Monument record MLI84280 - Iron Age and Romano-British activity, East Road, Sleaford

Summary

Iron Age and Romano-British activity, East Road, Sleaford

Type and Period (9)

  • (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
  • ? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
  • ? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
  • (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
  • (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 150 AD)
  • (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 150 AD)
  • (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

The ceramic evidence suggests that there was occupation on the site during the Iron Age and the mid-late Roman period. Two Iron Age pits were on high ground, and a ditch was recorded which contained pottery of late Iron Age date. Romano-British ditches and pottery were also recorded. Many of the features may have been destroyed by later agricultural activity, and only the deepest features survive. It is suggested that there was a minor settlement and agricultural activity in the Iron Age, which continued into the Roman period. {1}{2} A single sherd of Roman pottery was found during a site visit. {3}{4} A concentration of features and deposits (PRN62679b) associated with pottery dated as broadly late Iron Age to early Roman was recorded by a watching brief carried out during works relating to the installation of services and an access road at the Woodside Industrial Park, Sleaford. The concentration of activity occurred in the southern part of the development, over an area of higher ground noted from previous fieldwork as forming the probable focus of settlement activity in the area (TF 07375 46816). A possible enclosure - represented by partially exposed ditches in the eastern part of the concentration - may have formed an early (probably late Iron Age) phase of activity. Projections from the recorded elements of the possible enclosure indicate a diameter of approximately 22m. Another potentially early phase of activity is represented by a pair of ditches on the western side of the area, while a slightly later phase of activity (broadly late Iron Age to early Roman) may be represented by a sequence of ditches running southeast to northwest on the western side of the site, and a ditch running approximately east-west across the interior of the aforementioned enclosure. The probable early enclosure appears to have been succeeded by parallel ditches encompassing the original area to give an increased diameter of 27m. Pottery dated as broadly late Iron Age to mid second century was found in the latter features, together with a brooch dated as Roman. The latest phase of activity is represented by early Roman ditches, which cut across the enclosure ditches and appear to form part of a major realignment in land division. The later ditches seem to fit into a wider network of land division extending east and west from the focus of the excavations. In addition to the ditches, the investigations revealed a concentration of pits (at least seven), located on the eastern side of the enclosure. The small quantities of pot recovered from these features indicated dates ranging between late Iron Age and Roman. The investigations produced no conclusive evidence of occupation on the site. For this reason it was concluded that the recorded features probably formed part of animal enclosure and field systems. The pottery assemblage had characteristics in common with assemblages from military sites, which might indicate access to military sources of supply, if not an actual military or official presence. {5}{6} Trial trenches were excavated by Pre-Construct Archaeology in November and December 2010 at the proposed waste transfer station, Pride Parkway. Three linear ditches, two pits and several post holes were revealed. No finds were recovered from the features but they possibly date from the Iron Age or Roman period. {7}{8} During excavation at the proposed waste transfer station, Pride Parkway in May to June 2012, late Iron Age and Roman features were recorded. In Area D, a gully which contained a sherd of late Iron Age pottery and a possible Neolithic flint flake which may be residual, and a ditch which contained Iron Age Sleaford type pottery, sherds of Roman fineware carinated bowl, and a possible brooch were found. In Area A, a north to south aligned ditch contained a sherd of Roman tile, in Area D a pit with a sherd of Roman pottery, a north-west to south-east aligned ditch contained a sherd of 1st to 2nd century pottery, a pit with a sherd of Roman tile and glass, a north-west to south-east ditch with two Black Burnished ware sherds and a sherd of residual prehistoric pot and a ditch with a sherd of greyware and a stone muller from a saddle quern which may be of Iron Age date was recorded. {9}{10}

Sources/Archives (10)

  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2005. Woodside Industrial Park, Land off Pride Parkway, East Road, Sleaford. SWIP04.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2005. Woodside Industrial Park, Land off Pride Parkway, East Road, Sleaford. LCNCC 2004.247.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. July 1996. Sleaford, Land off East Road: Archaeological Desktop Assessment. SER 96.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. July 1996. Sleaford, Land off East Road: Archaeological Desktop Assessment. LCNCC 74.96.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. Dec 2008. Woodside Industrial Park: Land off Pride Parkway, East Road Sleaford. Archaeological Strip , Map and Record. SWIP06.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. Dec 2008. Woodside Industrial Park: Land off Pride Parkway, East Road Sleaford. Archaeological Strip , Map and Record. 2006.15.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2011. Archaeological evaluation and test pit report at the proposed waste transfer station, Pride Parkway, Sleaford Business Park, Sleaford. SPPW10.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2011. Archaeological evaluation and test pit report at the proposed waste transfer station, Pride Parkway, Sleaford Business Park, Sleaford. LCNCC 2010.173.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2012. Archaeological Investigations at the Waste Transfer Site, Pride Parkway, Sleaford. SLPP12.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2012. Archaeological Investigations at the Waste Transfer Site, Pride Parkway, Sleaford. LCNCC 2012.70.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 0735 4690 (355m by 385m)
Civil Parish SLEAFORD, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Related Events/Activities (7)

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Record last edited

May 22 2024 3:12PM

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