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| HER Number | MWB17972 |
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| Record Type | Monument |
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| Name | De La Beche, Aldworth - remains of early medieval ancillary buildings |
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Summary
Foundations of 12th and 13th century buildings found during excavation in 2008
Monument Type(s):
Full Description
An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to proposed development on land at De La Beche <1>. Two trenches were excavated revealing two buildings and several phases of occupation from the 12th to 15th century. More information was then obtained about these structures from an area excavation <2>.
The excavation showed that the construction of an earlier building took place probably in the 12th century; a wall was found although its association with other features is uncertain.
A second phase of building appears to have followed the razing of the earlier building and pottery of a 12th to mid 13th century date was recovered from within the wall construction trenches. Occupation deposits date from the 13th century in this building which coincides with the arrival of the De La Beche family.
The main surviving walls defined a cobbled area which appeared to have post-pads made from limestone or mortar, either for an upper storey or for the roof. This area was possibly contemporary with a beaten-earth area to the south. Beam slots within the earth floor suggest the rooms in this area were sub-divided.
Neither the western nor eastern extents of the second building were determined, despite a resistivity survey <3>. Fragments of glazed roof finial suggest a higher status building might lie in the vicinity
A stone-lined drain was added at some point after the 12th century, and the buiding was demolished probably by the 16th century. It was suggested that it was an ancillary building to the manor house, perhaps part of a working farm.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | John Moore Heritage Services. 2009. An Archaeological Excavation at De La Beche, Aldworth, West Berkshire. JMHS Proj No 1957. 2017 WBC Network. 10.5284/1018962. [Unpublished document / SWB147587]
https://doi.org/10.5284/1018962 (Accessed 09/10/2017) |
| <02> | John Moore Heritage Services. 2008. An Archaeological Evaluation at De La Beche, Aldworth, West Berkshire. JMHS Proj No 1957. In ADS Grey Lit library. 10.5284/1018962. [Unpublished document / SWB147413]
http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1018962 (Accessed 05/09/2013) |
| <03> | Hutt, A. 2008. Field Work Report for resistivity survey in De La Beche garden on 27th August 2008. [Unpublished document / SWB147540] |
Related Monuments
| MWB4130 | De la Beche, Aldworth (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB1019 | Archaeological Evaluation at De La Beche, Aldworth, West Berkshire (Ref: Site Code AWDLB 08) |
| EWB1038 | Resistivity Survey in De La Beche garden, Aldworth, West Berkshire |
| EWB1056 | Archaeological Excavation at De La Beche, Aldworth, West Berkshire (Ref: Site Code AWDLB 08) |
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