Monument record MLI60812 - Middle-late Iron Age settlement, East Road

Summary

Middle-late Iron Age settlement, East Road.

Type and Period (8)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

[This record includes information from PRN's 60766 and 61114, now deleted.] During evaluation on land to the north of Pride Parkway, excavation of a previously unrecorded cropmark revealed a double ditch although this had no dating evidence. On the basis of its sub-rectangular shape, the cropmark may delineate a prehistoric or Roman enclosure. The corner of a second double-ditched rectangular enclosure was also tentatively identified. {1}{2} An evaluation on land adjacent to North Junction, East Road, identified an enclosure which had been recorded on aerial photographs. This enclosure encircled a settlement of mid-late Iron Age date. An apparent entrance was identified at the north-west corner of the enclosure and within the circuit were remains of timber structures. The remains of the Roman road were found to overlie a prehistoric ditched trackway. {3}{4}{5} Iron Age features were identified during an evaluation to the west of East Road. In the north of the site (Trench 2) a ditch was recorded which contained bone and Iron Age pottery. It may be a square or rectangular enclosure, and may be associated with the Iron Age activity to the west. Adjacent to the railway on the western side of the area (Trench 21) a gully containing Iron Age pottery was identified (it also contained Roman pottery (PRN 61110), Saxon pottery (PRN 61115) and medieval pottery (PRN 61111)). {6}{7} A number of ditches of likely mid-Iron age date were recorded during a fluxgate gradiometry survey, undertaken in February 2000, on land proposed for development at North Junction. {8} A subsequent excavation and watching brief identified features relating to the middle Iron Age enclosed farmstead. East to west, north to south and north-east to south-west aligned ditches and gullies were identified, lying outside the main enclosure, and were thought to be for drainage purposes. Pottery of Middle Iron Age date included some scored ware with sooting, indicating use in cooking. The animal bone showed butchery evidence and indicated domestic discard. A small amount of hammerscale may indicate metalworking in the vicinity. The pottery evidence suggests that the settlement did not continue into the late Iron Age. {9}{10} During a watching brief on roadworks, an adjacent pair of north to south aligned ditches, approximately 2m wide by 0.4m deep, were found. These ditches may be part of a separate enclosure, or may be associated with the enclosure encircling the settlement. A similar double-ditched enclosure is located 70m to the north-west. {11}{12} A ditch containing 14 sherds of Iron Age pottery was recorded during an evaluation, prior to the development of Sleaford Enterprise Park. The environmental assessment suggests that the land was open grassland at this time, with fluctuating degrees of wetness. It is thought that the ditch probably represents a field boundary dividing grassland for the grazing of animals rather than for human habitation. {13}{14} Six trial trenches were excavated at Sleaford Enterprise Park prior to development. Two ditches were uncovered, which were undated, but on the same alignment as the previously recorded Iron Age ditches. {15}{16}

Sources/Archives (16)

  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 1997. Archaeological Evaluation on Land off East Road, Sleaford. ERS97.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 1997. Archaeological Evaluation on Land off East Road, Sleaford. LCNCC 164.97.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 1998. Archaeological Evaluation on Land Adjacent to North Junction, Sleaford. SNJ97.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 1998. Archaeological Evaluation on Land Adjacent to North Junction, Sleaford. LCNCC 256.97.
  •  Map: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1992-1996. National Mapping Programme. TF 0747: LI.851.27.1.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1999. Bonemill Lane, East Road, Sleaford: Archaeological Evaluation Trenching. SBL99.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1999. Bonemill Lane, East Road, Sleaford: Archaeological Evaluation Trenching. LCNCC 98.99.
  •  Report: Stratascan. 2000. Geophysical Survey at North Junction. Stratascan site code: J1441.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2001. Archaeological Excavation and Watching Brief at Sleaford North Junction, Sleaford. SNJ00.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2001. Archaeological Excavation and Watching Brief at Sleaford North Junction, Sleaford. LCNCC 256.97.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. June 2000. Archaeological Watching Brief on roadworks along East Road, Sleaford. SKR98.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. June 2000. Archaeological Watching Brief on roadworks along East Road, Sleaford. LCNCC 58.98.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. June 2000. Sleaford Enterprise Park, East Road, Sleaford: Archaeological Evaluation Trenching. SEP00.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. June 2000. Sleaford Enterprise Park, East Road, Sleaford: Archaeological Evaluation Trenching. LCNCC 2000.126.
  •  Report: Northamptonshire Archaeology. Mar 2005. Archaeological Trial Excavation at Sleaford Enterprise Park. SEP05.
  •  Archive: Northamptonshire Archaeology. Mar 2005. Archaeological Trial Excavation at Sleaford Enterprise Park. LCNCC 2004.189.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 0789 4705 (601m by 367m) Centre
Civil Parish SLEAFORD, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (9)

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Record last edited

Jul 9 2021 1:56PM

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