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Summary - not yet available

Monument Type(s):

• WALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PIT (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds:

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
• ASSEMBLAGE (Undated)
• CEREAL GRAIN (Undated)
• MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Undated)
• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• BRICK (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• CAME (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• NAIL (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• RIDGE TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ROOF TILE (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WINDOW GLASS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SHERD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SHOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TOBACCO PIPE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events:

• Evaluation at Palace Yard Farm, Somersham in 2019

Full description

1. Archaeological evaluation carried out at Palace Yard Farm in 2019 in response to an archaeological condition on planning permission for the construction of a new replacement dwelling. Two trenches at the northern end of the development area revealed only limited medieval and post medieval finds, however, a series of walls - both brick and stone - were encountered in test pits 7-12 at the southern end of the site and may represent former wall foundations associated with the medieval palace.

Trenches 1 and 2 were located to the north of the present house. The upper layers contained quantities of medieval to post medieval material including pottery, brick and tile, animal remains and marine shell. Features identified included a Flemish bond brick wall at the western end of trench 1 and a demolition spread at the eastern end. Trench 2 adjoined trench 1 and appeared to contain a continuation of the demolition spread. Test pits 3-6, located to the rear of the present garden plot contained quantities of medieval to post medieval material and evidence of a demolition spread in test pit 6.

At the southern end of the development area, test pits 7-12 identified a number of features including a possible brick wall foundation in test pit 7 and a demolition pit containing medieval to post medieval pottery. Test pit 8 only contained a single sherd of post medieval pottery. Test pit 9 contained a masonry wall foundation of at least two courses of stone with lime mortar. There was some suggestion of facing on the western edge. The finds recovered from this test pit included a medieval crested roof tile. Test pit 10 contained a possible mortar spread identified as a possible internal or external floor surface. Test pit 11 contained no significant features and only a small quantity of post medieval material. Test pit 12 contained a brick wall foundation at a depth of 0.7m and traces of a possible construction cut. Test pit 13 contained a rubble wall foundation cut by a large feature, possibly a pit containing post medieval material.

<1> Green, M., 2019, Palace Yard Farm, Church Street, Somersham Archaeological evaluation (Unpublished report). SCB68077.

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