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Summary

Part of Norman castle outer defences

Monument Types

• EARTHWORK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)

Associated Events

• Evaluation of land adjacent to St Peter's churchyard, Benington, 2002

Protected Status

• Area of Archaeological Significance 78
• Registered Park or Garden 11: Benington Lordship

Full description

A deep ditch cut into the chalk was recorded in evaluation in advance of an extension to the churchyard <1>. The ditch, which had formed part of the churchyard's southern boundary, was probably part of the defences of the Norman castle [29]. The lower fill contained Norman and later domestic refuse including meat bones and pottery, and a single large sherd of a Flavian rouletted Samian bowl (form 18R; nothing else on the site was Roman). The pottery ranged from hand-made Norman types to Herts Glazed ware, the overall date being 12th century. A second ditch at right-angles had a similar fill. For a plan of the earthworks here and further around the west side of the castle, see <2>.
For residual earlier sherds, see [12010].

<1> Rook, Tony, 2002, An archaeological appraisal of the site of a proposed burial ground at Benington, RNO 1209 (Report). SHT9521.

<2> RCHME, Stevenage OS sweep antiquity models (plans of earthworks in area around Stevenage), 1:2,500, Surveyed c1990 (Cartographic material). SHT8988.

<3> National Monuments Record, NMR Monument Report (Hertfordshire), RNO 2347 p117 (Unpublished document). SHT9440.

<4> Cocroft, W D, 1990, (Revision of antiquities in Stevenage area) Research in 1990 i: fieldwork; Medieval Settlement Research Group Annual Report 5, 24-5 (Article in serial). SHT9837.

Sources and further reading

Related records

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