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Summary

10th - 12th century occupation was recorded during two phases of excavation at 89 Barrow Road, 1999-2000. There was also some evidence for earlier Saxon activity and limited reoccupation of the site in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Monument Types

• BUILDING (EMED:AS/MED, Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 850 AD to 1199 AD)
• DITCH (EMED:AS, Early Medieval/Dark Age - 850 AD to 999 AD)

Protected Status - None

Associated Finds

• KILN FURNITURE (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 680 AD to 1350 AD)
• PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 850 AD to 1250 AD)
• PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 850 AD to 1250 AD)
• QUERN (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 850 AD to 1199 AD)
• SLAG (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 850 AD to 1250 AD)
• KILN FURNITURE (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1199 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1000 AD to 1199 AD)
• KEY (LOCKING) (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1000 AD to 1299 AD)

Associated Events

• An Archaeological Evaluation at Barrow Road, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire 1999 (Ref: BOH 99)
• An Archaeological Evaluation at Barrow Road, Barton upon Humber (Ref: BOH 2000)
• Desk-based assessment, 1,3 & 5 Green Lane, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, 2008

Full description

Two phases of excavation were done by Humber Field Archaeology at 89 Barrow Road, 1999-2000. The work was carried out in advance of the construction of a single bungalow. 10th - 12th century occupation was recorded, and there was also some evidence for earlier Saxon activity and limited reoccupation of the site in the 13th and 14th centuries. There was also evidence that the defensive ditch known as Castledyke ran through the site.

Two evaluation trenches were excavated in 1999, leading to the identification of four chronological phases.

Phase 1 was 10th century. At the northern end of Trench 1 were two intercutting pits (1038 and 1032), interpreted as truncated postholes. A further sub-circular posthole (1035) was found in the centre of the trench. A possible track surface (1007), aligned NW-SE, was recorded in the southern part of the trench. It consisted of a brown silt with a scattering of cobbles and rounded stones. A the SW corner of the trench, one corner of a rectangular feature (1008) was visible. Aligned NNE-SSW, it measured 2.10m by 1.10m wide, 0.45m deep, with near vertical sides and a flat base. It cut through posthole 1038, and also the trackway. The tertiary fill of this feature contained residual middle Saxon pottery and a sherd of pottery identified at possible Torksey Ware, 10th-12th century. This feature was considered to be a possible sunken-featured building. The Torksey sherd would make this a very late example of the type.
In Trench 2, two 10th-century pits (2021, 2023) were located at the eastern side of the trench. A substantial E-W ditch (2019) dominated the western part of the trench. The excavated width was between 1.25m and 1m, and the depth was over 1m. The fill contained sherds of 9th-10th century Lincoln Shell Tempered Ware. This ditch probably represented a settlement boundary.

Phase 2 was 11th century. Both trenches contained evidence of building activity. In Trench 1, a beam slot and three postholes extended for over 5m in a NNW-SSE alignment. Mid 11th - 12th century pottery was recovered from a posthole within the beam slot. This was thought to be from the time of the demolition of the building. The type of post-in-trench construction recorded here is characteristic of the late Saxon period. No evidence of any occupation layers was revealed, either due to demolition/clearance or later ploughing. A pit and a posthole in the NE corner of the trench were undated, but assigned to this phase as their forms were similar to those already dated.
In Trench 2, two further post-in-trench foundations and associated postholes were recorded. In the western end of the trench, a beam slot with a posthole (2009) was aligned E-W; the slot measured 0.9m long, 0.34m wide and 0.1m deep. In the NE corner of the trench, another beam slot and posthole (2014, 2016) had the same E-W alignment. The dimensions were 1.60m long, 0.35m wide and up to 0.20m deep. Two postholes (2012, 2017) were located perpendicular to the eastern end of this beam slot, suggesting the corner of a building. As in Trench 1, there were no occupation deposits.

Phase 3 was 12th century. In both trenches, this phase appeared to represent the abandonment of the late Saxon occupation. In Trench 1, a large ovoid pit (1015) measured 1.4m by 1m, 0.38m deep. The different accumulations of deposits within it suggested that it had been open for some time. Late 11th or 12th century pottery was found in a secondary fill. In Trench 2, the earlier features were abondoned, and it was suggested by the excavators that it may have shifted back towards the ditched enclosure. The main feature was a single ditch (2003) aligned NW-SE, which cut through the earlier features. It measured between 1.30m and 2.10m wide, 2.20m in length and 0.42m deep. 9th-10th century pottery found within it was thought to be residual. It appears to have been a boundary feature, used to divide agricultural land.

Phase 4 was medieval to modern. In Trench 1, several minor features and deposits suggested further activity after Phase 3. They were all sealed by a 0.21m thick layer of clay silt (1002/1005), thought to be relict plough soil; it contained residual pottery of the 10th-12th centuries. A sealing layer of silty clay subsoil (2008) 0.18m thick was also present in the SE half of Trench 2. [1]

A second excavation was undertaken by Humber Field Archaeology in 2000. This was aimed at preservation by record, and covered the entire footprint of the proposed bungalow, encompassing the northern half of the 1999 Trench 1. Further evidence for occupation and buildings was found, as well as evidence for iron smithing on the site, and limited re-occupation in the 13th and 14th centuries. 7 phases of activity were identified, although the phasing was thought to be problematical due to the absence of stratigraphy and the lack of reliable dating evidence. Much of the phasing was based on the layout and orientation of the features. Phases 1-3 spanned the late 9th to late 10th century. Phase 4 covered activity from the mid 11th to the mid 12th century, including the westward shift of settlement activity. Phases 5-7 covered the abandonment of the land in the medieval period and conversion to farmland.

The largest grouping of features within Phase 1 appeared to represent a post-built building and a curving ditch, possibly a soakaway. The building partially overlaid two linear slots (1332, 1050), and was composed of 16 postholes enclosing a rectangular area measuring 2.2m x 2m, on a similar WNW-ESE alignment to the to slots. Eight of the postholes formed two parallel alignments, thought to be the core of the structure; the remaining postholes may represent rebuilding or additions to the structure. The curving ditch enclosed the building to the NE, and measured 1.2m wide by 0.47m deep, with tapered at both ends. Large quantities of cereal grains and some wheat chaff fragments were recovered from one of the fills of this ditch.
A second group of post and stakeholes was located immediately to the NE. They appeared to represent several rebuilds of one wall of a building, aligned NW-SE for a distance of 3.1m. A gap between two postholes suggested a doorway. The long axis of the building was probably beyond the limit of excavation.
Several shallow slots and postholes were located to the NW of the building complex, on the same alignment as slot 1332, possibly representing the terminus of a structure. Its NE side may have been removed by later features.
A complex sequence of intercutting ditches in the SE corner of the site could be seen to be cut by the later Castledyke. The earliest ditch (1278) was aligned N-S and was 0.68m deep. It was recut by (1231), whose fill produced a single Roman sherd and Saxon lava quern fragments. A shallow V-shaped ditch (1302) cut both the earlier ditches, and contained 8th-9th century pottery.
In the south-western corner of the site, several narrow NW-SE linear slots (1089, 1105, 1126) extended beyond the limit of excavation. They were between 80mm and 0.30m deep, suggesting planks or staves. They were on the same alignment as the track surface (1007) found in Trench 1 of the 1999 evaluation, and may have been related to it, perhaps fences or animal pens/enclosures. At least 3 postholes were thought to relate to these slots.
In the north-western corner of the site were further slots with associated postholes. The earliest feature was a probable beam slot (1193), orientated WNW-ESE. The cut was 2.5m long, 0.58m wide and 0.22m deep. A gully (1062) and a posthole (1128) were recorded nearby. A substantial beam slot (1060) was the latest feature. It measured 0.40m wide and 0.27m deep, aligned NW-SE. A posthole in its base may indicate a post-trench construction. Charred plant material was recovered from the fill of the beam slot, including cereals, pulses and weed species.

In Phase 2, all the previous structures were completely replaced. A major N-S ditch (1087/1220) was constructed across the site, with a length of 14m, a maximum width of 2m and a depth of up to 0.70m. It was thought to be contemporary with an E-W ditch (2019) located in Trench 2 of the 1999 evaluation, dated to the late 9th-10th century. This might indicate an enclosure c.23m wide. There were no surviving internal features.

In Phase 3, the enclosure ditch was filled in. Fragmentary features, aligned NE-SW, were characteristic of this phase. A western boundary ditch (1069) measured between 0.6 - 1.0m wide and up to 0.6m deep. The presence of a building was indicated by a beam slot (1234), 7.9m long by 0.55m wide, up to 0.31m deep. Two other possible slots (1288, 1282) lay to the east. The reconstructed dimensions of the building were 8m long by 3-4m wide. No floor surfaces were found. Postholes (2012, 2017) and a post-trench construction (2014, 2016) recorded in Trench 2 in 1999 were thought to belong to this phase of settlement. Evidence of iron smithing was recorded from Phase 3; hammerscale, slag and two possible tuyere fragments from a forge.

Phase 4 was characterised by intensive activity, and a drift westwards of settlement. It was divided into 3 parts.
Phase 4a included two possible post-constructed buildings. The first building was made up of at least 15 postholes, and measured 4.5m long by 3-4m wide. Some postholes made up several internal divisions. The second building lay further west and was more substantial. 11 postholes indicated one side of the building, which had an overall length of 11m. 11th-12th century pottery was found in the fill of one posthole. No occupation layers were found.
Phase 4b was a further shift westward, with one building rebuilt at least three times in the same location. A series of beam slots (1074, 1076, 1013) indicated a building with an estimated length of over 9m, with the western end extending beyond the excavated area.
Phase 4c included the largest building on the site, lying on the same alignment as those from Phases 4a and 4b. A wide linear slot (1021) was up to 1.10m wide and up to 0.35m deep. It was interpreted as a sill beam; 11th-12th century pottery was recovered from the fill. Another beam slot (1225) may have formed the northern end, making the dimensions of the building over 11m long by over 5m wide. An E-W linear ditch (1268/1351) probably marked the northern extent of the plot in which the building stood.

Phase 5 consisted of a single event, the excavation of the large ditch known as Castledyke. It extended across the site for 11.80m in a NE-SW direction; its width was 5.10m and the depth was 1.50m. The ditch had 13 fills, the earliest producing 11th-12th century pottery. A simliar date range of pottery was found throughout the other fills, with some 13th century material. This was interpreted as due to a lack of new material being introduced onto the site during the time it was open.

Phase 6 consisted of evidence of local occupation on the periphery of habitation some distance away. The NW-SE aligned ditch (2003) found in Trench 2 in 1999 belonged to this phase, thought to be a field boundary aligned perpendicular to Castledyke. A pit (1241) cut into the upper fill of Castledyke was found to contain 13th-14th century pottery. Environmental evidence from this feature contained evidence of open grassland environment, with cereal grains suggesting some settlement nearby.

Phase 7 was late medieval and post-medieval. Dumped burnt clay (1053) extended over part of the site, probably the fill of a large pit. Cereal grains, weed species and some ironworking slag was found within it. A posthole (1385) and a substantial E-W boundary ditch (1387) had been cut into this pit.

It was proposed by the excavators that the Middle Saxon enclosure that lay within 100m of this site would have had some bearing on its development. The earliest alignments within Phase 1 appeared to be governed by a south-eastern entrance route to the enclosure, although the routeway itself was not found. The late Saxon phases of the Barrow Road site are aligned with the road itself, rather than the routeway entrance; this might support the idea that the major enclosure was mostly abandoned by this time. The settlement had probably already been abandoned by the time Castledyke was constructed in the mid 12th century, part of the town defences in the civil wars of that period. If any farmstead remained, it may have been cleared of its inhabitants in an emergency measure.

The Barrow Road settlement was suggested to be a lower status agrarian settlement, part of a polyfocal arrangement at Barton in which mecantile and agrarian groups occupied different areas within the early town. The environmental evidence suggested that a mixture of cereals was in use on the site, mainly free-threshing wheat, barley and oat. Beans and flax were found in the earliest phase, the flax perhaps being grown for the production of linen. Cereal grains were almost certainly stored on the site, as one structure could be interpreted as a granary, and cleaned grains were present in the macrofossil assemblage. Saxon lava quern fragments were also found on the site. Cattle dominated the animal bone assemblage, followed by sheep and a few pigs. The age at slaughter of the animals followed a similar pattern to those at Middle Saxon York, Flixborough and Porchester. Both juvenile and mature animals were favoured, while pigs were almost always immature. The only evidence of craft of site was for iron smithing, found in all phases except Phase 2. The pottery in use on the site was low status, with an absence of finewares. [2]

The excavations at 89 Barrow Road were published in the journal of the Society of Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. [3]

<1> J Bradley, 2000, An Archaeological Evaluation at Barrow Road, Barton upon Humber, 13-16 (REPORT - INTERIM, RESEARCH, SPECIALIST, ETC). SLS3351.

<2> J Bradley, 2002, An Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Barrow Road, Barton upon Humber, 6, 10-28 (REPORT - INTERIM, RESEARCH, SPECIALIST, ETC). SLS3352.

<3> Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, 1966 -, Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, No.37, 2002, 5-20 (JOURNAL - RECORD OF EVENTS). SLS1352.

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