Monument record MLI115756 - Late Saxon to Early Medieval Salt-Working Site, Holbeach
Summary
A salt-working site of 10th to 13th century date on land at Hall Gate, Holbeach.
Type and Period (4)
- PIT (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1300 AD)
- DITCH (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1300 AD)
- GULLY (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1300 AD)
- SALT WORKS (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1300 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
Ten possible rubble filled features were indicated by magnetic anomalies, recorded in this location in May 2014, during a magnetometry survey, conducted on land off Hall Gate, Holbeach. The anomalies were thought to indicate the location of a possible demolished building or infilled features. {1}{2}
No structures are depicted in this location on any of the historic Ordnance Survey map editions, although a pond and what appears to be a small orchard are depicted here, on the 1st edition 6 inch Ordnance Survey County Series Map. The magnetic anomalies recorded by the geophysical survey align well with the depicted features, and it is likely that the anomalies result from the removal and infilling of these features. {3}
Subsequent trial trenching conducted in 2015 revealed a significantly dense group of features of Late Saxon and Early Medieval date, forming a salt-working site. A silt mound visible on LIDAR imagery in this area was probably formed by waste from the salt filtration process used during that period. Recovered finds including pottery, fired clay, animal bone, lava quern fragments, worked bone objects, an iron blade, a possible iron spur fragment, and a worked stone fragment representing either a possible door jamb or part of a trough. In part due to the waterlogged nature of several of the deposits, environemental sampling recorded the preservation of uncharred wood, plant and insect macrofossils, as well as abundant charred grain, copper alloy object fragments, pottery sherds, fired earth, marine shells and animal bone and eggshell. The presence of both marine and freshwater species in the samples is suggestive of a tidal local landscape. {4}{5}
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SLI14813 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2014. Land at Hall Gate, Holbeach. APS site code: HBHG14.
- <2> SLI14814 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2014. Land at Hall Gate, Holbeach. LCNCC 2014.88.
- <3> SLI9454 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1883-1888. 6 Inch County Series Map - First Edition. 1:10560. TF 32 SE.
- <4> SLI19202 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2016. Archaeological Evaluation at Hall Gate, Holbeach. APS Site Code: HBHG 15.
- <5> SLI19203 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2015. Archaeological Evaluation at Hall Gate, Holbeach. LCNCC: 2015.185.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TF 3567 2416 (478m by 385m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | HOLBEACH, SOUTH HOLLAND, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Dec 15 2025 5:23PM
Feedback?
Your feedback is welcome. If you can provide any new information about this record, please contact us.