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Summary - not yet available

Monument Type(s):

• RING DITCH (Unknown date)
• TRACKWAY (Unknown date)
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• DITCH (Unknown date)
• DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PIT (18th century to 19th century - 1701 AD to 1900 AD)
• PIT (Early Iron Age - 800 BC to 401 BC)
• POST HOLE (Unknown date)
• POST HOLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• DITCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• POND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds:

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
• ASSEMBLAGE (Undated)
• ASSEMBLAGE (Undated)
• FLAKE (Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1501 BC)
• SHERD (Early Iron Age - 800 BC to 401 BC)
• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SHERD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events:

• Geophysical survey at Chapel End, Sawtry, 2013
• Evaluation at Chapel End, Sawtry, 2013
• Excavation at Chapel End, Sawtry in 2017 (Ref: SWTCHE17)

Full description

1. A detailed magnetometer survey was carried out. Two circular earthworks were present on the site but proved to magnetically invisible. Other features identified include a trackway to the north-east of the earthworks, ridge and furrow traces and some other linear features.

2. A subsequent evaluation was carried out in April 2013 comprising fifteen trenches across the site. Features were identified in all but one trench.

A series of linear features were encountered in trenches 1, 6, 8 and 9. The features were previously identified in the geophysical survey and were attributed to medieval agricultural furrows, however, the evaluation suggested they in fact formed a mixture of furrows and other linear features - perhaps lazy beds. No dating evidence was recovered. Other undated features included a possible pit and a shallow terminus from trench 1, ditches and termini from trench 3, postholes and pits in trenh 6, postholes and ditches in trench 7, pits and ditches in trench 5 & 8, postholes in trench 9, hollows in trench 10 and ditches in trench 12.

Prehistoric features included a single pit was identified in trench 2 containing a dark, charcoal rich fill. Finds recovered from the pit included Early Iron pottery, worked flint, animal bone, burnt stone and burnt daub from the upper fill of the pit, the burnt daub is suggestive of a hearth of oven structure nearby. Environmental sampling from the fill indicate a good potential for the preservation of plant remains. A series of pits from trench 11 contained a similar dark, charcoal rich fill with some burnt daub and were therefore also considered to be Iron Age. A ditch in trench 13 contined a single late Neolithic end scraper with a similar fill to an undated ditch in trench 12. No definite Roman features were identified, however, a ditch in trench 4 containing a single fragment of Samian ware.

Medieval features were identified across the site including a series of pits, some intercutting from trench 3. Dating was limited with a few fragments of medieval pottery from the pits and environmental samples indicating wheat and pulses associated with Roman and Saxon activity. A possible ditch terminus from trench 4 with medieval pottery and a ditch containing fragments of a dog skeleton. Trench 5 contained two ditches and several pits with a subsequent extension to the trench identifying a further three postholes, two gullies and two ditch or pit features. Trench 6 also identified medieval features including two possible postholes and a pit while trench 7 identified two probable medieval ditches. Trench 8 identified two ditches containing 11th-12th century ware. Trenches 9, 10 and 14 also identified medieval pits. Post medieval to modern features included two pits with 18th-19th century finds in trenches 5, 7, 8 and 14.

3. Subsequent excavation revealed at least eight phases of activity across the site.
Phase 1 - Roman
Phase 2 - Early Saxon
Phase 3 - Late Saxon
Phase 4 - early medieval
Phase 5 - later medieval
Phase 6 - disturbance
Phase 7 - post medieval
phase 8 - modern

The earliest activity in Area 2 consisted of eight ditches and five pits associated with phase 3 activity dating to the Late Saxon period. These features extended south into Area 1. In the early medieval period (phase 4) there appears to have been a shift in the predominant layout of features into a co-axial alignment. This was primarily identified in Area 2 where a series of ditches and subsequent recuts were identified. Phase 5 evidence dating to the later medieval period comprised a series of recuts and minor alignments to earlier features, an elongated pit and a basic metalled surface. Phase 6 activity comprised a period of disturbance across the site interpreted as a result of consistently wet ground conditions. Phase 7 activity dates to the post medieval and consisted of a possible pond in Area 2. Phase 8 activity dates to the modern period and is characterised by a spread of made ground to the western edge of Area 2.

<1> Walford, J., 2013, Archaeological geophysical Survey at Chapel End, Sawtry (Unpublished report). SCB45744.

<2> Hogan, S., 2013, Chapel End, Sawtry, Cambridgeshire An archaeological evaluation assessment (Unpublished report). SCB47526.

<3> Thatcher, C., 2018, Late Saxon and Medieval Activity at Chapel End, Sawtry, Cambridgeshire: PXA and UPD (Unpublished report). SCB60798.

Sources and further reading

Related documents and web pages

• http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1027811
• https://doi.org/10.5284/1048479

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