Archaeological Investigations on the Motorway Service Area, Junction 8, M20 at Eyhorne Street, Hollingbourne

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE MOTORWAY SERVICE AREA, JUNCTION 8, M20 AT EYHORNE STREET, HOLLINGBOURNE IAN R. SCOTT with contributions by Alistair Barclay, Paul Booth, Angela Boyle and Philippa Bradley SUMMARY The Oxford Archaeological Unit carried out a field evaluation and excavation at the proposed site of a motorway service area adjacent to Junction 8 of the M20 at Hollingboume, on behalf of Esso Petroleum Ltd. following consultation with the County Archaeologist. The site (centred at N.G.R. TQ 824 552) is bounded on the south side by the M20 and on the north by the London-Folkestone railway. The underlying geology is predominantly Gault Clay with Folkestone Sands along the south edge of the site. The evaluation consisted of 37 trenches and the excavation of seven large areas which revealed evidence of prehistoric activity, predominantly of later Bronze Age date, and some limited Romano-British and medieval activity. There is a general scatter of worked flint over most of the site, some of Mesolithic or Neolithic date but most is probably of later Bronze Age date. The main evidence for later prehistoric activity consists of a concentration (N.G.R. TQ 8244 5514) of later Bronze Age pottery associated with small pits, at least two of which are of late Bronze Age date. There are only small amounts of Romano-British and medieval pottery from the site. The only dated Romano-British features were a single small ditch or gully containing Romano-British pottery, and a large ill-defined clay-filled feature, possibly a pond, which contained a large part of a single cooking-pot. It would appear that the centre of Romano-British activity was to the south of the present site close to and on the line of the M20. The medieval pottery comes mainly from a single pit which contained sherds from a twelfth- or early-thirteenth century cooking-pot and from a linear feature. This was one of a number of ditches laid out in a rectilinear pattern which were identified during the excavation. It is probable that these ditches are of medieval date. 105 IANR. SCOTT INTRODUCTION In March 1995 the Oxford Archaeological Unit (hereafter OAU) carried out an archaeological desk study as part of the Environmental Statement at Eyhorne Street, Hollingbourne in respect of a proposed motorway service area (MSA) on behalf ofEsso Petroleum pie. After the grant of planning permission with an archaeological condition, a programme of fieldwork was undertaken which comprised a field evaluation in June 1995 followed by an excavation in OctoberNovember I 995. The development site lies on the north side of the M20 adjacent to Junction 8 at Hollingbourne, and is approximately 11 hectares in area. A strip up to 75 m. wide, which lies parallel and immediately adjacent to the motorway, and which forms part of the proposed route of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), was evaluated on behalf of Union Railways Ltd as a separate exercise (URL 1996). Further details of the excavations may be found in the site archive. The archive and finds will be deposited with Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to thank the developers, Esso Retail Ltd for their financial support of the fieldwork and costs of publication. Thanks are due to Peter Jeans of the Esso Petroleum Company, Jeffrey S tepbenson of EPCAD Consultants, Keith Mason of Woods Warren Consulting Engineers and Stephen Gregory of Turnkey Design Partnership. Dr John Williams and Wendy Rogers of Kent County Council set the Brief and approved the Written Scheme oflnvestigation (WSI) for the fieldwork. At the time of the evaluation the site formed parts of two separate farms and thanks are due to the owners, Mr and Mrs. Parrett of Eyhorne Farm and Messrs. R.A. and N.J. Leggatt of Woodcut Farm, for allowing access for fieldwork. When the excavation took place the site had been purchased by Esso Retail Ltd. For OAU George Lam brick was responsible for providing consultancy services to Esso Petroleum for the Environmental Statement and the development and monitoring of the proposals for the fieldwork reported here. George Lambrick also commented on the text. Figures 1-11 were drawn by Lesley Collett and Figure 12 by Paul Hughes of the OAU graphics office. The processing of the environmental samples was supervised by Greg Campbell of the OAU, and the assessment undertaken by Dr Mark Robinson of the Environmental Archaeology Unit, Oxford University Museum. 106 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT EYHORNE ST., HOLLINGBOURNE scale 1 :50,000 81 83 8S Fig. 1. Site location 107 IANR. SCOTT LOCATION, TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY (Figs. I and 2) The site lies at the scarp foot of the North Downs, between the villages ofHollingbourne, Eyhorne Street and Bearsted (N.G.R. TQ 824 552). In plan the development site is an elongated triangle; its north side is bounded by the London-Ashford railway line and its south side by the M20. On the south side of the M20 the landscape opens out into a wide valley. The site lay across two fields and straddled an ancient trackway (a continuation of 'Musket Lane'), which is now a public footpath. The field to the west of the footpath had been previously under arable cultivation, while that to the east was under permanent pasture. The elevation of the site is between 58 m. and 68 m. O.D. Generally the site slopes to the south and west with the highest point at the east end towards the north-east corner. The eastern field slopes down to the south and west towards the footpath where it levels out to form a small flat spur (centred on trenches 19-20 and 25-7). From here the ground falls away to the west, south , and south-east. Towards the west end of the site there is a shallow dry valley, which slopes west towards the motorway; trench 3 8 was located at the top end of this valley. The ground rises again west of the valley. There is a second dry valley to the south-east of the spur, but this lies mainly within the CTRL corridor and was not explored during the MSA fieldwork. The site straddles the boundary between two geological deposits. The underlying geology is mainly Gault Clay, with Folkestone Sand beds which surface approximately along the line of the CTRL corridor to the south-west (Geological Survey of Great Britain (England and Wales), Solid and Drift, Sheet 288, 1976). The Gault Clay overlies the Folkestone Sand Beds and at the interface is a thin mixed deposit marked by the occurrence of a large sandstone gravel. Many trenches revealed mixed deposits with varying proportions of clay, sand and silt. In the dry valleys silty colluvial deposits were found to have accumulated. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS WORK Both the National Archaeological Record and the Kent Sites and Monuments Record identify a number of sites in the general area of the development site. These are predominantl:y found on the sandy geology to the south of the motorway. Of particular note are a scatter of Mesolithic flint to the south-west (N.A.R. No. TQ 85 SW 6), and nearby the site of two late Bronze Age barrows, with early Saxon 108 0 so 553 552 551 550 Evaluation 1renches r·--1 excavation areas L .. -.􀀆 0 100 823 824 825 Snarkhurst Wood c-:rrench 39 1 · v· 'tt"'f'"\ 14 Tren􀁅it' 40 Fig. 2. Location of Evaluation Trenches {l-37) and Excavation Areas (38-44). 827 553 11 l1a r·-·-1 j iTrench 43 231L. _ J 24 r·-·-, /-Ts ! Trench 42 IAN R. SCOTT cremations (N.A.R. No. TQ 85 SW 5). A Romano-British burial group was found at Crismill Farm (N.A.R. No. TQ 85 NW 6) to the west of the site, and to the south a large Roman coin hoard (N.A.R. No. TQ 85 SW 13) was found. A possible Saxon inhumation cemetery has been identified further south (N.G.R. TQ 827 538). More specifically, in the 1950s the construction of the Maidstone Bypass (now the M20), immediately adjacent to and south of the CTRL corridor (area centred around N.G.R. TQ 8227 5500), uncovered the probable site of an Iron Age and/or Roman settlement and pottery dated to the first and second centuries A.O. (N.A.R. No TQ 85 NW 11 ). A ditch containing late Iron Age pottery and a series oflron Age burial urns were uncovered to the north of the road and to the south of the bypass excavations revealed the foundations of a small ragstone building, accompanied by first and early second centuries Roman pottery, as well as a late Iron Age kiln. The present site was the subject of a field walking survey as part of the background work for the Environmental Assessment of the route of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. The results of that survey are not published here but the overall patterns of finds recovered are briefly outlined and related to the discoveries made during fieldwork on the MSA. The surface collection survey by OAU on behalf of Union Railways Ltd. covered the CTRL corridor and part of the Motorway Service Area site to the north (BRB 1991; URL 1994; 1995 ); it did not extend into the area east of Musket Lane. Prehistoric worked flint included a flint knife, from within the area of the proposed MSA development. A flint scatter including a polished axe fragment was recovered in the field located at the intersection of the motorway and existing railway. Two small late prehistoric pottery scatters were found. One was found adjacent to the east corner of the M20 balancing pond, the other on the flat spur in the middle of the site. The latter can clearly be related to the concentration of late Bronze Age material found during the MSA evaluation. Within the CTRL corridor the survey also produced a scatter of first century B.C. to first century A.O. late Iron Age to early Roman pottery; this concentrated in the strip adjacent to the M20 south-east from the balancing pond. The subsequent evaluation of the CTRL corridor revealed a section of substantial ditch with late Iron Age pottery, which can be related to the discoveries made in the 1950s. No comparable features or material were recovered from the MSA site. There are no major medieval sites in the immediate area, although the surface collection for the CTRL produced a moderate scatter of 110 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT EYHORNE ST., HOLLINGBOURNE pottery, but not considered sufficiently marked to be recognised as a significant concentration. In both Eyhorne Street and Hollingbourne there are medieval buildings. All Saints, Hollingbourne is fourteenth-century in date and Hollingboume Manor contains thirteenth-century elements. Eyhome Street has two, possibly three, hall houses of fifteenth-century date. Approximately 1.5 km. to the north of the development area, close to Howe Court Farm, lie the remains of a medieval moated site, possibly a Manor House, at Ripple Manor. SITE DESCRIPTION Fieldwork Methodology (Fig. 2) The fieldwork was undertaken in two stages. An evaluation comprising 37 trenches 30 x 1.90 m. (Fig. 2: nos 1-37) located a concentration of later Bronze Age material centred on trenches 25-27, 29 and 36 (OAU 1995a). OAU standard evaluation recording was used for these trenches, thus 1/11 denotes feature 11 within trench I. Following consultation with the County Archaeologist and his staff, the decision was taken to investigate further those areas which would be most affected by landscaping during development. This did not include the area containing the main concentration of later Bronze Age material; this was located partly on the line of the bund which will separate the MSA from the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and partly under an access road, which with some engineering modification allowed these deposits to be preserved. The excavation comprised seven large trenches (Fig. 2: nos 38-44). Single context recording was undertaken for these trenches but the trench prefix has been retained on the section drawings. Trench 38 measured approximately 40 x 40 m. (= 1600 sq. m.), trenches 39 and 40 each 20 x 15 m. (= 300 sq. m. per trench), and trenches 41-44 each approximately 45 x 45 m. (=2025 sq. m. per trench). A total of approximately 10300 sq. m. was stripped during the excavation. The topsoil was stripped from both the evaluation and excavation trenches under archaeological guidance using 360° tracked excavators. The evaluation trenches were backfilled on completion of recording, but the excavation trenches were left open and the spoil was moved to a single dump using 25 ton 6 x 6 dumpers. The spoil was stockpiled over the area which contained the concentration of later Bronze Age material to afford it protection. 111 IANR. SCOTT Soil conditions The modern plough-soil was a light friable loam varying in composition from a clay loam to a sandy loam and was between 200 and 360 mm. thick. In a number of trenches the modem plough-soil sealed a further loam layer which was interpreted as the remnant of an earlier plough-soil. This layer was generally 90-120 mm. thick, although occasionally as much as 200-250 mm. thick. The natural geology was sealed beneath this older plough-soil, except in those areas where colluvial deposits had accumulated. The natural subsoil was extremely variable in the area examined and much post-depositional damage was done to the pottery by the very tenacious nature of some of the soils (see below). The acid nature of the soil also meant that animal bone did not survive. Report Structure The results of the fieldwork were limited, but the presence of quantities of late Bronze Age pottery, and the absence of significant Iron Age or Romano-British material so close to a known site, justifies the publication of a brief report on the fieldwork. The stratigraphic description is limited to a summary of the major features, but the late Bronze Age pottery, the small quantity of Romano-British pottery the cremated human bone and the worked flint are also reported. These materials fonn the bulk of the finds recovered from the site. Context references Evaluation features and deposits are referred to by trench number and context number thus: trench 11 contexts 1, 2 etc. are labelled 11/1, 11/2 etc., trench 12 context 1, 2 etc. are labelled 12/1, 12/2, etc. In the subsequent excavation, contexts were recorded using a single sequence of numbers. In the published report these context numbers are prefixed with the trench number for consistency and clarity (38/001, 39/101, etc.) Environmental data The number of contexts suitable for environmental sampling was small, and therefore only a limited number of soil samples was taken for analysis - twelve samples during the evaluation and 16 during the excavation - most of these from deposits containing charcoal. Assessment of a selection of the samples ( 18 from 28) indicated that mollusca were absent and that the predominant charred material was 112 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT EYHORNE ST., HOLLINGBOURNE oak (Quercus) charcoal. Details of the soil samples and records of the sample processing can be found in the archive. Reference is made to the environmental assessment of samples from the Late Bronze Age pits (29/3 and 38/101), the possible cremations (14/5, 26/6, 31/6 and 42/405) and the Romano-British 'pond' (context 44/618) at the appropriate places in the following site report. RESULTS Struck flint The earliest evidence from the site was a scatter of worked flint found on the surface of the natural geology, and occasionally, in the older plough-soil. The scatter of flint was very thin, and no concentrations were observed, although in the evaluation slightly more material was recovered from the eastern part of the site. The material was largely undiagnostic and consists of mainly unretoucbed flakes, pieces of irregular waste, cores and some relatively undiagnostic retouched forms. The dating of the material is difficult: much of it is probably of late Bronze Age date, some individual pieces may be of Neolithic or even Mesolithic date (see Bradley below). Possible cremations Four possible cremations were identified. The complete fills of the pits were removed as samples for the recovery of bone and other finds and for environmental assessment. Pits 14/6, 26/5 and 31/4 produced very small quantities of human bone about which little further can be said. Pit 42/405 produced a slightly greater quantity, and probably represented a single individual, possibly male. All these pits were small, only 26/5 (Fig. 6) was more than 0.20 m. deep, and only pit 26/5 produced any datable finds. These consisted of seven Late Bronze Age (hereafter LBA) sherds, but these are probably redeposited, since the feature is cut into a colluvial deposit (26/3) which also produced LBA pottery. The dating of the features is uncertain. Soil samples from pits 14/6 (fill 14/5), 26/5 (fill 26/6) and 42/405 (fill 42/404) produced charcoal. In the case of 14/5 this was oak (Quercus) charcoal, and in the case of 42/405, predominantly oak charcoal. Pit 26/5 produced large quantities of charcoal amongst which oak (Quercus) was dominant, but which also included sloe or cherry (Prunus). Pit 31/4 produced no charred material. 113 IANR SCOTT -f,o(\􀀕􀀖s, ·- -029 􀀗-- ·-·-.. -. )250 \'-011 􀀢 / • ·􀀐 007 031 :"- sec:Uon38 012 0 / "-.. (see Flg.4) . (\\1010 (. "· , 0􀀇 ........ ,. Colluvial deposits (Figs. 3 and 4) The site contained two small dry valleys or hollows partly filled by colluvial deposits. One valley lay to the east of the central spur, the other to the west. The eastern valley lay largely within the CTRL strip and was explored during the evaluation undertaken for Union Railways (URL 1996): it is not discussed here. The colluvial deposits in the western dry valley were initially explored in evaluation trench 3. The depth of the colluvium (0.90 m.) was determined by means of three test pits which were cut from trench 3. Two of these were machine-cut and one was hand-excavated and produced 10 sherds of LBA pottery from the main colluvial deposit (3/4). The colluvium was further investigated in trench 38 (Fig. 4). Its extent was established in plan (Fig. 3), although the edges of the deposits were not readily distinguishable. Sections were machine-cut across the colluvium and much of the exposed northern half of the deposit was machine-stripped 114 - - u, s land drain 38/!M3 Trench 38 sections f"L _:;;39 ;;L ;;:0 - 2;;-􀀌;--_-s:_::-_-_-..,. =3= s-, ., o : 4 - 2 = - 􀀸 - = - c= - :';;!:! l:.i:􀀹=􀀺􀀻::::􀀼:=􀀽3;;:a = ,􀀾0; 4 _2􀀕=============:o::;:m%.lt􀀖=~- ·-􀀑-·-----·-·-·-·-· 38/044 381024 ----· ----· --- \t\ COlluvfum N land cltllln I 0 6m -=-=-===---===--- Fig. 4. Trench 38 sections (see Fig. 3 for locations). 59.S0m OD 􀀁 59.S0m OD 􀀂 IAN R. SCOTT under archaeological supervision. The purpose of this operation was to establish whether or not there were features, possibly ofLBA date, sealed beneath the colluvium. One feature (38/36), a length of ditch or trench, had been identified apparently disappearing under the colluvium. When the colluvium was stripped no further evidence for the feature was found, and therefore its relationship with the colluvium remains unclear, but it is more likely to be later in date than the colluvium. The date of the colluvial material is uncertain. Pockets of colluvial material were also found in hollows in trenches 25 (25/2) and 26 (26/3). In trench 26 the colluvium was sealed by the older ploughsoil. In trenches 25 and 26, the survival of Late Bronze Age pottery suggests that the colluvium had not been heavily ploughed subsequent to deposition. Nonetheless, the presence of the LBA pottery can at best provide a terminus post quern for the deposition of the colluvium. Although the absence of later material is perhaps surprising given the presence of nearby late Iron Age and Roman and medieval occupation (see below), it is also the case that unstratified LBA material was more generally spread than material from these other periods. The absence of later material from the colluvium is not significantly different from its comparable sparseness in more recent plough-soils. While the activity which led to the deposition of the colluvium occurred during or shortly after the late Bronze Age, it could equally have occurred at almost any later period when pottery was finding its way onto the site. Late Bronze Age evidence (Figs. 5 and 6) The evaluation revealed evidence, consisting for the most part of a concentration of pottery, for late Bronze Age occupation mainly in the vicinity of evaluation trenches 19, 25, 26 and 29 (Fig. 5). A single Bronze Age feature (29/3, fill 29/4) was located (Fig 5). All that remained of this pit was a shallow circular cut 0.35 m. in diameter and 0.08 m. deep, but this was packed with 186 sherds ofLBA pottery. A small soil sample from this pit was found to contain oak (Quercus) charcoal. Some evidence for LBA occupation was also recovered from trench 20 to the north, trenches 27 and 41 to the east and 36 to the south. This area was not excavated during the second phase of fieldwork. In trenches 25 and 26 thin colluvial deposits (25/2 and 25/3, and 26/3) were found. These appear to have survived in slight hollows in the natural, and in all cases these deposits contained small quantities of Late Bronze Age pottery. In trench 26 this deposit was sealed by the older plough-soil. 116 25/4 Trench 25 0 Trench 20 Trench 19 Q :::J 19/4 26/ 13,B,5, 10 .• Trench 26 ·2 2/ ,,-;/ 26/4 36/15,13 _;::::/ 36/11 Trench 36 29/3 "Trench 29 50 m --==--==--- r-·-·-·-·-·1 i . I .I I Trench 27 / i { Trench 41 i L._ 1· ·-·---.J Trench 30 Fig. 5. Plan of Trenches 19, 20, 25-27, 29, 36 & 37 showing main features - - Trench 26 p l an [_ _ - _-____ O _ 2 0.i1YZ _________________ _J t sections 63.70mOD -,,.;;- {__ 261\ J 2812 'd--􀀳6/6° 28/5 􀀁 28/8 26/11 ...,.. --c::cT 28/10 6􀀂3,70m OP 0 10 m -====--==--=====:::::! 5 scale for plans ot::=-c:,,-==-==-=-======:::::::12 m scale for sections Trench 36 z ,.. 1 p l an [􀀳􀀴 1 􀀵,-,-1 --------􀀶- 􀀌-------􀀍􀀎􀀏e:-·1 L.:: :s .·· .. C􀀖-----·-·-·--􀀗 __ ___ L·-•--·􀀈-􀀉􀀊 sections 63.70mOD ,-.;;- 38/1 38/\S 38/2 38/14 "'==􀀴"-38/18 38/13 Fig. 6. Trenches 26 and 36 plans and sections 38/23 8􀀃3.70m OD Trench 39 r--fi10,;;􀁇--􀁈 1?-i-11-· I • •􀀄-ur '110 i i i 113 \ 1010 I e ,, ,1s i±1'0/210 ·--------· "-"j\ -lt29/224 . :fi29/210 o--==--=-=====----15 m + 111.10/ 􀁉3-50 123 Pit 101 *12.101 214.50 + 0 1 m --====--==--===--==--==:::! Fig. 7. Plan of Trench· 39 and plan and section of Pit 10 l IANR. SCOTT In trench 26 (Fig. 6) a small number of small pits or possible postholes (26/13, /8 and /10), a possible cremation (26/5) and a linear feature (26/4) were found all containing LBA pottery. The linear feature was not excavated but appeared to be a continuation of the pair of parallel ditches (36/13 and /15) found in trench 36 (Fig. 5). The features in trench 26 were cut through the colluvial material and it is probable that the pottery which they contain is redeposited and that they date from after the Late Bronze Age. It is possible that the linear features were medieval in date (see below). There is no other material to date the features. In trench 27 the older plough-soil (27/2) contained small quantities of LBA pottery. This area was explored further by the stripping of trench 41, but little further evidence for late Bronze Age occupation was found. To the west of the main LBA concentration, and down slope from the flat top of the spur, a second late Bronze Age pit 39/101 (fills 1 02-4, finds groups 119-123) was found during the excavation in trench 39 (Fig. 7). This pit was lined with pottery and at least three layers of sherds had been laid on the floor with their concave faces down. The sides of the pit were also carefully lined with pot. The pottery was remarkably only in its lack of diagnostic features. Unfortunately, the pit had been cut through by field drains twice, with the result that parts of the edge of the pit had been destroyed and most of the fill disturbed. For this reason, sampling the fill for environmental data was not thought worthwhile. Most of the fill was removed for finds recovery. Pottery was recovered but no charred material was found in sieving. Small quantities of LBA pottery were found in other trenches, particularly on the down slope to the west of the spur. This material was almost certainly derived from the deposits and features on the spur and spread as a result of subsequent ploughing. Small amounts of LBA pottery and struck flint were found throughout the colluvial deposits in the dry valley, where they were explored in trench 38 (Fig. 3). Iron Age/Romano-British (Figs. 8 and 9) In trench 34, at the extreme east end of the development site, evidence for late Iron Age or early Roman occupation was recovered. A clay-filled feature (34/7) was sectioned. It was cut into Gault clay and backfilled with similar material. It was extremely difficult to define, but was found to contain a large part of a small Romano-British jar ( context 34/6). This feature was further explored during the excavation (trench 44)(Figs. 8 and 9). It appeared irregular in plan and there was 120 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT EYHORNE ST., HOLLINGBOURNE Trench 44 r.+,=wi -·-·-·- ' ' iToo771 L. 􀀃 I -· = N I I t I : i i I. ,,- \\ ·":􀀨 . section 3 i,(· . 1. I. ·:􀀅./ 810 •--. 080& 1· Ii. -\( ·-,.. II \. '\ I. ·-.. ...,...-::; ;ectlon 2 I . . ,..,... . 807 •608 \􀀖- \ i I ri r-·--·-·-·- -- 􀀱 -􀀲ectlon 1 1 . I LJ L :'.enc h 34 ·- eoe ()eos -1'::> j 1 LiW -·-·-·-·-·-·-·- -·---·􀀓 7f􀀄g, I o s 2sm \,_.J Fig. 8. Plan of Trench 44 a suggestion of more than one phase of activity. Two sections were cut by machine through the feature, and one of these confirmed that the feature was indeed of more than one phase, but it proved impossible to clearly define its limits (Fig. 9, section 1 ). Only a little additional Romano-British pottery was recovered. A sample taken from layer 618 produced large quantities of charcoal, with oak (Quercus) dominate, but alder (Ulnus) or hazel (Cory/us) also noted. Trench 37, which lay to the south-west near the central spur contained a linear feature (37/3 = 37/5) which was possibly of Romano-British date (Fig. 10); it produced a single Romano-British sherd. Given the proximity to a known settlement site under the slip road to the M20 to the south (centred at N.G.R. TQ 8227 5500) it is perhaps a little 121 ·, '" section 1 44/612 '" 44/813 IAN R. SCOTT '" 44/804 ·, 􀀄u '·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·.,,.,..,.· section 2 -- --· -· 9s,2om oo -,.- / / / _ . .-/ -· 􀀑 ?L_ ______.. _ ,6 _ 11 ____ ___ _ ---􀀒7􀀓0 \..J 44/618 ,,,,. 44/621 · -·-·- -·-·- -·-·-·-·-·-·-·- _,/ 44/819 section 3 84,80ffi 00 ---;,<;""" 44/822 ,,..-- '\:. . . .. 44/824 􀀙 / ·-----·-·-·-·-·-· / .,,,. 44/625 o 2m i...==--===--i::::::=====I Fig. 9. Trench 44 sections (see Fig. 8 for locations). surprising that so little Iron Age or Romano-British material was found. 1 Linear features and medieval occupation (Fig. 10) The small number of cut features recovered during fieldwork comprised for the most part slight gullies or ditches. The overall pattern of these features suggested that they represented field boundaries laid out in a rectilinear plan. The best evidence for the field boundaries comes from evaluation trench 36 where a series of six ditches was revealed 1 The evaluation undertaken on the CTRL corridor also in general produced only limited Iron Age/Romano-British material, although in this case, a substantial ditch with well-preserved pottery was located. 122 Trench 11 z - I 11/4 􀀘--·-·-·-·-·]1.-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-· 11/8 ·-:--,- · 􀀴􀀵--- ·--·--·--· ·. 11/ 6 ·--·--·--·--·--·--·--·--· 11 /􀀶--- 11/15 59.50􀀙m OD j 11/ 1 i · 􀀉 ! 11,2 1111• 1 [=-,--·-􀀉-􀀊 11/3 11/3 11/4 Trench 37 j 11/1 j 11/2 􀀨 - 60. 2SmOO -;,,;- ....,. 11111--- 11110 11/8 eo􀀍.oomo o 􀀊 ·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-•-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·-, 􀀂, t'􀀔􀀕-&L--·-·-·---·-·-·-·-·-·-·-·--·--·J 􀀖 {._. 37/1 7 􀀋 63􀀆0D V 37/3 37/4 􀀌 37/5 63.00m OD ,,.- ..,... - 6 37/8 o 5 10 m --===--===--======::::! scale for plans 0 2m -=-=-===== scale for sections Fig. 10. Trenches 11 and 37 plans and sections. IANR. SCOTT (Figs. 5 and 6). This picture was confirmed by the results of the evaluation on the proposed line of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link to the south (URL 1996), where more boundaries were found laid out in the same pattern. A linear feature (11/4, fills 11/5 and /14) at the north end of trench 11 (Fig. 10) in the western dry valley, on a similar alignment to the linear features found elsewhere on the MSA site, produced evidence for a medieval date. The upper fill (11/14) of 11/4 produced a large medieval sherd and pieces of ragstone. Other evidence for medieval occupation was found in the trench: the fill (11/9) of pit 11/8 produced seven medieval sherds of twelfth- to thirteenth-century date. There were also two undated pits. A medieval sherd was also recovered from one of the linear features (36/4; fill 36/5) in the trench 36. Details of the medieval pottery can be found in the site archive. It is probable that the rectilinear pattern of linear features which was uncovered both in work on the MSA and during the Rail Link evaluation is a field system of medieval date. Later features Much of the evidence recovered from fieldwork consisted of recent field boundaries and drains (see for example features 007 and 031 in trench 38). FINDS LATE BRONZE AGE POTTERY Alistair Barclay Introduction The evaluation and excavation produced a total of 987 sherds (4093 g) of predominantly flint-tempered, hand-made prehistoric pottery of mostly Late Bronze Age date. This report discusses a selection of the assemblage recovered from the evaluation and excavation. The pottery under discussion has a probable date range within the Late Bronze Age ( 1150-700 cal B.C.). It includes a small number of featured sherds. There is a small number of sherds which could be of middle Bronze Age or Iron Age date, although neither the quantity nor the contexts are of significance. On the whole the condition of the material was poor and many sherds had lost their original surfaces. The surface damage was 124 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT EYHORNE ST., HOLLINGBOURNE post-depositional caused by the sticky/tenacious character of the archaeological fills from which the pottery was recovered. Methodology Tables 1 and 2 give a quantification of the assemblage, by weight and sherd number, recovered from the excavation and the evaluation (excluding refitting fresh breaks and sherds less than 10 mm. in width/diameter). The pottery is characterised by fabric, form, decoration and colour. The sherds were analysed using a binocular microscope (x 20) and were divided into fabric groups by principal inclusion type. OAU standard codes are used to denote inclusion types. A = sand ( quartz and other mineral matter), B= black sand, F= flint, G= grog, Q= quartzite, S= shell, L= voids ( either leached shell, burnt organic or miscellaneous). Size range for inclusions: 1 = <1 mm. fine; 2 = 1-3 mm. fine-medium and 3 = <3mm. medium-coarse. Frequency range for inclusions: rare = <3 per cent, sparse = <7 per cent, moderate = 10 per cent, common = 15 per cent, and abundant = >20 per cent. Fabrics Twelve fabrics have been identified and these have been placed into six fabric groups: Sand and flint-tempered AF l Sparse colourless quartz sand and sparse fine calcined flint. AF2 Sparse colourless quartz sand and sparse medium calcined flint. AFQ2 Sparse colourless quartz sand, sparse medium calcined flint and rare medium quartzite. Black sand and quartz sand BA l Common coarse black sand and sparse coarse colourless quartz sand. Black sand and flint-tempered BF 1 Common coarse black opaque sand and sparse fine calcined flint. BF2 Common coarse black opaque sand and sparse medium calcined flint. Flint-tempered FI Common fine calcined flint. F2 Common medium calcined flint. F3 Sparse coarse calcined flint. 125 TABLE I: QUANTIFICATION OF PREHISTORIC POTTERY FROM EXCAVATION CONTEXTS (SHERD NUMBER; WEIGHT (g)) Trench/ Sand and flint Black sand Black sand and Flint Leached Grog Total Context and sand flint shell AFl AFl AFO2 BAI BFl BF2 Fl F2 F3 SCl.)2 GA2 GB2 38/03 1, 4g 34, 97g 12,89g 2,20g 1,3g 50, 213g 38/19 I, 7g I, 7g 38/23 I, 4g 3, 19g 6,29g I, 2g 11, 54g 39/102-3 63, 54g 63, 54g 39/104 36, 74g 36, 74g 39/107 2,2g 7,5g 9, 7g 39/108 I, lg 1,2g _ 2,3g 39/110 2, 3g 1, 2g 13, 17g 16, 22g -􀀂 39/111 2, 3g 2,lg 4,4g 39/117 I, 5g I, 5g 39/118 I, 3g I, 8g 2, llg 39/119 28, 102g 28, 102g 39/120 18, 100g 18, 100g 39/121 343,1415g 343,1415g 39/122 57, 682g 57, 682g 􀀃 i'tl 00 § 39/123 39, 170g 39, 170g 40/203 4, 19g l, Jg 1,2g 6,22g 411302 I, 3g 9,48g 4,29g 14, 80g 41/402 I, 5g I 5g Total I, 4g 12, L5g I, lg 1, 2g 69,193g 2, lg 609,2760g 2,20g 1,2g I, 3g 1,2g 701,3030g 372 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT EYHORNE ST., HOLLINGBOURNE Shell-tempered S(L)2 Common medium shell platelets sometimes leached. Grog-tempered GA2 Sparse medium rounded grog or clay pellets and rare coarse colourless quartz sand. GB2 Sparse medium rounded grog or clay pellets and sparse black opaque sand. Tables 1 and 2 give the breakdown of fabrics by context. Two fabrics dominate the assemblages, the black sand and flint-tempered fabric BF2 and the flint-tempered fabric F2. Fabric BF2 accounts for 24 per cent by sherd number and 20 per cent by sherd weight of the total assemblage and fabric F2 accounts for 70 per cent by sherd number and 7 5 per cent by sherd weight. The remaining 10 fabrics ( 60 sherds) account for 6 per cent of the total assemblage by sherd number. A local source can be suggested for most of not all the inclusions (quartz sand, black (glauconitic) sand, flint and shell) found in the fabrics. The mineral composition of the black sand is most probably glauconitic and these inclusions no doubt derive from the local Cretaceous geology, possibly from beds within the Lower Greensand (Gallois 1992, 29-38). Flint inclusions were nearly always calcined, angular and deliberately added as filler or opening material to the fabrics. Assemblage Composition The total assemblage from the fieldwork contained 20 featured sherds, which are discussed below; a selection is illustrated in Fig. 11. The remainder of the assemblage is summarised in Tables 1 and 2 and in the discussion section below. The majority of the featured sherds (16) were recovered during the evaluation, and only four in the excavation. Two pits (29/3 and 39/101) which contained LBA pottery were excavated. No featured sherds were found in pit 39/101, but eight featured sherds were recovered from 29/3 (fill 29/4) in evaluation trench 29 (Fig. 11.3-8). These sherds consist of two rim sherds (Fig. 11.3-4), a decorated body sherd (Fig. 11.5), three sherds from a neck cordon ( of which two are illustrated Fig. 11.6) and sherds from two bases (Fig. 11.7-8). The other featured sherds were recovered from colluvial deposits: 3/4 (two rims), 26/3 (base sherd and decorated body sherd), 26/7 (?spindle-whorl fragment), 27/4 (rim) and 38/3 (two rim sherds); from later pits: 26/1 l (rim) and 30/6 (rim); and from topsoil: 38/23 (two rims). The sherds selected for illustration are 127 ..... N 00 TABLE 2: QUANTIFICATION OF PREHISTORIC POTTERY FROM EVALUATION CONTEXTS (SHERD NUMBER, WEIGHT (g)) Trench/ Sand and flint Black sand Black sand and flint Flint Flint and Total Context and sand grog AFl AF2 BAI BFl BF2 Fl F2 F3 FG2 3D. 1, 2g 1, lg 2,3g 3/4 5, 15g 6,2 7g 11, 42g 512 1, 5g 1, 5g 6/us 1,24g 1,24g 13/5 5, Ilg 1,5g 6, 16g 17/2 1,4g 1,4g 19/3 1, 13g 1, 13g 20/7 2,5g 2, 5g 25/2 3, 15g 3,4g l,4g 7,23g 25/6 l, 4g 1,4g 26/3 7,20g 9,20g 3,14g 19, 54g 26/4 4, 7g 4, 7 g 26/6 3,8g 6,5g 2, 7g 11, 20g 26/7 l,l 7g 2,6g 3,23g 26/9 I, Sg I, 3g 2, 82 Trench/ Sand and flint Black sand Black sand and flint Flint Flint and Total Context and sand grog AFl AF2 BAI BPI BF2 Fl F2 F3 FG2 26/11 2, 5g I, lg 3, 6g 27/2 l, 23 g I, 8g 2, 31g 27/4 I, 3g 8,22g 9,25g 28/1 I, 5g I, 5g 29/4 149,541g 37,148g 186,689g 29/6 1,3g I, 3g 30/6 I,