Monument record MLI86230 - Late Saxon features, Station Road, Kirton

Summary

Late Saxon features, Station Road, Kirton

Type and Period (7)

  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 801 AD? to 1200 AD?)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 870 AD to 1199 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 901 AD to 1199 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 901 AD to 1199 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 870 AD to 1000 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 870 AD to 1000 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 870 AD to 1000 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

PRN 13722 Several features were recorded at TF 3085 3851. Two sections of ditch, one undated and the other dated to the 10th to 12th centuries, were thought to be part of the same feature, a probable drainage ditch. A group of undated postholes were thought to be related to postholes dated to the 10th to 12th centuries, found in the same location, representing a probable structure. A further ditch, aligned north-west to south-east, was dated to the 9th to 11th centuries from pottery, and was also thought to be a drainage ditch. The site itself was thought to have been peripheral to 9th to 12th century habitation. {1}{2}{3} During trial trenching at TF 3092 3851 a group of undated and 11th to 12th century features were revealed on this site which are probably contemporary. These probably represent the establishment of a small agricultural settlement onto the newly drained fens on the periphery of the late Saxon settlement of Kirton. Evidence for settlement activity was recovered from the eastern side and may represent the remains of a hearth adjacent to a structure. A quantity of 11th to 12th century pottery was recovered from this site with very few later dated finds being retrieved. This suggests that the main occupation of the site is restricted to the 11th and 12th century. Environmental evidence suggested that the material recovered appears to be derived from domestic hearth waste and may indicate 11th to 12th century domestic activity in close proximity to the site. {4}{5} A watching brief carried out in 2001, centred on TF 3084 3852, identified late Saxon features. Five ring gullies were identified, actually penannular in shape. One of these had a 1m wide causeway in the south side, while another had an entrance in the east side with three postholes clustered inside the ring gully by the entrance. The function of the ring gullies is uncertain, although drainage around haystacks has been suggested. Three ditches were recorded, two aligned north-west to south-east, while the third was curvilinear and had a posthole in the base. One of the ditches contained what is thought to be a lucet, a bone tool used to make braids in textile production. Alignments of postholes running east to west across the site were thought to be for fences used to demarcate property boundaries or land divisions for areas of different land-use. Three large pits and two smaller pits were also recorded, with the large pits containing large amounts of freshwater mussel shells. Environmental sampling of the pits indicated domestic hearth waste. It is suggested that the large pits were for the processing and cooking of large quantities of shellfish, while the shallower small pit was possibly used for 'cleaning' and the larger small pit was used for refuse. Two pottery vessels had drill-holes, indicating specialised usage, while some of the vessels probably contained an acidic liquid. The pottery assemblage suggests a short period of occupation, from about AD900 to about AD940, with no occupation evidence prior to the late ninth century, and none after the mid tenth century until the present day. This is possibly due to the function of the site being no longer required, or to exhaustion of resources. An economic link with Lincoln in the tenth century is demonstrated by the pottery assemblage. The main focus of activity on the site is in the centre of the investigation area, extending southwards to the curvilinear ditch. No remains were found south and west of this ditch. {6}{7} A further watching brief at the station road site during phase 3 centred at TF 3092 3851 revealed more evidence of late Saxon activity. Three ditches were recorded, two running parallel to one another in an east to west direction. One of the ditches contained a sherd of late Saxon pottery and environmental analysis of the ditch fills suggested that domestic refuse had been dumped here. An irregularly shaped pit was recorded cutting across two of the ditches and analysis showed that it had been used for dumping fire debris. {8}{9}

Sources/Archives (9)

  •  Report: Engineering Archaeological Services Ltd. Dec 2000. Geophysical survey of Kirton Richmond's Field.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. March 2001. Land at Station Road, Kirton. KSR00.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. March 2001. Land at Station Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2000.290.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Station Road, Kirton. KDR 01.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Station Road, Kirton.. LCNCC:2001.426.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Dec 2002. Land at Station Road, Kirton. KSR02.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Dec 2002. Land at Station Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2001.426.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2003. Topsoil stripping on land at Station Road (phase 3), Kirton. KSR 02.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2003. Topsoil stripping on land at Station Road (phase 3) Kirton. LCNCC:2001.426.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 3087 3853 (226m by 276m)
Civil Parish KIRTON, BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (5)

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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