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Summary

Iron Age and Roman remains south of Fen Road were identified during an evaluation.

Full description

PRN 61192
Remains dating from the late Iron Age and throughout the Roman period have been identified on a site south of Fen Road. The Iron Age features were recorded in the south-west of the site, and include post holes, pits, gullies and ditches containing pottery, animal bone and burnt stone. Two curving gullies may form part of a roundhouse drip gully. The truncation of one of the gullies by later features suggests more than one phase of construction. One of the later features is a ditch which may represent an enclosure which surrounded an occupied area. An undated arc of post holes may also date to the Iron Age phase of activity, although this is tenuous. Two pieces of briquetage were recovered at the site. There is no evidence of marine inundation at the site, so it may reflect exchange between this community and those closer to the coast where saltmaking was carried out.
In trenches to the east of the Iron Age remains early Roman features have been identified. Two parallel features and a possible linked L-shaped feature (identified by the geophysical survey and trial trenching) have been interpreted as a trackway with an associated enclosure. Although no structural evidence was revealed, it is possible that there was settlement in the enclosed area, particularly given the presence of first and second century pottery, animal bone and charred cereals.
It appears that occupation continued into the late Roman period. A burial was recorded which truncated one of the trackway ditches, suggesting that the trackway had fallen out of use. However, it is possible that the enclosed area was still in use, and the burial had been placed at its edge (similar examples have been recorded at Old Place, Sleaford). A pit containing charred cereal/charcoal suggests a domestic context and the recovery of 50 sherds of pottery and animal bones from a clayey hollow suggests dumping outside the enclosed area.
The relationships between the different phases of activity may be clarified by further work on the site.
The cropmark remains recorded to the south may be related to the remains identified on this site. {1}{2}
Archaeological investigations were undertaken on land at Fen Road and took the form of archaeological monitoring of building plots located in the western and south-western area of the site, and an archaeological excavation of the main drainage trench for the development. The investigations identified several late Iron Age ditches across the site, with two parallel curvilinear ditches identified in the north-western area possibly representing a trackway. Early Roman ditches and a pit were also identified in the northern and eastern half of the site. Environmental sampling of the pit suggests that the processing of cereals was taking place near the site, but there were no signs of intensive occupation. A number of undated ditches were also identified across the site, several of which may also be of Iron Age date. No further structural evidence was identified in any of the monitored areas. {3}{4}

<1> Archaeological Project Services, Feb 2000, Land at Fen Road, Ruskington, RFR00 (Report). SLI5755.

<2> Archaeological Project Services, 2000, land at Fen Road, Ruskington, LCNCC 2000.47 (Archive). SLI5756.

<3> Archaeological Project Services, June 2004, Archaeological Investigations on land at Fen Road, Ruskington, RFRA01 (Report). SLI9348.

<4> Archaeological Project Services, June 2004, Archaeological Investigations on land at Fen Road, Ruskington, LCNCC 2000.47 (Archive). SLI9349.

Monument Types

• DITCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• GULLY (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
• PIT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• POST HOLE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• TRACKWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• BURIAL (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• BRIQUETAGE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
• PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• SHERD (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Events

• Land at Fen Road
• Land at Fen Road
• Archaeological Investigations on land at Fen Road, Ruskington
• Archaeological Investigations on land at Fen Road, Ruskington

Sources and further reading

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.