activity also along the Sharn Brook, although additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


58

Test Pit 14 (SHA/10/14) Test pit 14 was excavated towards the northern boundary of a long enclosed rear garden to a modern house set in the west of the village (20 Lodge Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498986 259647). Test pit 14 was excavated to a depth of 0.4m, with a sondage in the south eastern corner of the pit to 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A small quantity of pottery was excavated from SHA/10/14, but the majority of which dates to the Victorian period, although a single small sherd of Glazed Red Earthenware was also identified.

GRE VIC


14 1 2 9 1800-1900

14 2 5 5 1800-1900


The few pottery and finds that were excavated from SHA/10/14 suggest that the land was most likely open fields until the current house was built in the mid to late 20th century and despite its location opposite the probable large medieval manor moated site, only limited post medieval activity was identified in this part of the village. The rise in the pottery recovered dating from the 19th century suggests that only then was there more intensive activity, most likely related to agriculture rather than occupation, as the main focus of activity is eastwards towards the church and High Street. Few finds were also recovered from test pit 14 and consist of a silver small plastic toy ‘barrel’, modern CBM, glass, tile, iron nails and scrap iron with melted plastic, CBM, concrete and iron bolts.


59

Test Pit 15 (SHA/10/15) Test pit 15 was excavated in the small enclosed rear garden of a mid-terrace 20th century cottage on the main road north east out of the village (Midcot, Park Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499605 259669). Test pit 15 was excavated to a depth of 0.7m, with the northern half of the pit excavated to 0.9m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of Late Saxon St Neots Ware was excavated from SHA/10/15 and was mixed in with a number of medieval wares, including Medieval Shelly Ware, Early Medieval Sandy Ware and Hertfordshire Greyware. A small amount of post medieval pot was also identified from context two, consisting of Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and English Stoneware with a number of Victorian sherds that were mixed through the test pit.

SN SHC EMW HG GRE SMW EST VIC


15 2 7 15 1 3 1 2 3 8 5 12 2 5 4 7 1100-1900

15 3 4 22 2 7 2 6 1100-1900

15 4 1 3 3 33 2 4 1 1 1000-1900


The land around SHA/10/15 sits on the edge of a plateau of higher flat ground, continuing along the High Street, before sloping down towards the River Sharn in the north. Isolated activity is evident on site during the Late Saxon period that appears to be part of the scattered Saxon activity through the village, but is very much a concentration of occupation during the medieval period that appears to extend the length of the area of high ground, along the High Street to the south and east. This lasted until the 14th century, when the village seems to have been affected by the Black Death, which also led to a shift in the occupation patterns, as there was no activity on site again until the 16th century, but this was also only quite limited, until the 19th century. Few finds were excavated from test pit 15, consisting of tile, CBM, concrete, tarmac, a metal valve, iron nails, coal, clay pipe and glass, most of which likely relate to the construction of the current house during the mid-20th century.


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Test Pit 16 (SHA/10/16) Test pit 16 was excavated mid-way in an enclosed rear garden to a modern detached house opposite the cricket pitch to the north west of the church (26 Stileman Way, Sharnbrook. SP 499163 259693). Test pit 16 was excavated to a depth of 0.7m, with a sondage in corner 3 to 0.8m and another in corner 2 to 0.9m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/10/16 dates to the medieval period with both Medieval Shelly Ware and Hertfordshire Greyware identified. A single small sherd of Victorian pottery was also recovered from context three.

SHC HG VIC


16 3 1 1 1800-1900

16 4 4 12 1100-1150

16 5 6 23 1 5 1100-1200


The pottery results suggest that there was occupation on site during the medieval period, which also through the test pitting strategy appears to be quite isolated and after the 14th century sites like these are abandoned for those closer to the church and High Street. The very heavy clay soils evident on site may be the reason why such little activity has been recorded at test pit 16, after the medieval period, due to the difficulty this would present for farming, although activity has been recorded again into the 19th century. The majority of the finds that were also excavated however appear to date with the construction of the current house during the mid to late 20th century, and consist of coal, tile, red plastic wire covering, fragments of plastic, CBM, glass, possible black rubber fragments, concrete, iron nails, slate, tiny fragments of shell and a three pieces of slag, which are indicative of metal working on or close to site. If the slag is medieval in date, then the location of this potential blacksmiths would need to be slightly isolated and away from the main focus of houses, due to the high fire risk the occupation carries.


61

Test Pit 17 (SHA/10/17) Test pit 17 was excavated quite centrally between Sharnbrook House (a Grade II listed house dated 1749) and its extent of formal gardens and the River Sharn (Sharnbrook House, High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499514 259792). Test pit 17 was excavated to a depth of 0.6m, with the eastern half excavated to 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of Late Saxon St Neots Ware pottery was excavated from the lower contexts of SHA/10/17. Single sherds of both Late Medieval Oxidized Ware and Staffordshire Slipware were also both recovered from the upper half of test pit 17.

SN LMOx SS


17 2 1 4 1650-1680

17 3 1 12 1400-1550


The flat area of the Sharnbrook House grounds, between the main building and the River Sharn, and where SHA/10/17 was sited, was most likely a flood plain area, especially given the soft homogeneous fine silt that was identified through test pit and that even at 0.8m natural was still not found. This may also explain the large number of snail shells that were recovered mixed through the test pit and the lack of occupational evidence. The pottery suggests that the land was useable during the 11th century, the 15th century and the 17th century, although only marginally to more intense occupation elsewhere in the village. The construction of the present building started in 1695, but it also was built on the site of a 15th century property. With a number of snail shells that were excavated from nearly every context, a few other finds were also recovered, consisting of coal, oyster shell, tile, CBM, fragments of concrete/mortar, a small rounded metal ball that was potentially used as a weight or part of a pendant, with scraps of iron, a potential small piece of slag and a possible corroded iron knife blade (right).


Figure 59: The potential knife blade from SHA/10/17, context four

62

8.5 2011 Results

The first of two excavations in 2011 took place over the 15th and 16th of June, in which 11 test pits were excavated by 40 HEFA participants from Sharnbrook Upper School and Samuel Whitbread Community College (school names correct at time of participation). The test pits were once again spread throughout the village, as were the additional five that were excavated by Sharnbrook Local History Group over the weekend of the 16th and 17th July, bringing the total number of pits so far excavated to 59. Due to a numbering error, there is no test pit 13.


63


Test pit one was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a Grade II listed early 18th century house, fronting the main road in the east of the village (Wryde House, 25 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499739 259531). Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.83m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A large amount of pottery was excavated from SHA/11/1, with a number of high medieval sherds identified. These consist of Early Medieval Shelly Ware, Early Medieval Sandy Ware and Hertfordshire Greyware. A few sherds of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware and English Stoneware were also recovered, but the vast majority of the pottery identified dates to the Victorian period.

SHC EMW HG GRE EST VIC


1 2 12 43 1800-1900

1 3 1 5 9 86 64 410 1100-1900

1 5 2 9 1 42 12 19 1100-1900

1 6 3 15 1 6 1 1 1100-1900

1 7 2 18 1 5 4 10 1100-1900


The pottery excavated from SHA/11/1 suggests that the site had early medieval occupation, which also seems to have been in part of a focus of medieval occupation along the eastern end of the High Street, as identified through the test pitting strategy. The site appears to have been abandoned into the 14th century and left largely unused until the current house was built in the 18th century. A large mix of later finds were also excavated from test pit one, consisting of large amounts of CBM, fragments of red brick, mortar and tile, with charcoal, a George VI penny coin dated to 1945, glass, modern nails, concrete, plaster, a metal button and clay pipe.


64

Test Pit two (SHA/11/2)

Test pit two was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far south east of the village (16 Wellpond Close, Sharnbrook. SP 499537 259247). Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.48m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Four sherds of pottery were only excavated from SHA/11/2, including a single small sherd of Roman Greyware, two sherds of Early Medieval Shelly Ware and early post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware.

RB SHC GRE


2 3 1 3 1100-1350

2 4 1 10 1550-1600


The limited pottery and finds that were excavated from SHA/11/2 suggest there was minimal activity on site, until the current housing estate was built in the later 20th century, the area probably used as fields. The Roman pottery can be recorded with the test pit next door to the west (SHA/11/3), where a larger amount was found and suggests the presence of Roman occupation. The mix of finds also recovered consists of CBM, plaster, mortar, modern nails, snail shell, modern wire, slate and glass.


65


Test pit three was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house, set in the far south east of the village (22 Pinchmill Way, Sharnbrook. SP 499487 259259). Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of Late Iron Age Belgic pottery was identified from SHA/11/3 and was mixed in with a number of Roman Greyware sherds. Late Saxon St Neots Ware was also recovered with Early Medieval Sandy Ware, Hertfordshire Greyware; post medieval Brill/Boarstall Ware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and a single small sherd of Victorian pot.

LIA RB SN EMW HG BB SMW VIC


3 1 1 4 1 3 1150-1750

3 2 1 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 100-1900

3 3 1 7 2 11 1 1 1 4 1 2 1 2 50BC-1750

3 4 2 6 100-400


The Late Iron Age activity so far identified through the test pitting strategy in Sharnbrook is focused in the south eastern corner of the village; a concentration on the southern slopes of an area of high ground overlooking the River Sharn to the south and east. The evidence for Roman occupation is also quite sparse in Sharnbrook, but activity has followed on from the Later Iron Age occupation on the same site, the land may have been continually farmed. Given the few sherds of pottery also identified to date to the Late Saxon period and the high medieval periods, it seems likely this area was utilised as farmland, south of the main focus of occupation along the High Street. Limed disturbances were then noted until the 18th century, when the land was likely cultivated once more, before the current housing estate was built in the middle 20th century. A small amount of finds were also excavated from SHA/11/3 consisting of oyster shell, coal, glass, CBM, iron nails, a plastic button, plaster, slate, asbestos, part of a small iron spring, modern brick and fragments of concrete. A single piece of slag was also recovered that suggests metal working close to site.


66

Test Pit four (SHA/11/4)

Test pit four was excavated in large enclosed rear garden of a modern house, opposite the church to the south (4 Churchill Close, Sharnbrook. SP 499461 259471). Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. All the pottery excavated from SHA/11/4 dates to the 15th century and later. Late Medieval Oxidised Ware was found with post medieval wares of Glazed Red Earthenware, Delft Ware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware, Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware, Creamware, English Stoneware and six sherds of Victorian pottery. LMOx GRE TGW SMW SWSG CRM EST VIC

TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

4 1 1 1 1 3 1700-1900

4 2 1 1 2 6 1450-1600

4 3 1 1 3 3 1450-1900

4 4 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 2 1600-1900

4 5 1 20 2 8 1 13 2 5 1 2 1450-1780


SHA/11/4 follows on from previous excavations within the property – see SHA/10/5. The house is sited close to the original north-west – south-east road through the village, most likely running parallel with the High Street and leading to the church. Unlike SHA/10/5, the pottery recovered from test pit four suggests only activity on site from the 15th century onwards. The sherd of Delft Ware identified is quite rare in rural sites so is likely from above average wealth inhabitants. A mix of finds were also excavated, consisting of CBM, glass, pieces of modern scrap wood, slate, iron pins, clay pipe, a partial horseshoe, oyster shell, copper alloy finger ring with some gilt remaining (right), mortar, part of a buckle, charcoal, tile and a piece of slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site.


Figure 65: Copper alloy ring from SHA/11/4, context three

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Test Pit five (SHA/11/5) Test pit five was excavated in the enclosed rear long garden of an end of terrace cottage fronting the High Street in the north of the village (72 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499339 259764). Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/11/5 dates to the Victorian period, but single sherds of both Hertfordshire Greyware and Late Medieval Oxidised Ware were also all recovered from context five.

HG LMOx VIC



The limited pottery and finds excavated from SHA/11/5 suggest that the site was likely open fields during the medieval period, despite its location along the High Street; the main focus of activity at this time was further along the High Street to the south east. The land was left open until the current house was built, with an increase of disturbances evident in the Victorian period. The finds consist of CBM, tile, fragments of concrete, a clear glass marble, a one penny coin dated to 1976, modern glazed tile, a battery core, charcoal, pieces of plastic, part of an iron drill, iron nails and pieces of shell.


68

Test Pit six (SHA/11/6) Test pit six was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house in the north of the village. It was the western of two pits excavated within the property; see also SHA/11/12 (4 Townsend Road, Sharnbrook. SP 499358 259690). Test pit six was excavated to a depth of between 0.16m and 0.3m. Natural was not found, but due to the presence of a buried bicycle, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of later medieval Cistercian Ware pottery was only excavated from SHA/11/6.

CW



Limited finds and pottery were excavated from SHA/11/6 due to the presence of a buried bicycle (below). The bike was left in situ, as it extended beyond the limit of the test pit excavation, but the bike emblem was seen within the test pit and it was identified as an Elswick E19, which would have been a tradesman bicycle, probably dating from the 1950’s. The single sherd of pottery that was also identified suggests that there was limited activity on site until the current house was built and the area was likely utilised as fields during the later medieval, but the finds also suggest more recent disturbances (not including the bicycle of course!) Fragments of CBM were found with concrete, charcoal, coal, pieces of foil, burnt plastic, modern glazed tile, fragments of modern drain, iron nails and a possible piece of Bakelite.

Figure 68: The remains of the bicycle in SHA/11/6


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Test Pit seven (SHA/11/7)

Test pit seven was excavated in the long enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far west of the village and just west of the castle motte earthworks (7 Lodge Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498790 259601). Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Single sherds of both Early Medieval Shelly Ware and Early Medieval Sandy Ware were both excavated from context five of SHA/11/7. An additional three sherds of Victorian pottery were also recovered from the upper contexts.

SHC EMW VIC


7 1 2 2 1800-1900

7 3 1 1 1800-1900


Limited activity has been identified on site to date to the medieval period, the area along Lodge Road was likely utilised as open fields, given the small amounts of medieval pottery excavated from test pits along it. It is likely that the settlement was focused away from the castle motte at this time, further to the east and north. The site remained open fields until the current house was built in the 20th century, when greater disturbances are noted across site. The finds consist of CBM, clay pipe, slate, charcoal, oyster and snail shell and a large brick fragment stamped with LB PHO. Possible worked flints were also recorded from the test pit that might be later prehistoric in date, additional analysis on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.


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Test Pit eight (SHA/11/8)

Test pit eight was excavated in the enclosed front garden of a modern terrace house set in the north west of the village. (11 Perring Close, Sharnbrook. SP 49073 259755). Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Three sherds of Victorian pottery were also excavated from the upper contexts of SHA/11/8.

VIC


8 1 2 2 1800-1900


Both the pottery and finds excavated from SHA/11/8 indicate that there was little activity on site prior to the construction of the current house in the later 20th century. The area was likely utilised as open fields from the 19th century until construction. The finds consist of tile, CBM, fragments of brick, plaster and an iron latch or handle, all of which are likely related to the building of the house.


71

Test Pit nine (SHA/11/9)

Test pit nine was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far west of the village (10 Loring Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498867 259766). Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/11/9 dates to the Victorian period, but a single small sherd of Late Medieval Oxidised Ware was also identified.

LMOx VIC


9 1 1 1 1800-1900

9 3 1 1 4 9 1450-1900


The single small sherd of later medieval pottery that was excavated from SHA/11/9 suggests that the site had limited use during the 15th century; the site was most likely open fields away from the main focus of settlement at this time which was along the High Street to the east. The land was utilised further into the Victorian period, again likely farmed until the current house was built in the later 20th century. The finds consist of charcoal, pieces of scrap metal, concrete, slate, glass, plastic, iron nails, CBM, a black rubber strip, clay pipe and a piece of slag, suggestive of metal working close to site.


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Test Pit 10 (SHA/11/10)

Test pit 10 was excavated in the long enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far west of the village and just west of the medieval earthworks, Castle Close, the site of a former manor house (9 Lodge Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498809 259612). Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.7m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A range of pottery types were excavated from SHA/11/10 with Early Medieval Shelly Ware, Lyveden ‘B’ Ware and Late Medieval Oxidised Ware which were mixed in with post medieval Staffordshire Manganese Ware, English Stoneware and Victorian pottery.

SHC LB LMOx SMW EST VIC


10 2 1 1 2 30 1 4 2 27 1100-1900

10 3 1 14 1 12 1 2 1 5 1450-1900


The pottery excavated from SHA/11/10 suggests that the site was utilised as open fields throughout the medieval period, until the 16th century, potentially due to its proximity to the caste motte, although the main focus of activity is along the High Street to the north and east. The area was likely used again as fields from the 18th century until the current house was built in the mid-20th century. A mix of later finds were also recovered from the test pit, consisting of CBM, an iron bolt, charcoal, a battery core, clay pipe, pieces of plastic, glass, a metal button and a number of pieces of slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site.


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Test pit 11 was excavated close to the eastern side of a Grade II Listed 18th century cottage set back from the main road in the east of the village (Peach House, 21 High Street, Sharnbrook. SP 499774 259509). Test pit 11 was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A range of pottery types were excavated from SHA/11/11. A single small sherd of Iron Age pottery was identified mixed in with Late Saxon St Neots Ware and a number of medieval wares, including Early Medieval Shelly Ware, Potterspury Ware, Late Medieval Reduce Ware, Midland Purple Ware and Late Medieval Oxidised Ware. Sherds of Iron-glazed Earthenwares were also recovered with a large number of Victorian sherds.

IA SN SHC PT LMR MP LMOx IG VIC

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

11 1 1 1 3 3 1100-1900

11 2 1 3 1 1 2 6 25 46 1100-1900

11 3 2 3 13 51 1 2 1 1 9 17 900-1900

11 4 1 2 10 18 11 38 3 5 1 21 3 13 3 5 200BC-1900


Iron Age activity was identified from SHA/11/11 through a small, much worn piece of Iron Age pottery and is part of a widespread area of Iron Age activity identified in Sharnbrook through the test pitting strategy and particularly along this part of the High Street. The area is mainly focused to the south east of the village and may have been part of a scattered settlement overlooking the River Sharn to the north and east. Occupation is evident on site from the 10th century and through the medieval period, before being abandoned into the later 15th or early 16th century. The current house was built in the 18th century and is when an increase of activity and disturbances has been noted. The finds consist of a white plastic tube top, coal, iron nails, clay pipe, glass, modern screws, CBM, oyster shell, mortar, melted plastic, concrete, slate and a number of pieces of slag, suggestive of metal working on site.


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Test pit 12 was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house in the north of the village. It was the eastern of two pits excavated within the property; see also SHA/11/6 (4 Townsend Road, Sharnbrook. SP 499368 259695). Test pit 12 was excavated to a depth of 0.26m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Two sherds of Victorian pottery were only excavated from SHA/11/12.

VIC


12 1 1 8 1800-1900


Unlike the first test pit excavated within the property – SHA/11/6, no evidence for medieval activity was identified within the time frame for the test pit excavations. All the finds and pottery that were recovered suggest that there was little activity on site until the 19th century, after which more disturbances are evident. CBM was excavated with a modern screw, slate, iron nails, pieces of plastic, glass, clay pipe, plaster, coal, concrete and a piece of slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site.


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Test Pit 13 (SHA/11/13) Due to a numbering error, there was no test pit excavated as SHA/11/13. Test Pit 14 (SHA/11/14)

Test pit 14 was excavated along the grassed eastern edge of the allotment gardens, close to the rear of the houses along Manor Farm Way in the south of the village (Sharnbrook Allotment Gardens, Sharnbrook. SP 499417 259379). Test pit 14 was excavated to a depth of 0.5m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/11/14 dates to the Victorian period, but two sherds of Early Medieval Shelly Ware were also recovered from the upper contexts.

SHC VIC


14 1 1 1 5 15 1100-1900

14 2 1 5 7 7 1100-1900

14 3 4 4 1800-1900


Limited medieval activity was identified at SHA/11/14, suggesting that this area of the village, away from the main focus along the High Street to the north, was utilised as open fields in the 12th – 13th centuries. The site then appears to have been largely abandoned until the 19th century, when greater disturbances have again been noted, but the whole area was likely open fields until the adjacent housing estate was built in the later 20th century. The finds consist of tile, CBM, coal, glass, clay pipe, snail shell, fragments of concrete, iron bolts and nails, plastic and a large piece of slag, suggestive of metal working close to site.


76


Test pit 15 was excavated in the south western corner of a grassed park set in the far south of the village (Pocket Park, Sharnbrook. SP 499356 259322). Test pit 15 was excavated to a depth of 0.5m, at which natural was found. Excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware was excavated from SHA/11/15 with a large amount of Victorian pottery.

GRE VIC


15 1 6 8 1800-1900

15 2 12 24 1800-1900

15 3 7 10 1800-1900


There was very limited activity on site prior to the 19th century, the area was likely kept as open fields until the adjacent housing estates were built and this area enclosed as a park garden. A range of finds were excavated from the pit, consisting of concrete, coal, glass, fragments of modern drain, slate, CBM, snail and oyster shell, tile, clay pipe, iron nails, a slate pencil, a round metal bell, possible tarmac fragments and a brooch of a man in a cloak, with a gun over one shoulder and his left hand on a sword on his belt (below). Two pieces of slag were also identified, suggesting metal working close to site.

Figure 77: The brooch from SHA/11/15, context two


77


Test pit 16 was excavated on the grass verge leading to Colworth Science Park in the far north west of the village. It was the south-eastern of two excavated along the verge; see also SHA/11/17 (Colworth Science Park, Colworth Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498467 260038). Test pit 16 was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of Early Medieval Shelly Ware was excavated from SHA/11/16.

SHC



The site sits close to and on higher ground overlooking the River Sharn, outside the current village, far to the west. The pottery from both pits excavated here (see also SHA/11/17) suggests that there was occupation on site during the 12th – 13th centuries, likely as part of the manor of Colworth. A small amount of CBM was also found with a few pieces of coal.


78


Test pit 17 was excavated on the grass verge leading to Colworth Science Park in the far north west of the village. It was the north-western of two pits excavated along the verge; see also SHA/11/16 (Colworth Science Park, Colworth Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498443 260053). Test pit 17 was excavated to a depth of 0.2m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A large number of sherds of Early Medieval Shelly Ware were excavated from SHA/11/17, most of which were actually from a single vessel.

SHC


17 1 45 181 1100-1300


Much like SHA/11/16, the site sits close to and on higher ground overlooking the River Sharn, outside the current village, far to the west. The pottery from both the pits excavated here, suggests that there was occupation on site during the 12th – 13th centuries, part of the manor of Colworth. The one shelly ware pottery vessel that was buried here may have been intact when it was buried and sat upon a compacted limestone surface (below). The shallow nature of the deposit suggests that there have been little disturbances evident since the 13th century. The rest of the finds consist of coal, CBM and a small piece of clay pipe stem, suggesting that the land was kept as open fields as part of the Colworth Estate, remaining open land after it was sold and first laboratories built during the mid-20th century.

Figure 80: The pottery fragments on the possible limestone surface at SHA/11/17


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8.6 2012 Results

The excavations in 2012 in Sharnbrook were undertaken on the 2nd and 3rd May from which 9 archaeological test pits were excavated by 30 HEFA participants from Sharnbrook Upper School only (school name correct at time of participation). The majority of the test pits were focused in the south of village and filling in spaces between previous test pit sites.


80


Test pit one was excavated in the enclosed garden of a so far undated post medieval house set along the Sharn Brook in the far east of the village (Sharn Nook, Godfrey Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499949 259492). Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to the presence of the water table at this depth, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A number of sherds of Victorian pottery were only recorded from context two of SHA/12/1.

VIC



The site on the north-eastern side of the River Sharn, compared to the rest of the settlement that is focused on the southern bank suggests that this area has probably always been away from the core of the settlement until the 19th century onwards, when the village expanded and potentially when the current house was built. A few finds were also recorded from the test pit and consist of coal, tile, CBM, a three pence coin dated to 1938, a one penny coin dated 1913, brick and fragments of glass.


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Test Pit two (SHA/12/2)

Test pit two was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern semi-detached house set in the far south-east of the village (8 Pinchmill Way, Sharnbrook. SP 499527 259314). Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. Single sherds of Roman pot, Early Medieval Shelly Ware and Victorian pot were all recorded from context three of SHA/12/2.

RB SHC VIC



The limited Roman pottery that was excavated from SHA/12/2 is part of a cluster of activity on the modern estate in the south eastern corner of the village, as identified through the test pitting strategy. The limited subsequent activity from the medieval and Victorian periods also suggest that this area of the village had little use, probably due to its location on the edge of a gravel pit until the current houses were built in the 20th century. A mix of finds were also recorded and consist of concrete, tile, brick, mortar, iron nails, a one penny coin dated 1979, CBM, glass, modern tile and brick, fragments of plastic and coal.


82


Test pit three was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far south-east of the village (20 Pinchmill Way, Sharnbrook. SP 499507 259258). Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.7m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of Middle Iron Age pottery was excavated through the lower half of the test pit with Early Medieval Shelly Ware, Potterspury Ware and three sherds of Victorian pot.

IA SHC PT VIC


3 4 1 4 1250-1400

3 5 1 5 1 5 3 4 500BC-1900 Table 61: The pottery excavated from Test Pit SHA/12/3

The Iron Age pottery that was recorded from SHA/12/3 is part of a cluster identified through test pitting in the south-eastern corner of the village and suggests there may have been a activity during the Iron Age on the high ground overlooking the River Sharn. The presence of a possible axehead also found further supports the notion of prehistoric occupation on this area of high ground. The limited medieval and Victorian pottery that was also found suggests that the site was likely utilised as open fields at that time, until the current housing estate was built in the 20th century. A mix of finds were recorded from the test pit and consist of concrete, brick, tile, glass, charcoal, mortar, CBM, fragments of flowerpot, pieces of scrap metal, slate, shells and slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site.


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Test Pit four (SHA/12/4) Test pit four was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set just south of the church in the centre of the village (2 Churchill Close, Sharnbrook. SP 499380 259487). Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A number of Victorian sherds were only recorded from SHA/12/4.

VIC


4 4 6 12 1800-1900


Despite the close location of this test pit to the church, there is no evidence for any activity on site prior to the 19th century. The range of finds that were also recorded consist of pieces of scrap metal, charcoal, CBM, mortar, glass, brick, coal, glass, tile and a potential tiny bead.


84

Test Pit five (SHA/12/5)

Test pit five was excavated in the enclosed front garden of a house built in 1902, opposite the church to the south. It was also the western of two pits excavated within the property; see also SHA/12/9 (Elm Cottage, 38 Church Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499333 259508). Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A number of sherds of Victorian pottery were only recorded from SHA/12/5.

VIC


5 2 7 15 1800-1900


The results from this test pit suggest that there was little to no activity on site prior to the construction of the house in 1902, despite its location opposite the church. The finds consist of CBM, tile, coal, slate, mortar, glass, pieces of scrap metal, iron tacks, a metal dog tag and a number of pieces of slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site.


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Test Pit six (SHA/12/6)

Test pit six was excavated in the large open garden to the east of a large modern house set next to the castle earthworks in the west of the village (Castle Keep, 55 Lodge Road, Sharnbrook. SP 499146 259463). Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.42m. Natural was not found, but due to the presence of the water table at this depth, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. No pottery was excavated from SHA/12/6. The test pit was sited in a flat area of the garden that was once a grass tennis court, which may explain the lack of finds recorded from the test pit. These consist of concrete, mortar, fragments of brick and glass, all of which probably relate to the construction of the modern house and have nothing to do with the castle earthworks just to the west.


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Test Pit seven (SHA/12/7) Test pit seven was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far north-west of the village. (18 Lodge Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498955 259635). Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.3m. Natural was not found, but due to the presence of the water table at this depth, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. A single sherd of Roman pottery was excavated from SHA/12/7 and was mixed in with two sherds of Victorian pot.

RB VIC



The Roman pottery identified from SHA/12/7 is the first through the test pitting strategy in the west of the village, but does suggest that the expanse of Roman activity does extend to this part of the current village, although it may have been kept as open fields. This area had been generally abandoned until limited activity again into the 19th century, prior to the construction of the house in the mid-20th century. The finds consist of a tube of thin metal, tile, a glass marble, metal wire, glass, clay pipe, modern drain fragment, pieces of scrap metal, mortar and asphalt, all of which relate to the most recent activity on site.


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Test Pit eight (SHA/12/8)

Test pit eight was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house set in the far north-west of the village (18 Loring Road, Sharnbrook. SP 498905 259806). Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.2m. Natural was not found, but due to the presence of the water table at this depth, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. No pottery was excavated from SHA/12/8. The limited finds that were excavated from SHA/12/8 suggest that this part of the village always had limited activity, until the current house was built in the mid-20th century. The few finds also recorded consist of modern pipe, modern brick, glass and a shotgun cartridge.


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Test Pit nine (SHA/12/9)

Test pit nine was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a house built in 1902 and set opposite the church to the south in the centre of the village. It was also the eastern of two test pits excavated on the property; see also SHA/12/5 (Elm Cottage, 38 Church Lane, Sharnbrook. SP 499353 259497). Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.4m. Natural was not found, but due time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled. The vast majority of the pottery excavated from SHA/12/9 dates to the Victorian period although a single sherd of Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware was also recorded.

SWSG VIC


9 1 1 4 1800-1900

9 2 5 22 1800-1900

9 3 1 3 4 9 1720-1900


The pottery and finds are similar to those from SHA/12/5, also excavated on the property and suggest that there was little activity on site prior to the construction of the house in 1902, despite its location opposite the church. A single small piece of 18th century pottery does suggest that the land was likely farmed prior to the building and the rest of the finds consist of concrete, CBM, brick, glass, coal, tile, a metal picture hook, pieces of scrap metal, a metal rod, a corroded metal computer disc and three pieces of slag, suggestive of metal working on or close to site.


89

9 Discussion The test pitting in Sharnbrook has contributed to the wider understanding of the history and archaeology of the parish as well as in the wider context within north Bedfordshire. As pottery can be accurately dated, often within one hundred years or so and is the one of the most frequent finds excavated from the test pitting, it has been utilised as the main sources of dating the occupation and activity identified during the test pit excavations and will be discussed in historic order below.

9.1 Prehistoric Period

Evidence for prehistoric activity in Sharnbrook through the test pitting strategy was identified in form of both pottery and a small number of worked flints and burnt stone. As the format of this writing is at the grey report stage a full analysis of the lithics has not been undertaken, the analysis of prehistoric activity will only discuss the presence of any lithics only and their distribution through the test pits, but will focus of the pottery results. Three sherds of Iron Age pottery (5th-1st centuries BC) were found from SHA/07/2, SHA/11/11 and SHA/12/3 and a single sherd of Late Iron Age ‘Belgic’ pottery (50BC–50AD) was also found from SHA/11/3. These four test pits were all sited in the far south east of the village on the slightly higher ground overlooking the confluence of the Sharn Brook and the River Great Ouse, less than 0.5km to the east. Sharnbrook during the Iron Age would most likely have been part of the Catuvellauni tribe whose territory spread across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire as well as conquering land in Essex and the Ouse Valley in particular drew settlements and the river itself would have been greatly involved in trade and the movement of people. A great deal of Iron Age settlement is known from the length of the Ouse Valley in the form of both hillforts as well as a number of different settlement types. The closest known settlement site to Sharnbrook has been found at Odell, just to the southwest, in the form of an enclosure settlement, a likely farmstead, with additional ring ditches nearby that were also identified across the river in Felmersham (Dawson 2000). The River Ouse would have been a focal point throughout prehistory and it was only during the Iron Age that as the population grew, there was an expansion of settlement away from the river valleys onto the higher claylands, such as those around Sharnbrook today (Land Use Consultants 2007). Other than a small amount of lithics there was no further evidence for prehistoric activity through the test pitting in Sharnbrook. The likely Neolithic and Bronze Age features that have already been recorded in the parish on the HER suggest that there was activity in the area for at least the last 6000 years. The lithics from the test pit are also likely to be later prehistoric in date, both Neolithic and Bronze Age with the majority of the burnt stone found along the Sharn Brook valley, whereas the worked flints were found along the Sharn Brook as well as further west on the higher ground. This suggests that perhaps there was activity on a lot more of the land around the current village than previously thought, with prehistoric settlers utilising the river valleys as well as the higher ground overlooking the valleys. The additional small amount of Iron Age activity that was recorded in the village is potentially related to the nearby known settlements as they expanded. The pottery may have been left behind during land clearance or perhaps during manuring on the fields. Also, the fact that no other Iron Age pottery was found elsewhere in the village suggests that there was a definite concentration of activity along the ridge of high ground to the southeast of the village.

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9.2 Roman Period

The distribution of Roman finds from Sharnbrook were a lot more scattered than the Iron Age pottery, although a definite cluster of activity was noted in the area of the modern estate in the far south east of the village around Pinchmill Way and Wellpond Close. Also given that the seven sherds of pottery found in this area were identified as Roman Greyware, which is most commonly found in Britain during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, it is highly likely that this area of settlement atop the ridge overlooking the River Great Ouse was a continuation of the small agricultural settlements that were likely established during the Iron Age, and perhaps contemporary with the Colworth Villa estate (below). Excavations on the Colworth Science Park estate in 2007 revealed an extensive Roman villa complex that replaced an Iron Age roundhouse settlement. Agriculture would have been the main economy in Bedfordshire at this time and it seems that the Colworth villa may represent a wealthy agricultural estate, given the vast amount of Roman coins that were found with other high status metal objects. Its location on the River Ouse ensured transport of the grain was possible, despite being away from the major settlements in the south of the county, at Sandy and Dunstable as well as the two Roman roads that cross the county, including Watling Street (Wessex Archaeology 2009). Industrial, as well as the agricultural activities are instead known from the north of the county and Sharnbrook may also have been utilising the natural resources that were bought in from Northamptonshire, mainly iron ore, to be smelted. A known production site was identified in the neighbouring village of Harrold (Land Use Consultants 2007), also on the northern bank of the River Great Ouse and although no evidence for iron works or pottery manufacture have so far been found in Sharnbrook, trade would have been well established in this area due to the presence of the Colworth villa and the resources needed would have been easily obtained from the nearby settlements.

9.3 Anglo-Saxon Period

Only two sherds of the Early/Middle Anglo Saxon hand-made pottery were found from all the test pits in Sharnbrook and interestingly these both came from the same property, when in 2010 two test pits were dug within different parts of the same garden (SHA/10/6 and SAH/10/7). The house where the test pits were dug is itself set back from the High Street and further from the Sharn Brook to the west on slightly higher ground. This potentially could suggest that the focus for settlement during the Early Anglo Saxon period was on the ridge overlooking the brook, and completely away from the Roman agricultural estate buildings at Colworth. The focus of early Anglo Saxon settlement in Bedfordshire is generally along the river valleys to take advantage of the well-drained and lighter soils that would have already been under cultivation during the Roman period (Edgeworth 2007). We can guess that this was probably true for the land around Sharnbrook as these would have been included in the large Colworth villa estate site, and would have been ideal for new settlers with field systems in place, to occupy once Roman administration stopped in Britain. Changing water levels at this time may also have been a factor, perhaps enabling a permanent settlement to develop alongside the brook for perhaps the first time, although further environmental work would be needed along the Sharn Brook to prove this. The Early Anglo Saxon settlement site identified through the test pitting may also have been chosen as virgin ground, away from all the probably now decaying and abandoned farm buildings as well as being potentially more sheltered from westerly winds on the eastern facing slopes. Additional high points in the village where test pits have also been sited did not however produce any early Saxon pottery. This may have been because these sites were

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either less desirable than those chosen or that further pottery and perhaps structural evidence is likely yet to be discovered in the village, through further archaeological methods or it has already been destroyed by modern housing. Anglo Saxon occupation has been recorded from the nearby settlements at Odell, Felmersham and Harrold (Ibid) with archaeology again supposing that agriculture continued to be the main economy in Bedfordshire the potential to find archaeological remains dating to this period in Sharnbrook is not improbable, particularly given the Saxon pottery excavated from the test pitting and from metal detecting on the Colworth estate, we start to see the growth of the manors over different parts of the landscape. It was during the Later Saxon period, from the mid-9th century onwards that the village of Sharnbrook as we see it today, first took shape. The name Sharnbrook comes from the Old English Scernebroc which means ‘dirty or muddy brook’ (Mills 2003), so it could be unlikely that this was the local water source for the village and a number of other domestic or industrial actions may be why the brook is described as dirty or muddy. A total of 28 sherds of Late Saxon pottery (Thetford Ware, Stamford Ware and the most common, St Neots Ware) were found from 11 different test pits and the majority of these were actually focused along the High Street. This shows that the main original part of village may have developed as a linear settlement and running parallel to the Sharn Brook on its western edge. Three further isolated locations of probable Late Saxon activity were also noted to the west of the current church, on the eastern side of the Brook a little way up Park Lane and the third was the site of both Iron Age and Roman occupation on Pinchmill Way. The dispersed nature of some of the Late Anglo Saxon pottery may correspond to the eight landowners that held land in the village in the Domesday Book, which itself hints that Sharnbrook and its various manors were firmly established settlement by the time of the Norman Conquest.

9.4 High Medieval Period

Based on the high medieval pottery that was excavated from the test pitting in Sharnbrook, the focus of the village layout was in a linear form along the High Street and the crossroads with Church Lane to the west and Park Lane to the east. Settlement research undertaken in Bedfordshire has found that this type of linear settlement is common in the north of the county, particularly along the river valleys, such as the Ouse where it was also quite dense (Edgeworth 2007), and was also generally thought to be much influenced by the topography and geology of the county. There does not seem to be much in the way of settlement immediately around the church, although small amounts of pottery appear to be peripheral. This may be due to the lack of test pits that were able to be excavated in the vicinity of the church, or that the settlement was cleared when the current church was built in the 13th century and after the layout of the settlement was established. There may however of course been a Saxon church on the same location or nearby, but no evidence for this has so far been identified. A second cluster of medieval activity was noted in the test pits in the north of the High Street and north of Sharnbrook House. More remote clusters of pottery were also identified to the north of the Sharn Brook on its northern valley slopes, to the southeast of the church around the modern Pinchmill Way/Wellpond estate, in the far west of the village on the eastern fringes of the Colworth Estate and along Lodge Road close to the ringwork/moated site at Castle Close. These separate areas of occupation likely all relate to the various manors that were discussed above in section 7, some of which formed during the high medieval period; three of which are known to still be in existence today; Colworth House,

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Tofte Manor and Ouse Manor. It is always possible however that some of these separate areas of settlement may actually have been continuous, but the archaeology was missed due to the intermittent nature of the test pitting strategy. Additional fieldwork and survey would be needed in the village to fully determine the extent of the medieval village. A variety of medieval pottery types were recorded from the test pitting, although mainly of a domestic nature that were also made relatively locally in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire as well as slightly further afield along the Oxford-Buckinghamshire border. These would have been traded at the market in the village, most likely to the east of the church on the remnants of the village next to the crossroads, with the River Great Ouse also probably being utilised for the transport of goods. The two test pits excavated within the Colworth Science Park (SHA/11/16 and SHA/11/17) yielded a number of substantial sherds of medieval pottery just under the turf in each pit, with the pottery from SHA/11/17 also seeming to be laying on a limestone surface, perhaps a yard or something similar (HER MBB 18945). These test pits were the least disturbed of all the 68 test pits excavated, the occupation on site perhaps part of the original settlement of the hamlet of Colworth that was cleared during the later 13th century when the first reference to a manor there was made. Additional occupation evidence for probable medieval occupation in Sharnbrook was found in SHA/09/7 which consisted of a mortar floor surface. No post holes or beam slots were identified in the confines of the 1m2 test pit, and its date is conjecture without further excavation but as medieval pottery was found above this layer (with 19th century pottery), it may well date to the 12th or 13th centuries. The 2013 excavations on the site at Castle Close found that the site may originally have been a ringwork or moated site that dated from the 12th century. The large amount of domestic material also found, including an oven/hearth suggest that there was indeed occupation here at that time also of likely higher status (Lewis & Pryor 2013). The location of this ringwork may be significant, given that the site was chosen away from the focus of the village settlement, although still not too far from the Sharn Brook and that limited amounts of pottery were recorded from this area suggesting that it was unlikely that additional settlement was allowed in proximity to the ringwork. This high status building is thought to have been associated with the manor of Tofte, and perhaps its original location prior to moving to the current site of Tofte manor.

9.5 Late Medieval Period

Medieval Sharnbrook would likely have been a thriving settlement, surrounded by good agricultural land and access routes for trade, including along the River Ouse, with population levels generally rising through the county. However, from the mid-14th century onwards the population declined, the result of the Black Death but there were also records of poor harvests and a deterioration of the climate, which caused the majority of settlements to shrink and some to be abandoned altogether (Albion Archaeology 2007). The results from the test pitting in Sharnbrook show a marked difference in the number of test pits yielding late medieval pottery, compared to high medieval pottery wares, with a significant contraction of the settlement after the Black Death with only 30 test pits yielding later medieval pottery (compared to 39 test pits with high medieval pottery). The main concentration of late medieval pottery is still along the High Street and the cross roads but there is a significant drop off in activity in the outlying sites, particularly at the Pinchmill Way/Wellpond area where the settlement focus also likely shifted back towards to the High Street and around the church for the first time; the land here was probably only utilised as open fields. The activity at the Colworth Estate was also abandoned, but as mentioned

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above in 9.4, it may have been because of the development of the manor also at this time that the land was cleared. Outlying settlements that do seem to continue past the 14th century are along Park Lane and close to the ringwork at Castle Close, again because both of these are likely at or close to manorial sites, which meant activity, were more likely to continue compared to other areas of the settlement.

9.6 Post-Medieval and Later Periods

The open medieval field systems of ridge and furrow, a few examples of which also still survive in the parish, ceased to exist after the Enclosure Act, which began the slow process of formally enclosing all the common land in a parish from the 18th century onwards to create the smaller, designated fields with boundaries that we can still see today. Transport networks also improved greatly, roads were turnpiked, part of the River Great Ouse was made navigable and the Midland Railway passed through Sharnbrook to the east on the main line from London and Bedford on to Wellingborough and the midlands. These improved transport links enabled the development of many of the towns across the county and industries to grow. Place name evidence has suggested the presence of a number of quarry sites as well as brick works, a lime kiln and a possible Maltings suggesting that Sharnbrook during the post medieval had a number of industries present, not just agriculture. Additional cottage industries such as both lace making and straw plaiting would also have been prevalent in rural villages at this time, however no archaeological evidence for these activities were found through the test pitting. The pottery dating to the post medieval found from the test pits suggest that there was an expansion of the village after the 16th century, potentially joining the once separate lengths of the High Street to one continuous band of settlement. Only 12 or the 68 test pits did not produce any post medieval pottery, the spread of the pottery from more test pits suggests that the land may have been more intensively utilised, although maps from this period still show the majority of the parish to be farmland. This pattern is repeated for pottery dating to the 19th century also. Away from the roads leading to the central crossroads and the church, all of the settlement in Sharnbrook is relatively modern development. It was also during the post medieval that the first imported pottery is noted in Sharnbrook, residents had access to markets with good trade links for internal pottery and goods as well as those from the low continent, a notion further supported by the presence of jetton’s from Nuremburg in Germany that were found during metal detecting at the Colworth Science Park.

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10 Conclusion The 68 test pits that were excavated over a six year period in the village of Sharnbrook, as part of the University of Cambridge’s Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) and in conjunction with the community excavations undertaken by Sharnbrook Local History Group, have yielded archaeological evidence for settlement in the parish dating from the prehistoric period through to the 19th century. Residual evidence for prehistoric settlement along the Ouse valley was well know prior to the test pitting, but the results here have further added to the knowledge that occupational evidence still exists under the modern village particularly from the Iron Age and Romano-British periods. Sharnbrook was an established village from at least the Late Anglo Saxon period, which continued to flourish through the medieval period until the 14th century, when a likely combination of the Black Death and poor harvests resulted in a drop in the population. During the post medieval the village began to take the shape of what can still be seen today and nowadays continues to be a thriving rural settlement.

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11 Acknowledgements The test pit excavations in Sharnbrook were directed by Carenza Lewis with on-site supervision provided by Catherine Collins (nee Ranson), Dan Auckett, Natalie White, Clemency Cooper, Jessica Rippengal, Gary Marriner, Robert Gardner-Sharp, Tom Birch, Gerry Feakes and Paul Blinkhorn who also analysed the pottery. The excavations were coordinated and initially funded by Aim Higher Bedfordshire and led by Roisin McIntyre and Maria Kukhavena. Our local coordinator in the village was June Barnes who also found all the test pit sites for excavation each year before the digs and also very kindly consulted on this report. The Methodist Church in Park Lane was our base for the excavations in the village. Thanks also go to members of Sharnbrook Local History Group who assisted during the HEFA excavations and were integral to getting the test pitting going in Sharnbrook. Thanks must also go to all the property owners who allowed the excavations to continue in their gardens and allotments. Thank you also to the 205 Year 9 and 10 students who excavated 57 of the 68 test pits and the staff and volunteers who supervised them. The schools involved were Denbigh High School, Sandy Upper School, Manshead School Barnfield South Academy, Biddenham Upper School, Hastingsbury School, Sharnbrook Upper School, John Bunyan Upper School and Samuel Whitbread Community College (school names correct at the time of the excavations).

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12 References

Albion Archaeology 2007. The Chalk Arc Initiative, Historic Environment Characterisation. Albion Archaeology Document 2007/126, Project: HEC1163

Aston, M.A. and Gerrard, C. 1999 ‘Unique, traditional and charming: the Shapwick Project, Somerset’ The Antiquaries Journal, 79, 1-58

Beresford, M.W. 1954 The Lost Villages of England. London

Beresford, M.W. and Hurst, J.G. 1971 Deserted Medieval Villages. London

Edgeworth, M. 2007 ‘Anglo Saxon’ and Medieval Bedfordshire - AD400-1550. In Oake, M, Luke, M, Dawson, M, Edgeworth, M and Murphy, P Bedfordshire Archaeology Research and Archaeology: Resource Assessment, Research Agenda and Strategy. Bedfordshire Archaeology Monograph 9

Dawson, M. 2000. The Ouse Valley in the Iron Age and Roman periods: a Landscape in transition. In Dawson, M (Editor) Prehistoric, Roman and post-Roman landscapes of the Great Ouse Valley.

Gerrard, C. 2003 Medieval Archaeology: understanding traditions and contemporary approaches. London

Hoskins, W.G. 1955 The Making of the English Landscape. London

Jones, R and Page, M. 2007. Medieval Villages, Beginning and Ends. Windgather Press

Land Use Consultants 2007 Bedford Borough Landscape Character Assessment – Final Report.

London: Land Use Consultants

Lewis, C. 2005 ‘Test pit excavation within occupied settlements in East Anglia in 2005’, MSRG Annual Report 20, 9-16


Lewis, C. 2007a ‘Test pit excavation within occupied settlements in East Anglia in 2007’, MSRG Annual Report 22, 48-56

Lewis, C. 2007b ‘New Avenues for the Investigation of Currently Occupied Medieval Rural Settlement – Preliminary Observations from the Higher Education Field Academy’. Medieval Archaeology 51, 131-161



Lewis, C. 2012 ‘Test pit excavation within currently occupied rural settlements – results of the University of Cambridge CORS project in 2011’, MSRG Annual Report 27, 42-56

Lewis, C. 2013 ‘Test pit excavation within currently occupied rural settlements – results of the University of Cambridge CORS project in 2012’, MSRG Annual Report 28, 77-89

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Lewis, C., Mitchell Fox, P., and Dyer, C. C. 2001. Village, Hamlet and Field. Macclesfield: Windgather

Lewis, C. and Pryor, A. 2013 Archaeological investigations on the earthwork in Castle Close, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, Access Cambridge Archaeology Report.

Mills, A 2003 Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names. Oxford: University Press

Roberts, B.K. 1987 The Making of the English Village. Harlow

Roberts, B.K. and Wrathmell, S. 2000 An Atlas of Rural Settlement in England. London

Roberts, B.K. and Wrathmell, S. 2003 Region and Place. London

Williams, A and Martin, G.H (Eds) 2003 Domesday Book: A Complete Translation. Volume II Great Domesday Cambs to Lincs. London: The Folio Society

Wessex Archaeology (2009) Yelnow Villa, Colworth Science Park, Bedfordshire. Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results. Wessex Archaeology Report reference 68738.01

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13 Appendices

13.1 Pottery Reports – Paul Blinkhorn

13.1.1 Pottery Types

IA: Iron Age. Soft, grey-brown ware, usually with fairly large pieces of shell visible in the clay. Outside of vessels sometimes covered in vertical scratched lines, giving it the named ‘Scored Ware’. Found all over the East Midlands and western East Anglia between the 5th and 1st centuries BC. LIA: ‘Belgic’. So-called because it was originally thought to have been made by members of an Iron Age people called the Belgae who were thought to have fled from France to Britain when the Romans invaded. It is the first prehistoric pottery to have been thrown on a proper potter’s wheel and fired in a kiln rather than a bonfire. It was used between about 50BC and AD50. RB: Roman Greyware. This was one of the most common types of Roman pottery, and was made in many different places in Britain. Lots of different types of vessels were made, especially cooking pots. It was most common in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, but in some places, continued in use until the 4th century. EMS, Early Anglo-Saxon. Crude pottery made by the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Was first made after the Roman pottery industries ceased production after the legions withdrew. Most people probably made their own pottery of this type, dug from clay close to where they lived and fired in bonfires. Most pots were plain, simple forms such as jars and bowls, but some, usually used as cremation urns, were decorated with stamps and scored linear patterns. First made around AD450, very rare after AD700. THET: Thetford ware. So-called because archaeologists first found it in Thetford, but the first place to make it was Ipswich, around AD850. Potters first began to make it in Thetford sometime around AD925, and carried on until around AD1100. Many kilns are known from the town. It was made in Norwich from about AD1000, and soon after at many of the main towns in England at that time. The pots are usually grey, and the clay has lots of tiny grains of sand in it, making the surface feel a little like fine sandpaper. Most pots were simple jars, but very large storage pots over 1m high were also made, along with jugs, bowls and lamps. It is found all over East Anglia and eastern England as far north as Lincoln and as far south as London. STAM: Stamford Ware. Made at several different sites in Stamford in Lincolnshire between AD850 and 1150. The earliest pots were small, simple jars with white, buff or grey fabric, or large jars with painted red stripes. By AD1000, the potters were making vessels which were quite thin-walled and smooth, with a yellow or pale green glaze on the outside, the first glazed pots in England. These were usually jugs with handles and a spout, but other sorts of vessel, such as candle-sticks, bowls and water-bottles are also known. It appears to have been much sought after because it was of such good quality, and has been found all over Britain and Ireland.

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SN: St Neots Ware. Made at a number of as-yet unknown places in southern England between AD900-1200. The early pots are usually a purplish-black, black or grey colour, the later ones brown or reddish. The clay from which they were made contains finely crushed fossil shell, giving them a white speckled appearance. Most pots were small jars or bowls. SHC: Early Medieval Shelly Ware: AD1100-1400. Hard fabric with plentiful fossil shell mixed in with the clay. Manufactured at many sites in western Bedfordshire. Mostly cooking pots, but bowls and occasionally jugs also known. EMW: Early Medieval Sandy Ware: AD1100-1400. Hard fabric with plentiful quartz temper. Manufactured at a wide range of generally unknown sites all over eastern England. Mostly cooking pots, but bowls and occasionally jugs also known. HG: Hertfordshire Greyware, Late 12th – 14th century. Hard, grey sandy pottery found at sites all over Hertfordshire. Made at a number of different places, with the most recent and best-preserved evidence being from Hitchin. Range of simple jars, bowls and jugs. LB: Lyveden/Stanion 'B' Ware. c. AD1225-?1400. Made at Lyveden in Northamptonshire between AD1225 and 1400. The clay used for this pottery is very easy to recognise has it contains small, egg-shaped fossils known as Ooliths. The earlier pots are quite crude, as the potters did not thrown them on a wheel, but built them by coiling. The clay fabric is usually grey with buff or orange surfaces. The main types of pot are jars, but also jugs with a poor-quality green glaze on the outer surface, and vertical stripes and dots painted with white clay. Around AD1300, the potters changed to wheel-throwing their pots, resulting in better-quality vessels, but stopped decorating them with slip designs. Lyveden ware is found all over the east midlands and East Anglia, and some pots have been found in Norway. They were probably shipped there from King’s Lynn. BB: Brill Ware, AD1200 – 1600. Very high quality pottery made at the village of Brill on the Oxfordshire - Buckinghamshire border. Main product was highly decorated glazed jugs, usually with lavish decoration. PT: Potterspury Ware. c. AD1250-1600. Made at Potterspury in Northamptonshire. Fine, slightly sandy ware, usually buff or red in colour. Often found with patches of green glaze. A large number of kilns have been excavated in the village over the years, and have shown that the potters produced a wide range of different pots, although jars, bowls and jugs were the commonest types. BD: Bourne ‘D’ Ware: 1450-1637. Made in the village of Bourne in Lincolnshire, until the place was destroyed by a great fire in 1637. Fairly hard, smooth, brick-red clay body, often with a grey core. Some vessels have sparse white flecks of shell and chalk in the clay. Vessel forms usually jugs, large bowls and cisterns, for brewing beer. Vessels often painted with thin, patchy white liquid clay (‘slip’), over which a clear glaze was applied. LMOx: Late Medieval Oxidized Ware: Hard, red pottery with lots of sand mixed in with the clay. Made from about 1450 – 1500 in lots of different sites in the south-east midlands and western East Anglia. Used for everyday pottery such as jugs and large bowls, and also large pots (‘cisterns’) for brewing beer. LMR or LMRd: Late Medieval Reduced Ware: 1350-1500. Very similar to LMOx, but pots are a uniform dark greyish-blue colour, and slightly earlier in date. MP: Midland Purple ware. Made and used between AD1450-1600. Very hard, red to dark purplish-grey in colour, usually with a dark purple to black glaze. Wide range of different pots made such as jars, bowls and jugs.

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CW: Cistercian Ware: Made between AD1475 and 1700. So-called because it was first found during the excavation of Cistercian monasteries, but not made by monks. A number of different places are known to have been making this pottery, particularly in the north of England and the midlands. The pots are very thin and hard, as they were made in the first coal-fired pottery kilns, which reached much higher temperatures than the wood-fired types of the medieval period. The clay fabric is usually brick red or purple, and the pots covered with a dark brown- or purplish-black glaze on both surfaces. The main type of pot was small drinking cups with up to six handles, known as ‘tygs’. They were sometimes decorated with painted dots and other designs in yellow clay. Cistercian ware was very popular, and is found all over England. GS: German Stonewares. First made around AD1450, and still made today. Made at lots of places along the river Rhine in Germany, such as Cologne, Siegburg and Frechen. Very hard grey clay fabric, with the outer surface of the pot often having a mottled brown glaze. The most common vessel type was the mug, used in taverns in Britain and all over the world. Surviving records from the port of London (‘port books’) show that millions such pots were brought in by boat from Germany from around AD1500 onwards. GRE: Glazed Red Earthenwares: Just about everywhere in Britain began to make and use this type of pottery from about AD1550 onwards, and it was still being made in the 19th century. The clay fabric is usually very smooth, and a brick red colour. Lots of different types of pots were made, particularly very large bowls, cooking pots and cauldrons. Almost all of them have shiny, good-quality orange or green glaze on the inner surface, and sometimes on the outside as well. From about AD1680, black glaze was also used. IG: Iron-glazed Earthenware. Similar to GRE, but with a black glaze and paler, buff-coloured fabric. Dated c AD1680 - 1900 TGW: Delft ware. The first white-glazed pottery to be made in Britain. Called Delft ware because of the fame of the potteries at Delft in Holland, which were amongst the first to make this type of pottery in Europe. Soft, cream coloured fabric with a thick white glaze, often with painted designs in blue, purple and yellow. First made in Britain in Norwich around AD1600, and soon after in London. Continued in use until the 19th century. The 17th century pots were expensive table wares such as dishes or bowls, but by the 19th century, better types of pottery was being made, and it was considered very cheap and the main types of pot were plain white, and humble vessels such as chamber pots and ointment jars. BG: Black-glazed Earthenwares. Late 17th century +. Basically a development of Red Earthenwares, with a similar range of forms, although with a black glaze which was coloured by the addition of iron filings. WCS: Cologne Stoneware. Hard, grey pottery made in the Rhineland region of Germany from around 1600 onwards. Usually has lots of ornate moulded decoration, often with blue and purple painted details. Still made today, mainly as tourist souvenirs. SS: Staffordshire Slipware. Made between about AD1640 and 1750. This was the first pottery to be made in moulds in Britain since Roman times. The clay fabric is usually a pale buff colour, and the main product was flat dishes and plates, but cups were also made. These are usually decorated with thin brown stripes and a yellow glaze, or yellow stripes and a brown glaze. SMW: Staffordshire Manganese Ware, late 17th – 18th century. Made from a fine, buff-coloured clay, with the pots usually covered with a mottled purple and brown glaze, which

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was coloured by the addition of powdered manganese. A wide range of different types of pots were made, but mugs and chamber pots are particularly common. ES or EST: English Stoneware: Very hard, grey fabric with white and/or brown surfaces. First made in Britain at the end of the 17th century, became very common in the 18th and 19th century, particularly for mineral water or ink bottles and beer jars. SWSG: Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware. Hard, white pottery with a white glaze with a texture like orange peel. Made between 1720 and 1780, pots usually table wares such as tea bowls, tankards and plates. CR or CRM: Creamware. This was the first pottery to be made which resembles modern ‘china’. It was invented by Wedgewood, who made it famous by making dinner surfaces for some of the royal families of Europe. Made between 1740 and 1880, it was a pale cream-coloured ware with a clear glaze, and softer than bone china. There were lots of different types of pots which we would still recognise today: cups, saucers, plates, soup bowls etc. In the 19th century, it was considered to be poor quality as better types of pottery were being made, so it was often painted with multi-coloured designs to try and make it more popular. V or VIC: ‘Victorian’. A wide range of different types of pottery, particularly the cups, plates and bowls with blue decoration which are still used today. First made around AD1800.

No. = number of sherds

Wt. = weight of sherds in grams

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13.1.2 2007 Results

Test Pit 1

CR V


1 1 4 33 1800-1900

1 2 1 6 1800-1900

1 5 12 41 5 33 1750-1900

1 6 5 32 1800-1900

All the pottery from this test pit dated to the middle of the 18th century or later, which suggests that the land was never used by people before this time.

Test Pit 2

IA SN LB LMOx V


2 1 5 7 1800-1900

2 2 1 4 2 10 1200-1900

2 3 1 21 1 3 3 19 2 12 500BC-1900

This test-pit produced a fairly large piece of Iron Age pottery, showing that people were almost certainly living here over 2,000 years ago. There is also a small amount of late Saxon and medieval pottery, showing that there was another period of occupation between the 10th and 15th centuries. After that, the site appears not to have been used to any great extent until Victorian times.

Test Pit 3

SHC EMW LMOx LMRd GRE SMW BG V

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date

Range

3 1 1 4 1 17 17 106 1100-1900

3 2 1 5 30 88 1550-1900

3 3 1 15 1 13 30 99 1100-1900

3 4 1 8 27 80 1100-1900

3 5 1 3 12 11 1800-1900

3 6 2 11 2 36 1 4 4 16 1100-1900

3 7 1 12 1 5 1100-1900

This test-pit produced a wide range of pottery from the early medieval period onwards. It shows that people having been living on the site more or less continuously for 900 years, although glazed pottery of the 13th – 14th centuries is absent, and so the site may have been deserted at some point in that time.

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Test Pit 4

GRE BG V


4 1 7 21 1800-1900

4 2 17 44 1800-1900

4 3 1 38 20 32 1680-1900

4 4 2 19 3 9 1680-1900

4 5 2 6 3 5 1550-1900

All the pottery from this test-pit is post-medieval, and suggests that no-one was using this site before the 16th century.

Test Pit 5

SHC BD GRE SMW BG V


5 1 1 1 12 20 1550-1900

5 2 1 5 1 2 16 25 1450-1900

5 3 1 18 1 5 65 113 1100-1900

5 4 18 35 1800-1900

5 5 25 51 1800-1900

5 6 1 16 2 5 19 43 1550-1900

This test-pit produced pottery from the early medieval period onwards, although there was none which could be said for certain to date to the 13th or 14th centuries. It may be that the site was abandoned at that time. The rest of the pottery shows that people have been here from around the middle of the 15th century onwards.

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13.1.3 2008 Results

Test Pit 1

THET CIST SMW VIC


1 1 2 5 1800-1900

1 2 3 22 11 20 1700-1900

1 3 1 4 1 4 2 4 850-1900

1 4 1 4 1800-1900

This test-pit produced one piece of late Saxon pottery. With the rest dating to the end of the medieval period or later. This suggests that the site was fields in the late Saxon and medieval periods, then people lived here from about 1700 onwards.

Test Pit 2

MP ES SWSG VIC


2 1 1 9 11 50 1450-1900

2 2 7 7 1800-1900

2 3 1 6 1 1 7 14 1700-1900

All the pottery from this test-pit dates to the late medieval or later, and suggests that people have been living at the site for the past 500 years or so.

Test Pit 3

VIC


3 2 8 18 1800-1900

3 3 2 5 1800-1900

3 4 2 2 1800-1900

All the pottery from this test pit dates to the 19th century, and indicates that no-one lived here before that time.

Test Pit 4

SN SHC LMOx VIC


4 unmarked 5 4 1 21 4 16 850-1900

4 1 1 4 3 8 1100-1900

4 2 1 1 1800-1900

4 3 2 15 1800-1900

The pottery from this test pit shows that people lied here during the late Saxon and medieval times, but then that it was abandoned until the 19th century.

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Test Pit 5

THET STAM SHC EMW PT LMOx CIST GS GRE VIC

TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

5 1 2 7 1800-1900

5 2 1 5 7 13 1450-1900

5 3 1 1 4 52 16 81 1 2 4 23 1100-1600

5 4 1 4 1 2 5 25 14 62 1 10 850-1550

5 5 5 26 1100-1350

5 6 3 9 1 5 1100-1350

This test pit produced lots of pottery, and shows that the site was lived on for a very long time, from the late Saxon period until after the end of the medieval period. There is no pottery dating to between about 1600 and 1800, so the site may have been abandoned during that time

Test Pit 6

SHC LMOx GRE SMW VIC


6 1 13 18 1800-1900

6 2 22 28 1800-1900

6 3 2 9 2 9 1 2 27 63 1450-1900

6 4 2 23 2 12 15 32 1100-1900

6 5 1 5 3 35 10 24 1100-1900

6 6 1 2 1800-1900

The range of pottery from this test-pit shows that people have lived at the site continuously for nearly 1000 years.

Test Pit 7

EMW CRM VIC


7 2 1 3 1740-1850

7 4 1 4 1 1 1 1 1100-1900

One small sherd of medieval pottery was found here, but then there was nothing until the 18th century. This suggests that the site was probably fields in the medieval period, and that people did not start living here until about 250 years ago.

Test Pit 8

CRM VIC


8 2 1 1 1800-1900

8 3 14 85 3 18 1740-1900

8 4 1 5 1800-1900

The pottery from this test-pit all dates to the last 250 years, and indicates that no-one lived here until about 1750.

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Test Pit 9

SHC EMW PT LMOx GRE MG ES VIC


9 1 7 46 1800-1900

9 2 2 5 13 102 1700-1900

9 3 1 4 1 2 1 11 1 2 1 24 9 18 1100-1900

9 4 1 112 1 5 5 6 1700-1900

9 5 1 1 3 16 1 6 1 6 1250-1750

9 7 6 16 2 6 1100-1350

The range of pottery from this test-pit shows that people have lived at the site continuously for nearly 1000 years.

Test Pit 10

SHC GS GRE SS SMW SWSG VIC


10 1 1 62 1 10 1 14 1100-1900

10 2 1 122 6 13 1550-1900

10 3 10 19 1800-1900

10 4 1 9 1 9 1 5 17 46 1650-1900

10 5 1 4 8 15 1700-1900

10 6 2 26 6 8 1100-1900

The range of pottery from this test-pit shows that people have lived at the site continuously for nearly 1000 years. It is possible that the site may have been abandoned for a while in the later part of the medieval period, as there is none of the later medieval pottery which has been found at other test-pits in the village.

Test Pit 11

SHC MP SMW VIC


11 1 12 33 1800-1900

11 2 1 10 11 37 1450-1900

11 3 1 16 7 51 1100-1900

11 4 1 18 7 12 1700-1900

One piece of medieval pottery was found here, but then there was nothing until late medieval times. This suggests that people did not start living here until about 300 years ago, although it was not possible to finish the test-pit, and older remains may have been found deeper down in the pit.

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13.1.4 2009 Results

Test Pit 1

SN SHC LMOx CIST GRE WCS VIC


1 1 1 4 1 8 900-1900

1 2 1 6 1 2 1 4 2 3 1100-1900

1 3 3 13 1 2 1450-1600

1 4 1 2 1 2 900-1600

This test-pit produced the oldest pottery in the form of the St. Neots ware, which probably dates to around the time of the Norman Conquest, or perhaps even a little earlier. The rest of the pottery shows that people using the site throughout the medieval period, although there seems to have been a break from the early 17th century to the 19th century.

Test Pit 2

SN LMOx VIC


2 1 1 3 2 17 900-1900

2 2 1 6 12 66 1450-1900

2 3 1 2 1800-1900

Most of the pottery from this test-pit was Victorian, but there is one sherd dating to the late Saxon period, and another to late medieval times, showing that people were using the site then.

Test Pit 3

SHC PT GRE SMW SWSG VIC


3 1 1 5 1 17 6 12 1100-1900

3 2 10 45 1800-1900

3 4 1 5 3 8 1550-1900

3 5 1 10 15 51 1550-1900

3 6 4 54 4 10 36 86 1680-1900

The pottery from this test-pit shows that people were suing the site in the medieval period, but also that it was not used between the 14th and 17th centuries, then re-occupied again until the present.

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Test Pit 4

PT GRE SS SMW SWSG VIC


4 1 1 6 1 12 1550-1900

4 2 1 4 1 1 13 33 1680-1900

4 3 1 1 20 63 1720-1900

4 4 1 3 1 17 1 3 9 17 1550-1900

4 5 1 1 1 1 5 10 1680-1900

4 6 1 1 1 1 1680-1750

4 7 1 1 1250-1400

This test-pit produced just one tiny sherd of medieval pottery, which suggests that it was not much used at that time. The main period of use appears to be from the 16th century onwards.

Test Pit 5

SHC CIST SMW SWSG VIC


5 2 3 12 1800-1900

5 3 14 68 1800-1900

5 4 1 1 20 56 1720-1900

5 5 1 1 1 1 24 74 1470-1900

5 6 1 9 1 7 1 1 11 31 1100-1900

There is not much pottery from this test-pit that dates to before Victorian times, but that which there4 is shows that people did use the site in both the early and late medieval periods, and also in the late 17th or 18th centuries.

Test Pit 6

SHC EMW PT LMOx SMW VIC


6 1 1 2 2 5 2 2 27 114 1100-1900

6 2 2 20 28 106 1100-1900

6 3 1 1 1 2 18 58 1100-1900

6 4 6 48 1 7 5 9 1100-1900

6 5 1 2 1 2 1100-1900

This site appears to have been lived on in the medieval period, but mainly between the 12th and 14th centuries, although there is some pottery dating to the 15th century. It then appears to have been abandoned until the Victorian times.

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Test Pit 7

SHC VIC


7 1 1 3 1 3 1100-1900

7 2 1 5 2 4 1100-1900

7 3 5 13 1800-1900

7 4 1 4 1100-1250

7 5 1 5 1800-1900

7 7 2 7 1800-1900

Not much pottery from his site dates to before Victorian times; showing that people did not use it very much before then, although the three pieces of medieval pottery shows that it was used then.

Test Pit 8

LMOx CIST SS SMW VIC


8 1 4 7 1800-1900

8 2 1 10 54 77 1450-1900

8 3 1 3 14 124 1470-1900

8 4 2 18 33 75 1680-1900

8 5 4 56 8 161 16 60 1650-1900

The pottery from this test-pit shows that people were using the site in the later part of the medieval period, but it then appears to have been abandoned until the mid-late 17th century, which is when the yard and well were almost certainly in use.

Test Pit 9

SHC PT GRE SS SMW EST SWSG VIC


9 1 2 9 3 13 15 35 1550-1900

9 2 1 1 1 6 1 4 30 44 1680-1900

9 3 2 8 1 15 1 1 21 39 1650-1900

9 4 1 2 2 5 5 20 1 4 1 2 26 38 1100-1900

This test-pit shows that this site was used in the earlier part of the medieval period, but its main period of use appears to have been from around 1650 onwards, since when people have always lived here.

Test Pit 10

MP CIST SS SMW SWSG VIC


10 1 1 7 1 2 22 49 1680-1900

10 2 1 20 1 10 12 28 1470-1900

10 3 1 6 1 5 8 13 1400-1900

10 4 3 24 1 2 1650-1750

The pottery from this test-pit shows that people were using the site in the later part of the medieval period, but it then appears to have been abandoned until the mid-late 17th century.

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13.1.5 2010 Results

Test Pit 2

RB SHC PT GRE SMW VIC


2 1 1 47 9 47 1680-1900

2 2 1 6 6 67 1680-1900

2 3 1 5 1 8 16 25 1250-1900

2 4 1 4 3 8 1680-1900

2 5 1 1 2 10 1680-1900

2 6 1 10 1 9 100-1200

This test-pit produced a range of pottery showing that people were using the site in Roman times, and then that it was abandoned until the beginning of the medieval period, around AD1100. It then appears to have been abandoned until around the end of the 17th century, and has been occupied even since.

Test Pit 3

MP LMOx VIC


3 3 1 2 2 10 1450-1900

3 5 1 4 1450-1600

This test-pit did not produce very much pot, but that which was found shows that people were using the site in the late medieval period, probably in the 15th century. In then appears to have been more or less unoccupied until the modern houses were built.

Test Pit 4

LMOx GRE VIC


4 2 2 6 1 3 4 16 1450-1900

4 3 2 9 1 1 1550-1900

4 4 1 2 1450-1550

This test-pit did not produce very much pot, but that which was found shows that people were using the site during the 15th and 16th centuries. It then appears to have been unoccupied until the Victorian era.

Test Pit 5

SHC EMW LMOx GRE SMW EST


5 1 1 35 1550-1750

5 2 1 46 2 6 1 2 1550-1750

5 4 1 4 1450-1500

5 5 1 1 1 1 1100-1200

5 6 1 11 1100-1200

The pottery from this test-pit shows that the site has been used more or less continuously from the 12th century to the present.

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Test Pit 6

RB E/MS SHC GRE SMW EST SWSG VIC


6 1 9 15 1800-1900

6 2 1 8 1 4 1 2 22 36 1100-1900

6 3 1 3 1 5 1 11 1 5 12 24 450-1900

6 4 3 45 1 3 1 1 11 32 1100-1900

6 5 1 1 1800-1900

6 6 1 3 1 5 8 26 100-1900

This test-pit produced a lot of different types of pottery which show a long pattern of use and abandonment. They show that the site was used in Roman times, but also in the early Anglo-Saxon period, between AD450 and 850. It then appears to have been unoccupied until the 12th century, but was then again abandoned until the late 17th century, after which it has been in use ever since.

Test Pit 7

E/MS SHC LB SMW EST VIC


7 1 1 5 26 39 1680-1900

7 2 3 15 2 4 38 44 1680-1900

7 3 2 3 22 38 1800-1900

7 4 1 2 10 10 450-1900

7 5 2 4 1 39 1100-1300

7 8 1 2 1800-1900

This test pit, like Test Pit 6, produced a sherd of early Anglo-Saxon pottery, which is very rare, and shows the site was used between AD450 and 850. It then appears to have been unoccupied until the 12th century, but was then again abandoned in the 13th or 14th century until the late 17th century, after which it has been in use ever since.

Test Pit 8

LMOx SMW EST SWSG VIC


8 1 2 3 52 116 1700-1900

8 2 2 31 56 145 1700-1900

8 3 1 4 1 1 2 5 1 1 67 135 1450-1900

8 4 6 125 15 73 1680-1900

8 5 4 9 1800-1900

The pottery from this site shows that the site was unoccupied until the late medieval period, probably the 15th century, but was then unused until the late 17th century, after which people have lived here continuously.

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Test Pit 9

BB GRE VIC


9 1 4 5 1800-1900

9 2 1 1 1800-1900

9 3 48 115 1800-1900

9 4 1 26 31 58 1550-1900

9 5 1 54 2 5 1200-1900

9 6 10 15 1800-1900

This test-pit produced only one sherd of medieval pottery, but is a large piece of a jug handle, and is in good condition, so it is likely that people were living here in the 13th century. It was then more or less unused until the 19th century.

Test Pit 10

SHC EMW LMOx


10 1 1 4 1100-1200

10 2 1 3 1100-1200

10 4 2 34 1 3 1100-1550

The pottery from this test-pit shows that people were using the site throughout the medieval period, but also that it has remained unoccupied ever since.

Test Pit 11

SHC HG LMOx

Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

2 1 7 2 22 1150-1550

4 1 5 2 13 1100-1550


Test Pit 12

SHC EMW LMOx


12 3 2 4 2 2 2 20 1100-1550


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Test Pit 13

SMW VIC


13 1 1 1 1800-1900

13 2 1 4 1680-1750

13 4 6 79 1800-1900

13 5 2 16 1800-1900

13 6 1 21 20 55 1680-1900

13 7 1 6 58 149 1680-1900

13 8 4 15 1800-1900

All the pottery from this test-pit dates to the late 17th century or later, and indicates that there was little human activity at the site before that time.

Test Pit 14

GRE VIC


14 1 2 9 1800-1900

14 2 5 5 1800-1900

14 3 1 2 1 1 1550-1900

This test-pit produced very little pottery, and suggests that the site was largely unused before the 19th century.

Test Pit 15

SN SHC EMW HG GRE SMW EST VIC


15 2 7 15 1 3 1 2 3 8 5 12 2 5 4 7 1100-1900

15 3 4 22 2 7 2 6 1100-1900

15 4 1 3 3 33 2 4 1 1 1000-1900

15 8 1 1 1800-1900

This test-pit produced a fairly wide range of pottery, and shows that the site was occupied from the late Saxon period, probably the late 10th or 11th century, until the 14th century. It then appears to have been abandoned until the 16th or 17th century, and has been in use ever since.

xvii

Test Pit 16

SHC HG VIC


16 3 1 1 1800-1900

16 4 4 12 1100-1150

16 5 6 23 1 5 1100-1200

16 6 6 18 1 3 1150-1200

Most of the pottery from this test pit dates to the 12th – 14th centuries, showing that it was probably settled at that time, but it then appears to have been abandoned until the 19th century.

Test Pit 17

SN LMOx SS


17 2 1 4 1650-1680

17 3 1 12 1400-1550

17 6 1 2 1000-1100

This test pit produced very little pottery, but the range of types present show that a case can be made that it was used for non-settlement activity from the late Saxon era until the late 17th or 18th century.

xviii

13.1.6 2011 Results

Test Pit 1

SHC EMW HG GRE EST VIC


1 2 12 43 1800-1900

1 3 1 5 9 86 64 410 1100-1900

1 5 2 9 1 42 12 19 1100-1900

1 6 3 15 1 6 1 1 1100-1900

1 7 2 18 1 5 4 10 1100-1900

1 8 1 8 1 2 1100-1900

The range of pottery types from this site shows that there were people living here in the early medieval period, from the 12th – 14th centuries. The site was then more or less abandoned until Victorian times.

Test Pit 2

RB SHC GRE


2 3 1 3 1100-1350

2 4 1 10 1550-1600

2 5 1 3 1 4 300-1200

This test-pit did not produce much pottery, which suggests that people lived did not live at the site, but probably used it as fields or the like, in the Roman, early medieval and early post-medieval periods.

Test Pit 3

LIA RB SN EMW HG BB SMW VIC


3 1 1 4 1 3 1150-1750

3 2 1 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 100-1900

3 3 1 7 2 11 1 1 1 4 1 2 1 2 50BC-1750

3 4 2 6 100-400

The pottery from this test-pit shows that there were two distinct phases of activity at the site. The first appears to have lasted from the end of the Iron Age and into the Roman period (1st – 4th century AD), and then another starting around the time of the Norman Conquest and lasting until the 13th or 14th century. After that, it appears to have been largely abandoned until the 18th century.

xix

Test Pit 4

LMOx GRE TGW SMW SWSG CRM EST VIC


4 1 1 1 1 3 1700-1900

4 2 1 1 2 6 1450-1600

4 3 1 1 3 3 1450-1900

4 4 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 2 1600-1900

4 5 1 20 2 8 1 13 2 5 1 2 1450-1780

The earliest pottery from this test-pit dates to the mid-15th century, but the range of types present shows that the site has been continuously occupied since that time. Some of the pottery, such as TGW is of a quality not offered encountered at rural sites, so the inhabitants may have been more wealthy than the average inhabitant of the village.

Test Pit 5

HG LMOx VIC


5 2 1 6 1 2 5 19 1150-1900

This test-pit produced very little pottery, but that which was found shows that there was only activity at the site in the 12th and 15th centuries, with the area possibly used as fields.

Test Pit 6

CW


6 2 1 2 1450-1550

There was only a single sherd of pottery form this test-pit, but it is of late medieval date, and suggests that the site was probably used as fields at that time.

Test Pit 7

SHC EMW VIC


7 1 2 2 1800-1900

7 3 1 1 1800-1900

7 5 1 2 1 2 1100-1200

This test-pit produced very little pottery, but that which was found shows that there was only activity at the site in the 12th century, with the area possibly used as fields.

Test Pit 8

VIC


8 1 2 2 1800-1900

8 2 1 3 1800-1900

The pottery from this test-pit indicates that the site was never used by people before Victorian times.

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Test Pit 9

LMOx VIC


9 1 1 1 1800-1900

9 3 1 1 4 9 1450-1900

9 4 1 1 1800-1900

The pottery from this test-pit indicates that apart from possibly having been used as fields in the late medieval period, the site was never used by people before Victorian times.

Test Pit 10

SHC LB LMOx SMW EST VIC


10 2 1 1 2 30 1 4 2 27 1100-1900

10 3 1 14 1 12 1 2 1 5 1450-1900

10 4 1 2 1450-1550

The pottery from here shows that this site was used throughout the medieval period, from the 12th – 16th centuries. It then appears to have been abandoned until the 18th century, and has been in use ever since then.

Test Pit 11

IA SN SHC PT LMR MP LMOx IG VIC

TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

11 1 1 1 3 3 1100-1900

11 2 1 3 1 1 2 6 25 46 1100-1900

11 3 2 3 13 51 1 2 1 1 9 17 900-1900

11 4 1 2 10 18 11 38 3 5 1 21 3 13 3 5 200BC-1900

This test-pit produced a wide range of pottery types. The earliest is a small and very worn piece of Iron Age material, but the site appears to be have been otherwise unused until the late Saxon period, probably the 10th century. It then appears to have been used throughout the medieval period, before falling from use in the late 15th – early 16th century. After that, it was unused until the late 18th or 19th century.

Test Pit 12

VIC


12 1 1 8 1800-1900

12 2 1 1 1800-1900

The pottery from this test-pit indicates that the site was never used by people before Victorian times.

xxi

Test Pit 14

SHC VIC

TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range

14 1 1 1 5 15 1100-1900

14 2 1 5 7 7 1100-1900

14 3 4 4 1800-1900

14 4 1 1 1800-1900

The two sherds of medieval pottery indicate that there was activity at the site in the 12th – 13th centuries, but otherwise it was not used until the 19th century.

Test Pit 15

GRE VIC


15 1 6 8 1800-1900

15 2 12 24 1800-1900

15 3 7 10 1800-1900

15 4 1 1 8 6 1550-1900

There is little evidence to suggest that this site was used before the 19th century.

Test Pit 16

SHC

TP Cntxt No Wt Date Range

16 5 1 3 1100-1200

The sherd of medieval pottery indicates that there was activity at the site in the 12th – 13th centuries, but otherwise it was not used.

Test Pit 17

SHC


17 1 45 181 1100-1300

17 2 73 584 1100-1300

This test-pit produced large quantities of early medieval shelly ware, indicating that it was occupied in the 12th – 13th centuries. Most of the sherds are from a single pot, a jar, the commonest type of the period. The site appears to have been otherwise unoccupied.

xxii

13.1.7 2012 Results

Test Pit 1

VIC


1 2 11 16 1800-1900

All the pottery form this test-pit is Victorian, which indicates that this site was not used before that time.

Test Pit 2

RB SHC VIC

TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

2 3 1 8 1 13 1 1 100-1900

This test-pit did not produce much pottery, but the three sherds present shows that the site was used in the Roman, medieval and Victorian periods. The sherds of the first two are fairly large and in good condition, suggesting that people were living nearby.

Test Pit 3

IA SHC PT VIC

TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range

3 4 1 4 1250-1400

3 5 1 5 1 5 3 4 500BC-1900

This test-pit did not produce much pottery, but the three sherds present shows that the site was used in the Iron Age, medieval and Victorian periods. The sherds are fairly small a little worn, so the site was probably fields during those times.

Test Pit 4

VIC


4 4 6 12 1800-1900

4 5 3 28 1800-1900


Test Pit 5

VIC


5 2 7 15 1800-1900

5 3 2 2 1800-1900

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Test Pit 6 No pottery excavated

Test Pit 7

RB VIC


7 2 1 1 2 3 100-1900

This test-pit only produced two sherds of pottery, but one was Roman. It is very small and a little worn, so the site was probably fields at that time.

Test Pit 8 No pottery excavated

Test Pit 9

SWSG VIC


9 1 1 4 1800-1900

9 2 5 22 1800-1900

9 3 1 3 4 9 1720-1900

9 4 3 7 1800-1900

All the pottery form this test-pit is Victorian, apart from a single piece of 18th century material, which indicates that this site was not used before that time.

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13.2 Other Finds – Catherine Ranson

13.2.1 2007 Finds

Test Pit 1

Test pit 1 Ceramic

(excluding pottery)

Glass Metal & metal-

working Stone Other

C. 1 CBM x17 = 118g clear window glass

x3 = 30g

scrap iron x1 = 20g, modern nail

x1 = 0g slate x1 = 2g

C. 2 CBM x11 = 243g, tile

x2 102g black plastic x1 =

1g

C. 3 CBM x 8 = 112g, tile

x2 = 71g slate x1 = 41g

C. 4 tile x4 = 152g, CBM

x1 = 58g clear window glass


C. 5 tile x4 = 234g clear window glass

x4 = 15g, dark green bottle glass x1 = 7g

slate x6 =

236g concrete x1 = 10g

C. 6 tile x1 = 95g

Test Pit 2

Test pit 2

Ceramic (excluding pottery)


working Stone Other

C. 1 CBM x19 = 188g

iron nails x1 = 2g, scrap metal (lead?) = 17g,

silver six pence coin = 2g

coal x1 = 1g

C. 2 tile x5 = 441g, CBM x2 = 5g, clay pipe stem x2 =

6g

aluminium ring pull from a can (Top Five Token written on it) = 0g, half penny coin dated 1945

= 5g

coal x3 = 2g

C. 3 clay pipe stem x1 = 2g,

tile x17 = 2415g, CBM x2 = 297g,

metal button x1 = 4g

slate x1 = 2g, coal x2 = 2g

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Test Pit 3

Test pit 3

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass

Metal & metal-working

Stone Other

C. 1 CBM x2 = 46g clear container glass x6 = 64g iron nails x6 = 46g coal x11 =

20g

C. 2 clay pipe stem x3 =

6g

clear window glass x2 = 3g, clear container glass x1 = 3g, dark green bottle glass x1 =

2g

iron nails x6 = 40g, scrap metal x1 = 3g

coal x12 = 32g


4g, CBM x3 = 8g clear container glass x4 = 9g, clear window glass x2 = 3g

iron nails x5 = 64g, scrap iron x 4 = 36g, metal ‘lid’

object with 3 holes = 31g

coal x24 = 51g, slate x1

= 4g

oyster shell x1 = 30g, end of a

shotgun cartridge = 10g, pink

plastic coil = 1g,

C. 4 clay pipe stem x1 = 2g, CBM x10 = 94g

clear container glass x5 = 15g slag x2 = 67g, iron

nails x3 = 24g

slate x2 = 43g, coal x10

= 33g

concrete x5 = 138g

C. 5 CBM x8 = 94g,

slag x1 = 9g, iron nails x3 = 22g

coal x7 = 8g, burnt stone

x1 = 5g, slate x1 = 16g

C. 6 CBM x4 = 142g clear container glass x2 = 7g

Test Pit 4

Test pit 4

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

dark green bottle glass x1 = 6g

curving metal rod = 18g

C. 2 CBM x2 = 11g clear container glass x1 = 9g, dark green bottle

glass x1 = 0g

coal x6 = 9g

C. 3 CBM x6 = 71g, pot x2

= 1g

dark green bottle glass x2 = 27g, clear

container glass x2 = 4g, clear window glass

x1 = 1g

metal fixing = 7g coal x17 =

29g

C. 4 CBM x11 = 77g, brick fragments x6 = 1319g

clear window glass x1 = 2g

coal x2 = 9g

C. 5 CBM x14 = 331g clear container glass x1

= 2g iron nails x4 = 35g coal x1 = 1g

C. 6 CBM x2 = 19g

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Test Pit 5

Test pit 5

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 CBM x2 = 10g clear window glass x2 =

10g, clear container glass x2 = 6g

slate x1 = 10g, coal x1 = 6g iron nails x2

= 8g

C. 2 CBM x6 = 51g

clear window glass x5 = 8g, clear container glass x5 =

18g, dark green bottle glass x1 = 2g

scrap iron x2 = 33g, iron nails x6 = 14g, metal button

= 2g

coal x3 = 4g, slate x1 = 2g

C. 3 clay pipe stem x3 = 3g, CBM x26 =

216g,

clear container glass x15 = 44g, clear window glass x7

= 6g, light green bottle glass x2 = 6g, orange bottle

glass x1 = 3g

iron nails x 17 = 94g, scrap iron x11 = 68g, thin metal

cutlery handle = 3g

slate pencil x1 = 2g, coal

x9 = 37g, slate x9 =

27g,

oyster shell x1 = 1g, burnt

bone x1 = 1g

C. 4 CBM x 19 = 169g

dark green bottle glass x3 = 33g, light green bottle glass

x3 = 14g, clear container glass x3 = 20g, clear window glass x2 = 1g

iron nails x7 = 38g, scrap iron x4 = 18g

coal x1 = 13g, slate

x2= 8g

C. 5 clay pipe stem x1 = 2g, CBM x15 =

106g

light green bottle glass x1 = 1g

scrap iron x3 = 21g, iron nails x5 = 34g


= 2g

oyster shell fragment x1 =

0g

C. 6 CBM x2 = 162g, clay pipe stem x2

= 3g

green bottle glass x3 = 7g, clear container glass x3 =

3g

rounded lead? weight with hole through centre = 465g

slate pencil x1 = 2g, coal

x1 = 0g

13.2.2 2008 Finds

Test Pit 1

Test pit 1 Ceramic

(excluding pottery)


working Stone Other

C. 1

modern dirty yellow tile x1 = 32g, red

CBM fragments x8 = 61g

clear window glass x4 = 5g,



lump concrete x1 = 42g, red plastic fragment x1 = 0g

C. 3 flat dirty yellow tile fragment x1 = 115g

iron bolt x1 = 116g, iron nails x1 = 5g


fossil shells x2 = 3g

C. 4

flat red tile fragments x3 = 92g, red CBM

fragments x18 = 214g

green bottle glass x1 = 9g, clear

container glass x5 = 7g,

iron nails x7 = 40g, modern screw x1 =

9g


fragments of concrete? x1 = 125g

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Test Pit 2

Test pit 2

Ceramic (excluding

pottery)

Glass Metal & metal-working

Stone Other

C. 1 red CBM fragments x6 = 10g


iron nails x4 = 43g, silver foil milk bottle top = 0g

coal x2 = 1g plaster? X1 = 2g

C. 2 red CBM fragments x2= 4g, clay pipe stem x1 =1g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x2 = 9g

clear window glass x3 = 4g, dark green bottle glass x1 = 2g, clear container glass x2 = 5g

decorative metal fixing = 2g, white plaster? x1 = 2g

coal x2 = 4g white plaster? x1 = 2g

C. 3 clay pipe bowl fragments x1 = 2g, black glazed pot x1 = 4g, red CBM fragments x1 = 0g

light green container glass x1 = 0g (flaky and degraded)

coal x2 = 5g

C. 4 clay pipe bowl fragments x1 = 0g


half metal disc (button?) = 3g

coal x1 = 0g

C. 5 silver foil milk bottle top = 0g, thin strip of metal (copper?) = 3g (use unknown)

Test Pit 3

Test pit 3



working Stone Other

C. 1 clay pipe stem x1 = 3g

C. 2 red CBM fragments x1 = 17g,

clay pipe bowl fragment x1 = 2g

light green bottle glass x2 = 5g,


C. 3

flat red tile fragments x1 = 30g, flat red roof tile (with hole) x1 =

27g, curved red roof tile fragment x 1 = 31g, red CBM fragments x2

= 6g, dirty yellow tile fragment (floor?) x1 = 277g


coal x1 = 0g

C. 4

green bottle glass x3 = 8g (flaky and

degraded)

coal x1 = 2g


xxviii

Test Pit 4

Test pit 4 Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

dirty yellow CBM fragments x6 = 75g, clay pipe stem x1 = 0g, red CBM fragments x5

= 8g

clear window glass x1 = 0g, clear container glass x1 = 0g

slag x5 = 17g, metal wire = 5g,

coal x22 = 23g,

concrete x5 = 29g

C. 2 red CBM fragments x5 =

12g clear container glass x3 = 4g

slag x5 = 6g coal x17 =

10g

modern very light green

plastic tube = 2g

C. 3 dirty yellow CBM fragments

x2 = 38g, red CBM fragments x5 = 24g

slag x1 = 14g coal x5 = 5g

C. 4 red CBM fragments x5 = 9g, dirty yellow CBM fragments

x2 = 5g

clear container glass x1 = 1g,

green bottle glass x2 = 5g

coal x30 =

30g

Unknown

slag x1 = 44g

Test Pit 5

Test pit 5

Ceramic (excluding pottery) Glass Metal & metal-

working Stone Other

C. 1 clay pipe stem x1 = 2g, red CBM fragments

x6 = 28g, white pot x1 = 0g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x2 = 56g

clear container glass x2 = 34g, orange bottle glass x1 = 2g,

light green bottle glass x1 =

5g

coal x9 = 30g,

unworked stone x2 =

15g

mortar x3 = 7g,

chalk x1 = 11g

C. 2 flat red tile fragment (with mortar) x1 = 36g, modern curved dirty yellow/grey roof tile x1

= 78g


thin piece of metal (i.e. part of a tin can?) = 0g, scrap iron x4 =

0g

coal x2 = 2g, unworked stone x1 =

19g, chalk x1 = 3g

concrete x1 = 92g,

C. 3

flat red tile fragments x1 = 126g, red CBM fragments x2 = 55g, pot x2 = 2g, red glazed pot x1 = 4g, modern grey flat tile fragment x1 = 136g, clay pipe stem x6 = 10g, clay

pipe bowl fragments x1 = 2g

clear container glass x2 = 4g

iron nails x2 = 6g, half a metal

ring = 2g,


C. 4

dirty yellow CBM fragments x10 = 323g, burnt dirty yellow CBM fragments x1 = 309g, modern red and grey flat tile fragments x2 =

81g, red CBM fragments x14 = 79g, clay pipe stem x1 = 4g

modern nails x1 = 3g, iron nails x1 = 10g, small thin and narrow strip of metal =

2g (use unknown)

oyster shell x1 =

6g

C. 5

dirty yellow flat tile fragments x4 = 473g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x2 = 14g, clay

pipe stem x2 = 4g, modern grey and red flat tile fragment x1 = 9g


(flaky and degraded)

slag? x1 = 5g

oyster shell x3 =

5g

C. 6

dirty yellow tile fragments x4 = 889g (evidence of burning), dirty yellow CBM

fragments x4 = 120g (evidence of burning), red CBM fragments x6 = 14g

slag? x1 = 3g coal x2 = 7g

mortar x1 = 8g

C. 5/6 (hearth)

dirty yellow flat large flat tile fragments (evidence of burning) x1 = 1373g, dirty

yellow flat large flat tile fragments (evidence of burning) x1 = 2000g plus!

xxix

Test Pit 6

Test pit 6

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 red CBM

fragments x1 = 3g clear window glass

x3 = 6g iron nails x3 = 24g

blue plastic

fragment x1 = 0g

C. 2 flat red tile

fragment x1 = 64g

orange bottle glass x1 = 9g, clear bottle glass stopper = 6g, clear window glass

x6 = 5g, clear container glass x2 = 1g, light green bottle

glass x2 = 2g

iron nails x7 = 47g, lump iron x1 = 21g

slate x1 = 2g button = 1g, white Perspex x1 = 0g

C. 4 red CBM

fragments x4 = 37g

green bottle glass x3 = 10g, clear window

glass x2 = 1g

iron nails x3 = 14g, slag x1 = 3g

coal x2 = 3g, unworked

stone x2 = 16g

C. 5 red CBM

fragments x1 = 5g clear window glass


C. 6


iron nails x1= 14g, lump iron x1 = 3g

unworked stone x3 = 26g

oyster shell x1 = 0g

Test Pit 7

Test pit 7



working Stone Other

C. 2 red CBM fragments x10 ==11g

coal x1 = 2g

C. 3 dirty yellow CBM fragments x7

= 26g

clear window glass x1 =

2g

slate x5 = 210g, coal x21 = 22g, very round oval stone x1 = 75g


dirty yellow CBM fragments x4 = 32g


sandstone x1 = 41g

xxx

Test Pit 8

Test pit 8



working Stone Other

C. 1

thin plates of scrap iron x3 = 84g, lump of iron x1 = 5g, iron nails

x1 = 3g


= 11g

C. 2


clear window glass x1 = 0g, light green

bottle glass x1 = 0g

iron nails x1 = 2g, slag x1 = 5g, thick metal

ring = 2g

C. 3

modern dark red tile fragments x2 = 232g, red CBM fragments x2 = 54g, modern red tile (top half

of writing is visible) = 66g, pot rim sherd x1 =18g,

fragment of modern drain x1 = 16g, curved red tile

fragments x2 = 53g (blackened – burning?)


window glass x3 = 5g, clear container

glass x2 = 3g

modern black metal tube with 2 small

holes at one end = 46g, iron nails x13 = 45g, modern nails x3 = 12g, scrap iron x1 = 39g, small metal cap =

2g

slate x2 = 7g, coal x2 =

4g,

concrete x4 = 77g, unknown plastic object x1 = 2g, white plastic ‘U’ shaped peg with

iron nail through it to keep it attached to a surface = 8g

C. 4 modern CBM x1 = 6g, red CBM fragments x4 = 14g



flat plate of metal - would have had a

handle= 12g, slightly curved plate of metal

x1 = 13g (use unknown), iron nails

x3 = 13g

slate x1 = 2g white small and

thin plastic tube = 0g

C. 5 red CBM fragment x1 =

0g

clear window glass x1 = 1g, light green


iron nail x 1 = 4g coal x1 = 9g fragment of yellow

plastic = 0g

C. 6

lump iron x2 = 34g coal x5 =

10g fragment of

concrete x1 = 4g

Unknown large fragment of modern

CBM = 773g

xxxi

Test Pit 9

Test pit 9

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

curved red roof tile fragment x1 = 84g,

red CBM fragment x3 = 36g


iron nails x1 = 4g slate x2 = 3g, coal x1 = 3g

C. 2 flat red tile fragments x3 = 102g, red CBM fragments x4 = 13g

clear window glass x1 = 0g, clear container glass

x1 = 3g, light green container glass x1 = 3g

(flaky and degraded)

iron nails x4 = 14g, slag x1 = 43g,

coal x10 = 11g

C. 3

clay pipe stem x5 = 8g, red CBM

fragments x11 = 74g, pot x2 = 2g,

clear container glass x6 = 16g, green bottle glass x3 = 62g, clear window glass

x6 = 6g

iron nails x12 = 86g, thin strip of

metal folded over = 5g


stone x6 = 82g

button 0g, cockle shell x1 = 2g

C. 4

clay pipe stem x2 = 5g, pot x1 = 4g, red CBM fragments x2 =

14g

clear window glass x6 = 3g (flaky and degraded)

unworked stone x2 =

19g

C. 5 flat red tile fragments

x2 = 81g clear window glass x7 =

13g coal x1 = 0g


2g light green container glass

x1 = 0g

Test Pit 10

Test pit 10

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

dirty yellow flat tile fragments x1 = 158g

(burnt on one side), red CBM fragments x2 = 8g,

dirty yellow CBM fragments x1 = 10g

C. 2 modern pink CBM

fragments x4 = 17g

clear container glass x5 = 24g, clear window

glass x3 = 5g, light green bottle glass x1 = 4g

iron nails x3 = 13g, thin strip modern metal x1 =

18g, lump of slag x1 = 61g


= 2g

mortar x1 = 81g

C. 3

curved modern grey roof tile x1 = 125g, red CBM fragments x3 = 184g, clay pipe stem x1 = 2g

clear window glass x1 = 1g, clear container glass x2 = 10g, orange bottle

glass x1 = 3g

huge lump slightly curving scrap iron = 698g, iron

nails x112 = 535g, iron bolt x1 = 32g, metal fixing = 0g,

large iron icon x1 = 57g, lumps of iron x2 = 19g

coal x3 = 2g,


29g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x2 = 30g

clear container glass x3 = 5g, clear window glass

x1 = 0g

strip of modern scrap metal = 7g, iron nails x10 =

41g


light blue plastic x2 =

2g


37g


x1 = 5g iron nails x2 = 6g

coal x6 = 5g

lump of concrete =

45g


6g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x1 = 143g

iron nails x1 = 13g


= 2g

xxxii

Test Pit 11

Test pit 11



working Stone Other


7g clear container glass x1 = 2g

iron nails x4 = 24g slate x1 = 5g, coal x2 = 3g

C. 2

red CBM fragments x 12 = 98g, dirty yellow flat tile

fragments x1 = 100g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x7

= 25g


metal wire x1 = 2g, iron nails x2 = 13g,

slate x2 = 3g black rubber

cap = 0g

C. 3 red CBM fragments x5 = 102g, dirty yellow CBM

fragments x1 = 5g

dark green bottle glass x1 = 13g

iron nails x6 = 77g coal x1 = 3g


53g iron nails x2 = 15g


13.2.3 2009 Finds

Test Pit 1

Test pit 1 Ceramic

(excluding pottery)


working Stone Other

C. 1

clear container

glass x2 = 2g

slag x1 = 44g, iron nails x2 = 31g, modern

nails x1 = 6g coal x6 = 22g


2g, red CBM fragment x1= 3g

iron nails x7 = 75g, modern nail x1 =2g

coal x9 = 42g, sand stone x1

=14g concrete? x4 = 29g

C. 4 red CBM fragments

x1 = 17g slag x1 = 25g, iron

nails x1 =3g concrete? x2 = 47g

Test Pit 2

Test pit 2

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 modern red brick = 1111g, flat red tile

fragments x1 = 45g


x2 = 13g, iron nail sx1 = 4g

concrete x1 = 66g, plastic

plant tag = 0g, asbestos x1 =

90g

C. 2

clear container glass x1 =25g, clear window glass

x2 = 8g

iron nails x1 =3g, thick metal ring = 2g

coal x9 = 10g


x3 = 247g

clear container glass x1 =2g, clear window glass

x1 = 3g

coal x34 = 42g, grey stone? tile

x1 = 16g

xxxiii

Test Pit 3

Test pit 3

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

red CBM fragments x8 = 370g, flat red tile

fragments x3 = 76g, modern CBM fragments

x1 = 18g

clear container glass x4 = 27g, orange

bottle glass x1 = 2g, green bottle glass x1

= 0g

coal x1 = 2g

blue Perspex = 5g, concrete x1

=12g

C. 2


fragments x4 = 137g, modern drain fragment

x1 = 16g

clear container glass x4 = 20g, blob of

orange glass = 6g

slate x2 = 28g, grey stone tile? x2 = 199g, iron stone

x3 =25g,

concrete x6 = 303g

C. 3 dirty yellow CBM

fragments x1 = 74g

natural stone x1 = 117g, sand stone x1 = 115g, grey stone tile x9 =

1193g

concrete x3 = 627g

C. 4

flat red tile fragments x3 = 62g, curved red tile

fragment x4 = 163g, red CBM fragments x3 =

59g, fragment of modern wall tile = 7g,

modern CBM fragments x1 = 103g

blue glass bead = 0g, clear container glass

x1 = 2g, clear window glass x3 = 2g

scrap iron x3 = 92g, iron nails x4 =

27g


mortar x1 = 5g

C. 5

clay pipe stem x1 = 2g, flat red tile fragments x3

= 141g, curved tile fragment x1 =43g, red CBM fragments x9 =

164g

glass marble = 5g, clear container glass x3 = 6g, green bottle glass x8 = 28g, clear window glass x1 = 1g

key = 19g, modern nails x2 =13g, thick iron ring = 39g, iron

nails x10 = 57g


oyster shell x1 = 30g, animal

bone x4 = 7g, part of a

battery? = 13g, concrete x2 =

37g

C. 6


fragments x6 = 82g, curved red tile

fragments x2 = 66g, clay pipe stem x2 = 4g

green bottle glass x4 = 29g, clear container

glass x3 = 16g


slate x3 = 10g, coal x5 = 6g,

natural stone x6 = 19g

oyster shell x4 = 22g, animal

bone x1 =3g, concrete x1 =

37g

xxxiv

Test Pit 4

Test pit 4



working Stone Other

C. 1 clay pipe stem x2 = 2g clear window glass x26

= 30g iron nails x1 = 8g


C. 2 red CBM fragments x1 = 5g clear window glass x48 = 78g, clear container

glass x6 = 31g iron nails x9 = 122g

slate x11 = 33g, burnt stone? x1 =11g, coal x8 =

2g

buttons x3 = 3g

C. 3 red CBM fragments x2 = 15g, flower? pot x1 = 9g, clay pipe stem x3 = 5g

green bottle glass x1 = 2g, clear window glass

x16 = 22g, clear container glass x2 = 6g

iron nails x3 = 27g slate x12 = 124g oyster shell fragments

x2 = 0g

C. 4 clay pipe stem x4 = 7g,

dirty yellow flat tile fragments x1 = 23g

clear window glass x18 = 28g, green bottle glass x1 = 0g, clear

container glass x3 = 3g

iron nails x3 = 23g, lump iron x1 = 2g

slate x8 = 44g

white plastic x1 = 0g, oyster shell x1 =

4g

C. 5

flat red tile fragments x2 = 28g, clay pipe stem x1 =2g,

red CBM fragments x2 = 17g, dirty yellow CBM

fragment x1 =2g


iron nails x3 = 27g slate x4 = 12g concrete x1

= 9g

C. 6 red CBM fragments x3 = 6g clear window glass x2

=2g iron nails x1 = 2g slate x2 = 3g


4g, dirty yellow CBM fragment x1 =1g


slate x4 = 2g

xxxv

Test Pit 5

Test pit 5



working Stone Other


modern pink/yellow CBM fragments x2 = 252g


metal curtain hook = 2g, iron nails x16 = 73g, scrap iron x1 =

32g

coal x26= 38g, slate x3 = 16g

melted plastic x1 =

7g, nut shells x2

=2g


2082g, flat red tile fragments x1 = 69g

coal x2 = 4g

mortar x1 = 5g


1405g, pot x2 =5g, clay pipe stem x1 = 2g


iron object = 20g sand stone x5 =38g, coal x9 = 9g, slate x1

=14g


clay pipe stem x4 = 9g

clear container glass x1 = 5g, clear window glass x3 = 3g

scrap iron x8 = 56g, iron nails x1

=14g

slate x7 = 139g, grey/yellow stone tile

fragments x10 = 227g, grey/yellow stone = 465g, coal

x12 = 29g

mortar x4 = 62g

C. 5 red CBM fragments x25 = 886g, flat red tile fragments x1 =127g,




C. 6

red brick fragment with mortar = 473g, red CBM fragments x10 = 82g, flat red tile fragment with

hole = 35g, clay pipe bowl fragment x1 = 2g, clay pipe stem

x4 = 6g

clear container glass x2 = 3g, clear window

glass x8 = 10g

slag x1 = 17g, iron nails x3 =

43g


C. 7 flat red tile fragments x1 = 10g, red CBM fragments x1 = 32g,


iron nail x1 = 14g

Test Pit 6

Test pit 6



working Stone Other

C. 1

flat red tile fragments x8 = 174g, red CBM fragments x32

= 386g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x3 = 252g

clear window glass x2 =1g,


green bottle glass x1 = 4g,

modern nails x2 = 6g,metal stake =

203g, iron nails x2 = 3g

sand stone? x1 = 163g, slate x2 =

8g, coal x9 = 11g

tarmac x36 = 753g, plastic x2

=2g

C. 2

red brick fragment = 1082g (140x95x50mm), flat red tile

fragments x3 = 54g, pink/orange CBM fragment

x1= 169g, red CBM fragments x35 = 168g


window glass x2 =3g



= 7g

tarmac x40 = 646g, toy plastic

wheel = 0g, concrete x3 =

161g

C. 3

flat red tile fragments x3 = 97g, red CBM fragments x12 = 58g, red plastic flowerpot

fragment x1 = 0g


slag x1 =9g, iron nails x4 = 20g

coal x14 = 31g, slate x1 =2g, burnt

stone? x1 = 8g

concrete x2 = 136g, tarmac x7

= 103g


clear container glass x1 =5g, clear window glass x3 = 3g

iron nails x2 = 7g, scrap iron x2= 4g

coal x10 = 15g

C. 5


slag x1=5g, iron nails x1 =4g

coal x2 = 2g

xxxvi

Test Pit 7

Test pit 7



working Stone Other

C. 2

slightly vitrified? CBM = 16g, red CBM fragments x4 = 103g, modern tile x1

= 3g

clear window glass x1 = 5g, clear container glass x1 = 5g

iron nails x29 = 125g, scrap iron x5 = 188g, slag? x2 =

71g

slate x7 = 90g, coal x34 = 78g,

yellow stone tile? x2 = 101g, burnt stone? x1

= 9g

asbestos x1 = 44g


567g


blob of glass x1 =1g

iron nails x3 = 24g, metal livery button with stag on

front and “Firmin & Sons Ltd Strand London” on back=

7g (see extra notes) – date of 1875-1915

yellow lime stone tile? x3 = 522g, slate x7 = 48g, coal x6 =

15g

C. 4

modern red brick fragments x2 = 703g, modern reddish/black

brick fragment x1 = 259g, red CBM fragments x15 =

97g




concrete x1 = 55g

C. 5

red brick fragments x4 = 1588g, flat red tile

fragments x1 = 16g, red CBM fragments x6 =

134g

iron nails x5 = 34g, scrap

iron x2= 7g

iron stone x3 = 16g, slate x11 =

131g

C. 7


thin metal hoop = 0g

Test Pit 8

Test pit 8

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

red CBM fragments x2 = 19g, clay pipe bowl

fragment x1 = 3g, modern dirty yellow CBM fragments x2 =

29g

metal pocket watch

casing = 21g coal x3 =

9g plastic x1 =3g

C. 2 red CBM fragments x7 = 42g, clay pipe stem

x3 = 4g

clear glass bottle neck = 36g, clear container glass x11 = 31g, clear window

glass x2 = 2g, green bottle glass x2 = 6g, blue


iron nails x11 = 60g, plates iron x3 =

739g, iron stake = 44g, scrap iron x4 = 20g, metal ring = 0g

coal x16 = 39g

black bottle stopper “Jarvis & Co Bedford” (Thos Jarvis & Co.,

Phoenix Brewery, 71 Midland Road,

Bedford, taken over by Charles Wells Ltd

c1923.) = 22g, concrete x2 = 13g,

C. 3

orange bottle glass x1 = 27g, clear window glass

x1 = 0g, green bottle glass x1 = 1g, clear

container glass x1 = 0g

metal weight?? = 102g, thin metal fastening? = 0g,

iron nails x7 = 53g

coal x20 = 31g, burnt stone? x2

= 8g

concrete x4 = 118g

C. 4

red CBM fragments x6 = 48g, red brick

fragment with mortar = 450g

orange bottle glass x1 = 5g, clear container glass

x1 = 4g

iron nails x5 = 40g, metal wrench =

116g

coal x5 = 4g

mortar x1 = 11g, yellow empty tube

(glue?) = 7g

C. 5

reddish brick fragment x1 = 173g, red CBM fragments x9 = 27g,


green bottle glass x6 = 69g, clear window glass x3 = 3g, clear container

glass x3 = 21g

iron nails x8 = 89g slate x1 = 6g, coal

x12 = 11g

xxxvii

Test Pit 9

Test pit 9

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 red CBM fragments x2 = 22g, clay pipe

stem x2 = 3g

clear window glass x3 = 3g, green bottle glass x1 =

2g iron nails x4 = 29g

coal x9 = 11g, burnt stone?

x1 =2g concrete x1= 26g

C. 2

red CBM fragments x3 = 15g, clay pipe stem x2 = 4g, dirty

yellow CBM fragments x1 = 2g

clear container glass x7 = 29g, green bottle glass x3 = 4g, clear window glass

x5 = 5g

iron nails x4 = 26g, scrap iron x1 = 3g, unidentified metal

object = 1g

coal x12 = 31g

C. 3

red CBM fragments x6 = 45g, curved red

tile fragment x2 = 60g, clay pipe stem x2 = 3g, flat red tile fragments x3 = 54g

clear container glass x2 = 2g, green bottle glass x1 =

0g iron nails x4 = 33g coal x16 = 23g

concrete x10 = 218g

C. 4

red CBM fragments x14 = 81g, clay pipe stem x9 = 17g, clay pipe bowl fragment

x2 = 7g

clear window glass x 1 = 2g

metal button x1 = 1g, iron nails x2 =

18g


Test Pit 10

Test pit 10



working Stone Other


clear window glass x6 = 19g, bluish bottle neck =

11g, green bottle glass x3 = 6g

iron nails x1 =3g


green bottle glass x2 = 5g, clear container glass x1 = 2g, clear window glass x2

= 2g

iron nails x5 = 50g

C. 3

degraded green bottle glass x1 = 13g

C. 4 red CBM fragments x2 = 14g, clay pipe stem x1 =

1g


xxxviii

13.2.4 2010-1 Finds

Test Pit 1

Test pit 1 Ceramic

(excluding pottery)


working Stone Other


x1 =2g


x2 =8g

C. 3

flat red and grey sandwich tile

fragments x1 =24g, red CBM fragments

x1 =3g

Test Pit 2

Test pit 2

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

modern blue glazed kitchen/bathroom tile

=26g, red flat tile fragments x5 =59g,

curved red tile fragments x1 =7g

clear container glass x1 =3g, green bottle glass x1

=3g

corroded modern nail x1 =12g

coal x7 =7g, sand stone? x1

=21g

centre part of battery =38g

C. 2

flat red tile fragments x1 =24g, modern

blue glazed kitchen/bathroom tile

x1 =9g

clear glass rounded ‘disc’ =7g, green bottle glass x1

=3g

large metal bolt with washers at either

end =669g, corroded iron nails x8 =36g,

corroded iron scraps x4 =27g, small metal button =0g, slag? x1

=2g

coal x11 =15g, slate x1 =9g,

burnt stone x1 =4g

partially melted red/pink plastic

lid =5g


x1 =20g

clear glass bottle stopper =21g, clear flat glass x2

=7g, clear container glass x4 =15g, degraded green

bottle glass x1 =4g

modern screw x1 =9g, modern nails x5 =29g, corroded iron

nails x2 =16g

slate x1 =40g, coal x11 =28g,


x2 =5g clear container glass x1

=2g coal x2 =6g

C. 5

red CBM fragments x2 =13g, pink/yellow CBM fragments x1

=0g

coal x10 =11g

C. 6 pot? x1 =5g, red

CBM fragments x1 =1g

coal x10 =21g

xxxix

Test Pit 3

Test pit 3

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 flat red tile fragments x2

=50g slag x1 =43g slate x1 =14g

C. 2

clear flat glass x2 =1g, clear container

glass x2 =4g

C. 3

flat red and grey sandwich tile fragments

x2 =14g, red CBM fragments x2 =12g

coal x3 =8g, slate

x2 =8g

tarmac? x1 =9g, concrete? x1

=2g

C. 4

curved red tile fragments x1 =51g,

thick creamy curved tile fragment x1 =51g

C. 5

flat red tile fragments x1 =19g, slightly curved red tile fragments x1 =44g, grey and reddish yellow

sandwich flat tile fragments x3 =33g, red CBM fragments x3 =13g

clear flat glass x2 =4g corroded iron nails

x3 =42g coal x1 =0g

C. 6

curved red tile fragments x2 =207g, red

and grey CBM fragments x1 =47g, dirty yellow CBM fragments


clear flat glass x1 =2g

coal x4 =8g, slate x1 =0g

light blue plastic x1 =0g, white

Perspex x1 =2g, concrete x1 =7g

Test Pit 4

Test pit 4

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

green bottle glass x1

=4g

corroded metal wire =19g, thin metal wire =3g, long

metal rod with hook at one end, bolt at the other also secured onto an elongated

S shaped plate =129g

coal x1 =6g

small yellow plastic cowboy =4g, round black plastic

disc/counter =0g, thin white plastic tube =6g, wrapper =0g,coloured plastic x2

=3g, mussel shell fragments x3 =2g


=24g, red CBM fragments x3 =8g

clear container glass x1

=0g

corroded iron nails x5 =77g

coal x6 =5g, slate

x3 =3g thin plastic? tube =7g

C. 3

flat red tile fragments x1 =16g, curved red tile

fragments x1 =16g, red CBM fragments x3 =5g

corroded iron nails x1 =5g coal x2=2g

tiny white Greek/Roman toy figure =0g

C. 5 red CBM fragments x2

=2g


=7g

xl

Test Pit 5

Test pit 5



working Stone Other

C. 1 red CBM fragments x1 =13g

corroded iron scraps x1 =3g

coal x1 =6g

C. 2

corroded metal wire with loop at

one end =4g, corroded iron nails x2 =9g, corroded iron scraps x1 =0g

C. 3 clay pipe stem? x1 =1g


Test Pit 6

Test pit 6



working Stone Other


corroded iron scraps x1 =4g, corroded iron nails x1 =9g, half a

metal ring =8g

coal x33 =35g


clear container glass x4 =10g,

clear flat glass x2 =4g, green bottle

glass x3 =13g


coal x27 =38g, slate x1 =3g, coal

x1 =1g

nut shells x2 =0g


=136g, modern flat red tile fragments x1 =38g

small clear glass vile with yellow

liquid (medicinal??) =4g,

clear container glass x1 =5g, orange bottle glass x1 =7g,

green bottle glass x2 =5g, clear flat

glass x2 =2g

corroded iron nails x6 =33g, bullet casing? =2g, corroded iron

scraps x1 =7g

coal x59 =72g

2 halves of wooded flat disc

=0g

C. 4 red CBM fragments x3 =22g, dirty yellow CBM fragments

x3 =5g, clay pipe stem x1 =0g

orange bottle glass x1 =6g,

clear container glass x3 =6g

slag x1 =10g, corroded iron scraps x1 =1g, corroded iron

nails x1 =4g, small metal washer =2g

coal x7 =8g

oyster shell x1 =4g, yellow

plastic? handle =9g


green bottle glass x1 =3g, clear

container glass x1 =2g

coal x1=1g

xli

Test Pit 7

Test pit 7

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 clay pipe stem x2

=3g, clay pipe bowl and stem =5g

clear glass bottle stopper =17g, clear flat glass x4 =5g,

green bottle glass x1 =3g

corroded iron nails x1=4g, scrap lead? =7g

waste flint x1 =3g, coal x4 =8g,

slate x1 =2g

C. 2

red CBM fragments x3 =6g, clay pipe stem x1 =2g, clay

pipe bowl fragments x2 =0g

clear flat glass x3 =3g, green bottle

glass x2 =2g, clear container glass x2

=0g

corroded iron nails x3 =21g, metal wire x2 =3g, corroded iron scraps x1

=1g


mortar x1 =2g

C. 3 clay pipe stem x1 =1g

green bottle glass x1 =17g, clear container glass x2 =4g, clear

window glass x2=7g



x1 =8g

green bottle glass x2=4g, clear


coal x3 =2g

mortar? x1 =4g

C. 6

corroded iron nails x1 =6g coal x1 =0g

Test Pit 8

Test pit 8

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

red flat tile x1 =35g, curved red tile x1 =64g, red CBM fragments x14 =155g, red and grey flat sandwich tile fragments x2 =37g, clay pipe stem

x1 =1g,

clear container glass x8 = 39g, green bottle glass x2 =33g, , clear flat glass x13 = 34g,

orange bottle glass x1 =2g

belt buckle =16g, large door hook =52g, long corroded metal rods x2 =69g, very

corroded coin (cannot read markings) =3g, corroded

iron nails x1 =8g, thin metal strips x2 =8g, slag x2 =6g, large corroded lump =119g

slate x2 =9g, coal x17 =41g

centre part of battery =2g,

oyster shell x1 =4g

C. 2

clay pipe stem x1 =2g, flat red tile fragments x4


clear container glass x12 = 68g, clear flat

glass x18 =139g, green bottle glass x5

=16g, degraded green bottle glass x1 =10g,

orange bottle glass x1 =3g

slag x3 =31g, S shaped metal rod =17g, corroded

iron bolt x1 =63g, thin metal ring =0g, metal workings

encased in glass tube =11g, scrap metal x5 =18g,

corroded iron nails x3 =27g, thin metal mesh x2 =0g

coal x15 =49g, slate

x6 =25g

yellow and green glass

Perspex =2g, partially melted

plastic/Bakelite =2g

C. 3 flat red tile x9 =205g, red CBM fragments x2 =11g

blue glass bottle rim =17g, clear container glass x10 =85g, green bottle glass x2 =10g,

clear flat glass x8 =16g, blue bottle

glass x1 =2g

metal wire =0g, corroded iron nails x2 =25g, slag x3

=65g, metal spring =2g, corroded

iron bolts x2 =92g

coal x8 =26g, slate

x4 =24g

white Perspex x1 =2g, black plastic tube

=5g



green bottle glass x2 =11g, clear container glass x1 =23g, orange

bottle glass x1 =4g

corroded iron nails x1 =18g, small metal lid =1g,

corroded iron bolt x1=42g


oyster shell x1 =3g

C. 5

green bottle glass x2 =11g, clear flat glass

x1 =1g

corroded iron scraps x3 =94g, corroded iron nails x1

=23g

coal x2 =4g

C. 6


xlii

Test Pit 9

Test pit 9

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other


=4g green bottle glass x1 =7g

silver flat plate metal =4g, modern

corroded nail x1 =7g

slate x2 =10g tarmac x1 =34g


=1g corroded iron nails

x2 =6g slate x1 =3g

C. 3

clay pipe stem x7 =12g, flat red tile

fragments x1 =40g, red CBM fragments

x2 =13g

green bottle glass x4 =3g, clear container glass x3 =12g, clear flat glass x1

=0g


slate x4 =16g, coal x6 =3g, slate pencil?

=0g




corroded iron nails x1 =4g, unidentified lead? object =43g


oyster shell x1 =4g, slate pencil

x1 =1g


=3g corroded iron nails

x1 =12g


x1 =41g clear container glass x1

=4g

Test Pit 10

Test pit 10



working Stone Other


=1g coal x1 =7g, slate x1 =0g

C. 4

marble like stone x1

=9g, waste flint x2=13g

C. 5 dirty yellow CBM fragments x1 =0g


Test Pit 11

Test pit 11



working Stone Other

C. 2 dirty yellow CBM fragments x1 =8g

slate x3 =21g

C. 4


Test Pit 12

Test pit 12



working Stone Other


=44g corroded iron rods

x2 =26g slate x1 =12g

thin black rubber? =0g


=0g green bottle glass x1

=0g

burnt stone x1 =4g, waste flint?

x2 =9g

concrete? x1 =2g

xliii

13.2.5 2010-2 Finds

Test Pit 13

Test pit 13

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1


white china kitchen/bathroom tile


green bottle glass x1 =3g, clear flat glass x2

=5g, clear container glass x1 =3g

corroded iron nails x2 =6g, U shaped metal tack =1g, painted metal

modern door hook =21g, modern

metal screw =1g, thin strip of

aluminium? =2g

burnt stone x1=7g

asbestos x1 =7g, decorated white

Perspex fragment x1 =2g, black plastic

semi-circle ring with numbers 1-7 =1g, part of computer

component – 2 flat metal prongs held in squarish light purple

plastic =2g, wood =1g, white plastic

=0g,

C. 2


cream china kitchen/bathroom tile fragments x1 =26g


corroded iron nails x3 =28g, corroded iron bolt x1 =30g

concrete x1 =40g

C. 3 and 4

modern cream/yellow kitchen/bathroom tile

fragment x1 =54g


small modern metal valve? =5g

curving asbestos x1 =44g

C. 5



concrete and pinkish mortar =75g

C. 6 modern drain? x1 =9g

clear flat glass x11 =65g, clear container glass x4 =30g, green bottle glass x2 =7g

corroded iron scraps x7 =15g,


coal x2 =0g, slate x1=20g, sand stone?

x2 =49g

concrete/mortar x1 =8g

C. 7

dark cream/grey glazed drain/tile

fragment =59g, red CBM fragments x5 =26g, flat red tile

fragments x1 =18g


x11 =28g, clear container glass x4

=23g

corroded iron scraps x9 =20g,


coal x5 =9g cockle shell

fragment x1 =0g


x3 =13g corroded iron scraps x2 =5g

Test Pit 14

Test pit 14



working Stone Other

Date range

C. 1

modern pink/red CBM fragments x1 =6g, thin

modern green tile fragments x1 =2g, pot/tile?

x1 =1g

clear flat glass x1

=2g

silver small plastic ‘barrel’ =8g, corroded iron

nail/hook =4g, corroded iron object =25g

C. 2 red CBM fragments x3 =2g clear flat glass x2

=0g


melted plastic? x3 =3g,

concrete x1 =8g

C. 3 modern red CBM

fragments x2 =42g

clear flat glass x1

=3g

corroded iron bolt x1 =40g, corroded iron nails

x1 =19g

melted plastic x1 =2g, rounded

‘cylinder’ of reddish

stone/concrete? =59g

xliv

Test Pit 15

Test pit 15



working Stone Other

C. 2

flat red tile fragments x1=18g, red CBM fragments x3 =21g, clay pipe stem x2 =3g, clay pipe bowl fragments x1 =3g

concrete? x1 =28g, tarmac x3

=42g

C. 3 clay pipe stem x2 =3g

corroded iron nails x1=8g, metal valve?

x1 =2g coal x1 =1g

grey stone/concrete tile fragment x1 =5g

C. 4 red/orange CBM fragments

x1=9g, red CBM fragments x2 =5g


x10g

coal x1 =0g, sand stone x1

=23g

C. 6

coal x1 =0g

Test Pit 16

Test pit 16



working Stone Other

C. 1 flat red tile fragments x2 =34g, red

CBM fragments x2 =5g clear flat

glass x3 =5g slag x1 =18g coal x4 =13g

red plastic wire covering? =0g,

orange plastic x1 =0g, red plastic x1 =0g, white plastic 1 =0g

C. 2

modern red/yellow CBM fragments x6 =43g, flat red tile fragments x2

=62g, curved orange/red tile fragments x1 =19g, red CBM

fragments x4 =15g



sand stone? x7 =73g, coal

x1 =3g

black rubber? x2 =4g, concrete? x1 =25g, grey plastic

x1 =0g

C. 3 red CBM fragments x9 =40g green bottle glass x1=1g

slag x2 =144g

coal x4 =7g, slate x1 =0g, sand stone x1

=11g

C. 4 red/orange CBM fragments x2 =6g

sand stone? x1 9g

concrete/mortar x2=6g

C. 6

sand stone? x2 =6g

xlv

Test Pit 17

Test pit 17

Ceramic (excluding

pottery)


working

Stone Other

C. 1 coal x14 =19g

oyster shell x2 =4g

C. 2 flat red tile fragments x4 =106g, red CBM fragments x1 =41g, red/orange CBM fragments x16g

small rounded metal ball (weight/pendant?) =5g

coal x23 =51g

concrete/mortar x5 =18g

C. 3 coal x11 =13g, sand stone x2 =63g

C. 4 corroded iron scraps x1 =2g, corroded knife blade? =13g

C. 5 slag? x1 =5g coal x4 =5g

C. 6 corroded iron lump x1 =46g

coal x3 = 2g sea shell? x1 =0g

C. 7 sea shell x1=0g

13.2.6 2011 Finds

Test Pit 1

Test pit 1



working Stone Other

C. 2

27x red CBM fragments= 248g, 1x red brick = 274g, 4x red CBM fragments with mortar = 78g,1 x curved red tile =26g, 4x yellow

CBM fragments = 23g

2 x clear curved glass = 5g

1x George VI penny 1945= 9g, 1x modern nail =

5g

34x charcoal = 31g

2x concrete fragments =

34g, 1x plaster = 2g

C. 3

43x red CBM fragments = 520g, 4x red brick fragments = 639g, 10x red flat tile = 184g, 14x red curved tile= 466g, 3x red brick

fragments with mortar remnants= 431g, 3x red CBM

fragments with mortar remnants= 85g

13x curved green glass = 119g, 1x

curved brown glass with letter ‘o’= 6g, 2x clear

flat glass=4g, 16x curved clear glass=272g

2x scrap iron flat plates = 267g, 2x modern iron nails

= 5g

13x charcoal=29g

6x concrete=151g, 1x plaster=2g

C. 5

1x clay pipe stem fragment=1g, 4x red CBM fragments = 21g, 1x red flat tile= 15g, 1x red curved

tile=15g

3x clear flat glass = 6g, 3x clear

curved glass=78g, 1x clear curved

glass with blue decoration= 1g

1x small (probably tin) two-holed

button= 1g

17x charcoal = 27g, 1x

burnt stone =3g

C. 6 2x red CBM fragments =19g 3x clear curved

glass=10g 2x modern iron

nails =17g 13x charcoal

=14g 2x concrete

fragments=55g

C. 7 1x red CBM fragment=9g 1x clear curved

glass=18g 7x charcoal =

3g

C. 8

2x charcoal = 6g

xlvi

Test Pit 2

Test pit 2



working Stone Other

C. 1 9x red CBM fragments=29g

5x plaster = 8g, 2x mortar

= 15g

C. 2

3x red brick fragments = 63g, 19 x red CBM

fragments=34g, 1x yellow CBM fragment=4g

1x modern iron nail

= 7g 6x

charcoal=9g 6x

mortar=165g

C. 3 2x red CBM fragments = 2g,

1x yellow CBM fragment = 2g

1x modern iron nail=4g, 1x modern wire (copper/iron?)

= 5g

C. 4 3x red CBM fragments = 35g, 1x yellow CBM fragment = 2g

2x slate = 4g, 1x charcoal

<1g

C. 5 2x red brick = 47g, 6x red CBM fragments=34g, 3x

yellow CBM fragments=25g 1x blue flat glass = <1g

2x charcoal

=1g

Test Pit 3

Test pit 3

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass

Metal & metal-

working Stone Other

C. 1

6x unburnt coal=20g

3x oyster shell=4g, 1x asbestos= <1g

C. 2 6x red CBM

fragments= 18g 2x clear curved

glass= 2g 1x iron nail=13g

5x unburnt coal=19g, 1x

slate= 2g

1x white plastic two-holed button=<1g, 3x

plaster=20g, 2x asbestos= 4g

C. 3 8x red CBM=43g, 1x

modern brick fragment=18g

12x unburnt

coal=33g

1x asbestos=5g, 1x oyster shell

fragment=<1g

C. 4 12x red CBM=144g 1x clear curved

glass=1g

9x slag= 95g, 1x iron spring hinge (part of a clothes

pin?) = 2g

1x unburnt coal=12g

5x concrete=99g

xlvii

Test Pit 4

Test pit 4

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass Metal & metal-working Stone Other

C. 1 1x yellow

CBM=<1g, 1x red CBM=<1g

1x clear flat glass

(frosted on one side)

=3g

4x iron pins with double-looped head=7g

1x modern wood= <1g

C. 2

11x red CBM = 27g, 4x clay pipe stem fragments =

3g

1x iron horseshoe fragment = 16g, 51x iron pins with double-looped

heads = 117g, 67x single thin iron pins= 31g, 28 x double thin iron pins = 26g, 1x handmade iron nail = 13g

3x slate = 13g, 12x charcoal=

16g

C. 3

2x clay pipe stem fragments = 2g, 6x red CBM = 17g, 1x red flat tile= 23g, 1x red CBM with partial nail hole =

12g

3x iron pins with double looped heads= 10g, 4x double thin iron pins = 9g, 1x single thin iron pin = <1g, 1x copper-alloy ladies’ or child’s finger

ring some gilt remaining, blank shield-shaped cartouche with

scrolling floral pattern on both sides = <1g, 2x slag=18g

4x charcoal= 8g

1x oyster shell fragment = <1g, 1x

mortar= 4g

C. 4

4x clay pipe stem fragments = 6g, 10 x red CBM = 33g, 1x yellow CBM=2g

1x buckle fragment, ferrous=10g, 2x nails = 6g, 1x iron double looped pin

head=1g

1x charcoal=<1g

1x oyster shell = 23g

C. 5 9x red CBM = 63g

1x iron nail =2g 1x

charcoal=<1g 2x oyster shell fragments= 4g

Test Pit 5

Test pit 5



working Stone Other

C. 1

23x yellow CBM fragments =689g, 5x red CBM = 30g, 1x red curved tile=93g, 1x red flat tile = 45g, 1x beige bathroom

tile fragment=7g

1x clear marble with blue interior design =13g, 1x

clear flat glass=3g, 1x white curved

glass=3g

1x Elizabeth II penny 1976 = 4g,

1x ribbed iron fragment = 1g

3x charcoal =6g

1x concrete= 78g, 1x battery core= 11g, 8x modern

plastic fragments= 1g, 1x leather?

Fragment <1g, 1x modern wood<1g

C. 2 3x red flat tile= 106g, 9x yellow CBM fragments= 188g, 10x red

CBM fragments=106g

1x iron drill bit=3g 14x

charcoal=20g

C. 3

11x red CBM fragments= 249g, 1x red flat tile=56g, 1x red brick

fragment=147g, 10x yellow CBM fragments = 409g

1x iron nail= 11g, 1x scrap iron

curved fragment= 3g

9x charcoal= 7g

C. 4 4x yellow CBM

fragments=170g, 1x red CBM fragment = 1g

1x shell fragment=

1g

xlviii

Test Pit 6

Test pit 6



working Stone Other

C. 1 2x yellow CBM

fragments=42g, 1x red CBM fragment=2g

1x aluminium foil = 1g

3x charcoal=1g, 3x unburnt

coal=6g

1x concrete =6g, 1x burnt brown plastic= 1g

C. 2

modern drain fragments x4 = 271g, modern white bathroom

tile fragments x2 =27g, red CBM =12g, yellow CBM =1g

charcoal x1 =4g, unburnt coal x2 =18g

grey plastic strip =2g, modern fabric =1g,

modern melamine/Bakelite? tile

fragments with black adhesive on one side

x31

Test Pit 7

Test pit 7



working Stone Other

C. 1

large red brick fragment stamped LB PHO =489g, red CBM fragments =104g, clay pipe stem =2g, yellow CBM

=2g

slate =1g

C. 2 red brick fragments x6 =273g,

red CBM fragment =24g, yellow CBM fragments x3 =9g

clear curved glass =3g

scrap iron (top of bolt?) =1g

charcoal x3 =1g, slate =1g

C. 3 yellow CBM =103g

worked stone =81g

C. 4 red CBM =2g, yellow CBM

=323g slate =1g

C. 5 yellow CBM x5 =461g, red

CBM x2 =9g

oyster shell x2

=10g

Test Pit 8

Test pit 8

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass Metal & metal-working Stone Other

C. 1 red flat tile x2 =136g, red CBM x4 =26g, red brick fragment =10g

C. 2 red flat tile x6 = 826g,

red CBM x5 =27g

C. 3 red brick fragments x3 =33g, red CBM =6g,

red flat tile =27g

iron latch or handle =52g

plaster =4g

xlix

Test Pit 9

Test pit 9

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 red brick fragment

=9g clear curved glass with beading on edge =4g

flat iron scraps x2 =8g

charcoal x4, slate =1g

concrete =83g, modern melted

black plastic =<1g

C. 2 red brick fragments

x3 =64g clear curved glass =2g, flat

clear glass =1g

iron nails x2 =5g, iron link, separated on one end =26g

charcoal =2g, slate x2 =2g

C. 3 red CBM x6 =36g, clay pipe stem x2

=7g clear curved glass =4g iron nail =2g

charcoal x13 =21g, slate

=5g

C. 4 red CBM =33g,

yellow CBM =39g slag =19g

black burnt

rubber strip =1g

Test Pit 10

Test pit 10



working Stone Other

C. 1 yellow CBM x4 =119g, red

CBM =7g iron bolt =15g,slag

x5 =7g charcoal x2

=2g battery core

=8g

C. 2 clay pipe stem =2g, red

CBM =5g, yellow CBM x6 =34g

curved brown glass x2 =2g iron nails x2 =10g,

slag =10g charcoal

=1g plastic =1g

C. 3

red CBM x6 =53g, decorated clay pipe bowl

fragment (swirl/floral pattern) =1g

looped back plain faced metal button

=3g (silver in colour, no decoration)

charcoal =1g

Test Pit 12

Test pit 12



working Stone Other

C. 1 red CBM x4 =57g

modern screw =4g


brick fragments x2 =158g, yellow CBM =69g

clear flat glass =2g long iron nails x2 =25g, slag =43g

slate with beige patch on one side

x4 =26g, unburnt coal x5 =19g

modern white plastic

strip =2g, plaster =8g

C. 3 red CBM =10g

iron nails x3 =9g

concrete =7g, modern fabric (lino)

=1g

l

Test Pit 11

Test pit 11

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other



clear container glass =4g, clear flat glass x2

=1g

corroded iron nails x7 =38g, modern

screw =6g, slag x2 =6g

coal x13 =15g

white plastic tube top

(toothpaste/glue?) =5g, oyster shell =<1g, mortar x3

=14g

C. 2

red CBM fragments x20 =65g, clay pipe stem x8 =13g, clay

pipe bowl fragments x3 =4g

clear container glass x2 =3g, clear flat glass x3 =6g, green bottle

glass =1g

corroded iron nails x6 =22g, slag x3

=27g


white melted plastic x2 =3g, concrete x3

=10g

C. 3

flat red tile fragments x3 =72g, red CBM

fragments x22 =36g, clay pipe stem x9

=12g, clay pipe bowl fragments x3 =2g

clear container glass x3 =3g, green bottle glass =<1g, clear flat

glass x3 =4g

corroded iron nails x6 =19g, corroded

iron scraps x7 =23g, slag x3 =21g


mortar x5 =9g, oyster shell x3 =2g

C. 4 red CBM fragments x28 =59g, clay pipe

stem x2 =5g

green bottle glass =12g, clear flat glass

=<1g

slag x11 =82g, corroded iron nails

x5 =15g coal x26 =15g oyster shell x10 =7g

Test Pit 14

Test pit 14



working Stone Other

C. 1 flat red tile x2 =54g, red CBM fragments x2 =5g, clay pipe

stem =<1g

clear container glass =2g,

green bottle glass =2g, clear flat glass =1g

coal x5 =2g

C. 2 clay pipe stem =<1g, red CBM

fragments x3 =3g

green bottle glass x2 =3g,

clear flat glass =8g

slag =145g coal x9 =15g

concrete =2g

C. 3 red flat tile =21g

green bottle glass = <1g,

clear flat glass =2g

corroded iron bolt =36g

rolled plastic =<1g

C. 4 red CBM fragments x2 =5g clear

container glass =8g

corroded iron nail =4g

li

Test Pit 15

Test pit 15



working Stone Other

C. 1 modern drain fragment =4g, red CBM fragments x5 =24g, pink/orange curved tile =68g

clear container glass x4 =10g,

green bottle glass x2 =8g


concrete x2 =130g, clear plastic =<1g

C. 2 red CBM x24 =143g, modern drain fragments x3 =14g, clay

pipe bowl fragment =1g

orange bottle glass =5g,

green bottle glass =2g, clear container glass x5 =34g, clear flat glass x2

=2g

corroded iron nails x3=33g, slag x2

=13g, brooch of a man with cloak, with a gun over shoulder

and left hand on sword on belt =3g


oyster shell x2 =2g

C. 3

red CBM fragments x10 =60g, modern drain =1g, clay pipe

stem x2 =3g, dirty yellow CBM fragments x3 =9g

orange bottle glass =1g,

green bottle glass =1g, clear container glass

x11 =22g

half a thin metal ring =<1g, corroded iron

nails x2 =7g, fragment of a metal can? =<1g, round metal bell with ball

inside =31g

coal x16 =33g, slate x3 =5g, slate pencil

=<1g

C. 4 clay pipe stem =<1g, red CBM

fragments x9 =34g

clear flat glass =2g, clear


corroded iron nail =8g coal x14 =10g tarmac? =19g

C. 5

coal x4 =7g, natural flint x2

=3g

Test Pit 16

Test pit 16



working Stone Other

C. 2 orange CBM fragments x3 =3g

coal x4 =2g

C. 3 red/orange CBM fragments =<1g

C. 5 orange CBM fragments? x5 =1g

Test Pit 17

Test pit 17

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 dirty yellow CBM =<1g,

red CBM =3g coal x45 =56g

C. 2 clay pipe stem =1g, dirty

yellow CBM =3g coal x5 =5g

lii

13.2.7 2012 Finds

Test Pit 1

Test pit 1

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1

glassy charcoal x6

=9g

C. 2 red flat tile x2

=39g, red CBM =1g


three pence George VI coin dated 1938 =7g, one

penny George V coin dated 1913 =9g

charcoal x2 =5g

C. 3 red brick fragment

=51g

Test Pit 2

Test pit 2

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 red brick

fragments x2 =50g white concrete lump =58g, concrete flat tile x3 =282g

C. 2 modern house

brick =775g

QE-II one penny coin dated 1979

=4g, corroded iron nail =14g

dirty white stone brick fragment

=230g

dirty white mortar lump =117g, flat stone/concrete tile

x7 =830g

C. 3 red CBM x2 =7g vivid green

glass x2 =7g corroded iron nail

=7g

concrete flat tile x2 =149g, grey mortar lump =73g,

compressed medium density fibreboard fragment =4g,

grey plastic wrapper fragments x2 =1g, stiff blue

plastic =<1g

C. 4 red CBM x4 =23g,

modern glazed ceramic tile =6g

vivid green bottle glass

x4 =8g

fragment of flat stone tile =141g,

coal =<1g

grey mortar =34g, white plastic piping = 5g

C. 5

flat concrete tile x3 =357g

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Test Pit 3

Test pit 3

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass

Metal & metal-

working Stone Other


x5 =33g

clear flat container glass

=9g

pumice =<1g cream concrete x2 =99g,

grey concrete =15g

C. 2 red flat tile =22g, red

CBM x22 =204g slag x4 =30g charcoal x13 =20g

concrete =91g, sea shell limpets x2 =4g


slag x4 =15g flat cream stone =14g,

charcoal x8 =5g

slab of mortar =161g, concrete lump =64g, flat red plastic pieces of a

flowerpot x3 =1g


curved metal strip =2g

charcoal x5 =2g, pumice stone =4g, flat cream

rock =9g mortar x2 =43g

C. 5 red CBM x5 =18g, flat red tile =12g

slate =<1g, charcoal x2 =3g

C. 6 red CBM x3 =9g clear container

glass =8g corroded iron

nail =4g charcoal =<1g marine shell =1g

C. 7

piece of marine shell, fossil? =4g


x2 =23g flat sandstone fragment

=18g

Test Pit 4

Test pit 4

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other


metal lump =13g charcoal x2

=2g

tiny white ball, possibly a

bead? =<1g, cream mortar

x5 =39g


x4 =51g clear curved glass

=2g corroded metal scraps of

nails x2 =8g coal =2g

cream mortar x19 =194g

C. 3 red CBM =2g clear green glass =2g

flat cream stones x12

=193g, coal x2 =25g, cinder

x4 =7g

C. 4

red brick fragment =110g, heavily burnt fragment of red CBM =4g, sandstone flat cream tile =291g, clay pipe stem x3

=6g

clear curved glass =5g

coal x9 =18g

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Test Pit 5

Test pit 5

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 red CBM x5 =8g, red

flat tile =16g coal =<1g, slate =38g

C. 2 red CBM x7 =60g, flat

red tile x2 =49g green glass =<1g

slag x3 =34g, small metal tack =2g,

corroded metal scraps x2 =2g, metal dog tag

inscribed “ACME LABELS / JOHN

PINCHES, 3 CROWN BUILDING, CROWN

STREET, CAMBERWELL S.F. / H. T. WARRAWEE”

=3g

coal x6 =6g, slate x7

=17g mortar =10g


CBM x7 =45g slag =15g, thin stub of

corroded metal =2g coal x12 =3g

mortar fragment =16g

C. 4 red CBM =<1g

C. 6 cream CBM =14g

Test Pit 6

Test pit 6

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 2 red CBM mostly

fragments of brick x7 =53g

clear curved

glass =1g

concrete =110g, mortar =7g

Test Pit 7

Test pit 7 Ceramic

(excluding pottery)


working Stone Other

C. 1 flat red tile =7g glass marble=6g tube of thin metal =4g

green and yellow plastic

insulation from

earthen wire =2g

C. 2

clay pipe stem =2g, red drain fragment =20g, red CBM x3 =5g, thin

red tile =2g

clear curved glass inscribed LK / TS ½ PT” =10g, clear flat

glass =6g, green bottle glass =2g

banana-shaped flat corroded metal fragment

=45g

mortar lumps x5 =539g,

fossilised snail =31g

C. 3 curved red tile =42g clear flat glass

=3g

dirty cream mortar =11g,

asphalt =12g

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Test Pit 8

Test pit 8



working Stone Other

C. 1 red drain pipe fragment

=33g, modern brick fragments x10 =407g

metal base of shotgun cartridge

=5g

C. 2 red brick fragment =8g green bottle glass =26g

Test Pit 9

Test pit 9

Ceramic (excluding

pottery) Glass


Stone Other

C. 1 red angular CBM,

mostly shards from bricks x8 =34g

clear container glass =15g

cream stone =63g, cinder

x2 =11g

cream concrete =23g

C. 2 cream CBM x5 =92g, red CBM x10 =130g

clear thick curved glass x2 =17g,

clear thin curved glass =<1g, curved green bottle glass

x4 =15g

corroded iron nail =8g, rust-coloured flat oblong stone or tile =33g, metal picture hook =5g, slag x3 =11g, metal lump =15g

slate =1g

C. 3

flat red tile =41g, fragments of red

bricks x2 =118g, red CBM x14 =151g,

thick cream glazed tile =38g

corroded metal disk, part of an electronics

component? =2g, thin corroded metal rod =4g

cream stone fragments x2 =29g, cinder

x2 =3g

cream concrete x2 =61g

C. 4

angular red CBM, mostly fragments from bricks x31

=145g

mortar x3 =26g

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13.3 Maps

Much of the value of the test pit data from currently occupied rural settlements are derived from a holistic consideration across the entire settlement. Maps showing a range of the data from the test pit excavations in Sharnbrook are included below. These may be read in conjunction with relevant sections of the main report. Some of these maps are available online at http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/reports/bedfordshire/sharnbrook and these can be used, if wished, to prepare maps showing the distribution of other classes of data not depicted in this appendix.

http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/reports/bedfordshire/sharnbrook

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13.3.1 Pottery Distribution Maps

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Documents

Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Sharnbrook ... · Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Catherine Collins and