Monument Type(s):

• TRACKWAY (Middle Iron Age to Roman - 190 BC to 200 AD) + Sci.Date
• DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 410 AD)

Summary

A section of ditch was recorded during trial trenching in 2020, in association with sherds of Roman pottery. Its form was initially interpreted as indicating a possible military origin. Further excavation recorded it as a side ditch for a trackway, with OSL dating indicating that the silting of the ditches took place between 190 BC – AD 50 for the most easterly ditch and 20 BC – AD 200 for the most westerly ditch.

Related records

Associated Finds

• FSA2672 - SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 410 AD)

Associated Events

• ESA9406 - 2020 Trial trenching on land W of B5009, Whittington by SLR Consulting
• ESA9794 - 2021 Strip, map and sample on land W of B5009, Whittington by SLR Consulting (Ref: 20/03858/FUL)

Description

A section of ditch was recorded during trial trenching in 2020. The ditch [4003] was excavated in a 1.50m slot. It was 0.90 to 1.10m wide and had a rounded ‘V’ shaped profile. The North-Eastern side was gradual in slope, while the South-Western side had a break of slope halfway down to the base – rather like a Roman ‘ankle-breaker’ ditch. The primary fill (4006) was an edge slump deposit, and was a mid-grey silt with frequent poorly sorted stones. This deposit contained a burnt stone and a small fragment of pottery. The secondary fill (4004) was a pale grey-brown silty clay with stones up to 0.80m, and a tip line running in from the North-Eastern side, indicating a possible bank on that side. The fill contained a burnt stone and a material like slag or pumice that could not be identified. It also contained 17 sherds of Black Burnished Ware (probably BB2), including a rim and several sherds with a lattice pattern (Figure 4-5). BB2 is wheel-thrown Roman pottery and dates to AD 150-225; it is a type of pottery used for cooking pots, and is commonly found on Roman military sites. Extensions to the trench exposed a greater length of the ditch, but did not expose any associated features. <1>

Furth excavation was undertaken of this 'ditch' during a strip map and sample investigation in 2021. This recorded it as a side ditch for a trackway, with OSL dating indicating that the silting of the ditches took place between 190 BC – AD 50 for the most easterly ditch and 20 BC – AD 200 for the most westerly ditch. The projected trajectory of the ditches aligns them on a route towards the earthworks surrounding Whittington Castle, located c.215m to the north-west, and an association with the postulated defended enclosure (PRN 32853) is suggested. <2>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.