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Summary

Medieval boundary ditch which cut features containing St Neots Ware and other Saxo-Norman pottery

Monument Types

• DITCH (Late Saxon to Medieval - 870 AD to 1500 AD)
• PIT (Late Saxon to Medieval - 870 AD to 1500 AD)

Associated Events

• Evaluation at Elm House, The Causeway, Therfield, 2016 (Ref: 212/THE)
• Strip, map & sample on land adjacent to Elm House, Therfield, 2017 (Ref: 246/THE)

Full description

A ditch, groups of gullies, and two pits, found in evaluation in the NE corner of the grounds at Elm House in 2016, appeared to represent a medieval boundary ditch which cut features containing 11th-12th century pottery. The ditch in trench 1 contained residual Roman pottery as well as mid 14th century Hertfordshire Glazed Ware sherds, and a small amount of animal bone. It cut a gully which had 11th century St Neots Ware in its secondary backfill, as well as animal bone, and some medieval or later roof tile. Just to the south, trench 2 revealed more of the same ditch, two pits, and more gullies. The pits appear to have been backfilled with rubbish, including 11th century St Neots Ware, 12th century sandy wares, a possible fitting in copper alloy, burnt daub, and animal bone. The ditch cut one of these pits. Its fills contained more St Neots Ware, mid 12th century sandy ware and Hertfordshire Grey Ware and similar animal bone; in the top fill was yet more St Neots Ware and mid 14th century Hertfordshire Glazed Ware. It cut a group of gullies which contained no finds. Two pieces of retouched flint of Neolithic or Bronze Age date were residual in these medieval contexts. The animal bone was mostly cattle and sheep/goat, with some pig, horse, dog and red deer. The main ditch was maintained over a period of time, with a recut. It may relate to the earthworks [1659] in the field to the north, which are assumed to be medieval <1>.
Further work early in 2017 established more of the sequence <2>. Two rubbish pits containing late Saxon pottery and some residual Roman sherds appeared to be the earliest features. Following their disuse came two more pits and a ditch, which was backfilled in the 12th century and cut by the main boundary ditch. The main ditch fills included residual Roman pottery, 11th century pottery, daub, and a silver coin of Aethelred II (978-1016), minted in Cambridge <3>. Other pits and ditches may be contemporary; one pit contained 12th century pottery. Two more ditches were apparently later, but contained residual Iron Age and 11th-12th century pottery, and daub <2>.

<1> Summerfield-Hill, Carina, 2016, Archaeological evaluation report: land adjacent to Elm House, The Causeway, Therfield, Hertfordshire, RNO 3723 (Report). SHT17937.

<2> Summerfield-Hill, Carina, 2017, Archaeological investigations: interim report. Land adjacent to Elm House, The Causeway, Therfield, Hertfordshire, RNO 3794 (Report). SHT18035.

<3> Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), BH-C48D20 (Digital archive). SHT6097.

Sources and further reading

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