Record Details

Summary

Two adjacent middle Iron Age enclosures on Sutton Common, near Askern. Ditched and palisaded, and connected by a causeway. Excavation revealed c150 post-built structures in the interior of the larger, eastern enclosure, along with at least 12 'mortuary rings'.

Monument Type(s):

• PALAEOCHANNEL (Undated)
• CAUSEWAY (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 372 BC to 100 BC)
• CREMATION (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 372 BC to 100 BC)
• ENCLOSED SETTLEMENT (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 372 BC to 100 BC)
• ENCLOSURE (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 372 BC to 100 BC) + Sci.Date
• HUMAN REMAINS (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 372 BC to 100 BC)
• PALISADE (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 372 BC to 100 BC) + Sci.Date
• POST BUILT STRUCTURE (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 372 BC to 100 BC)

Associated Finds:

Protected Status:

• Scheduled Monument () 1004816: Earthworks on Sutton Common

Full Description

<1> Sutton Common has been known for centuries; one of the earliest discussions of the monument dates back to 1868 when the Reverend Scott F Surtees gave a lecture to the Geological & Polytechnic Society of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Reverend described banks and ditches, "on which at regular intervals were elevated, oblong or oval mounds with a small trench around them, about a foot in width. These banks and ditches will be noted, on a more careful survey, to be part of an oblong enclosure; and, at the hinder part, will be found a second enclosure, smaller, and having only a single entrenchment; this also has, upon the elevated ground, in a few places, raised mounds - some oblong, some round". Surtees proposed the site to be that of a rare Roman Camp; subsequent work on the site (see below) has revealed it to be of Iron Age date.

<2> Excavations were carried out on Sutton Common in 1909 or 1910 by Dr Corbett of Doncaster, and between 1910 and 1914 by Major Crathorne Anne and G. V. Charlton. The original records of this work appear to have been lost. Excavations were undertaken in 1933, 1934 & 1935 by C.E. Whiting. Reports of the earlier work, gathered by Whiting, describe various discoveries including decayed wood and thatch, arrowheads and other flints around the circular depressions - interpreted as dwelling huts. Investigations about the northern gate found fallen stakes, and a skull of Bos longifrons (Ox) in a ditch. Human bones were also thought to have been found at the north-eastern gateway.

Whiting's investigations revealed a series of post holes, some containing the remains of partially decayed wooden stakes, with evidence of brushwood between, beneath the rampart, suggesting a palisade predating the earthwork. Circular depressions on the ramparts, each surrounding a low mound were considered to represent hut circles. Finds were few, comprising a perforated stone object, possibly a net sinker or spindle whorl; a clay ball; fragments of Romano-British pottery; a wooden object, possibly a wheel; Mesolithic to Bronze Age flint implements mostly found below the old soil line and consisting of scrapers blades, flakes and cores; also animal bone. Whiting also reports the first evidence of a causeway between the two enclosures and postulated a pre-second century AD date for the site. A piece of human skull was discovered between the two encolsures.

<3> <4> Sutton Common suffered at the hands agricultural 'improvements' during the early 1980s. Tragically, the larger enclosure was levelled in advance of ploughing for cereal production.Two years later, the Ministry of Agriculture initiated a programme of drainage in the area that was to have disastrous effects on the archaeology and ecology of Sutton Common. In 1987 excavations were undertaken to establish the impact of the drainage and ploughing on the deposits.

One of Whiting’s trenches was re-excavated and extended. This revealed waterlogged wood consisting of a ‘framework’ of interlaced poles associated with cut logs and dismantled hurdle fencing. Also recovered was a ‘dump’ of partially carbonised seeds, representing ‘one of the best preserved from any rural site in Britain’, thought to indicate the presence of a grain store. Ploughing had seriously damaged Whiting’s 'hut' features. Careful re-examination of Whiting’s reports led to the conclusion that drainage was having an effect on preservation, since waterlogged deposits were thought to lie very close to the surface. Discussion of Whiting's work also led to the theory that parts of the site may have had a ritual function.

<5> Subsequent to the 1987 excavations came an Impact Study and Proposals for the future stabilisation, preservation and partial excavation of the enclosures.

<6> Further excavations took place in 1988 and 1989, to establish the condition of the remains and establish their archaeological potential. These excavations showed that ploughing and desiccation had destroyed organic materials, nevertheless, excellently preserved wooden stakes and a wooden bead were recovered. Evidence of structures, reflecting a complex sequence of cultural activities, was plentiful.

<7> <8> <9> 1989 and 1990 saw two successive topographic surveys of Sutton Common and the commissioning of a hydrological survey. Fieldwalking and topographic survey revealed information regarding the wider landscape setting of the Sutton Common enclosures.

<10> A summary of the 1988 – 1989 work was submitted to the CBA newsletter.

<11> In 1990 the report on the previously proposed hydrological appraisal of Sutton Common was completed.

<12> Following this, a plan for an assessment of the effects of desiccation on the archaeological remains was drawn up in 1991.

<13> This resulted in the re-excavation of one of the 1987 trenches in 1992, which noted that the waterlogged timbers recorded previously were now dry.

<14> <15> <16> Further work was instigated in 1993, to follow on from that of 1992. This consisted of two further desiccation assessment proposals and field work in 1993.

<17> In May 1994 a full environmental report was produced. This reported on beetle remains, wood, the palynological sequence, charred plant remains, soil analysis and waterlogged macrobotanical remains recovered during excavations.

<18> In 1997 M Parker Pearson and R E Sydes published a paper, ‘The Iron Age Enclosures and Prehistoric Landscape of Sutton Common’. The Early Iron Age enclosures and associated sites on Sutton Common on the western edge of the Humberhead Levels contain an exceptional variety of archaeological data of importance not only to the region but for the study of later prehistory in the British Isles. Few other later prehistoric British sites outside the East Anglian fens and the Somerset Levels have thus far produced the quantity and quality of organically preserved archaeological materials that have been found, despite the small scale of the investigations to date. The excavations have provided an opportunity to integrate a variety of environmental analyses, of wood, pollen, beetles, waterlogged and carbonised plant remains, and of soil micromorphology, to address archaeological questions about the character, use, and environment of this Early Iron Age marsh fort. The site is comprised of a timber palisaded enclosure and a succeeding multivallate enclosure linked to a smaller enclosure by a timber alignment across a palaeochannel, with associated finds ranging in date from the Middle Bronze Age to the Roman and medieval periods. The larger enclosure has also yielded a small Neolithic flint assemblage and six Bronze Age metal finds have been recovered in and around the enclosures. Desiccation throughout the common is leading to the damage and loss of wooden and organic remains. It is hoped that the publication of these results, of investigations between 1987 and 1993, will lead to a fuller investigation taking place.

<19> Since the late 1990s work has continued at Sutton Common, by the University of Exeter and the Wetland Archaeology and Environments Research Centre, University of Hul,l under the direction of Robert Van de Noort and Henry Chapman. Full reports on this work are still forthcoming at the time of writing (May 2005) although summaries of the work have been submitted to 'Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1998-9' and 'Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1999-01' These outline the following: During 1997-8 three main pieces of work were instigated. These comprised a high resolution survey, further trenching and hydrological modelling (ongoing).

<20> In 1999 "An archaeological assessment in preparation of a Management Plan at Sutton Common" was produced.

<21> A draft assessment report was produced in 2000

<22> Fieldwork continued in 1999-2001 with continued monitoring and trial excavation. This work was conducted for two reasons; to assess the nature, distribution and preservation of archaeological features within the interior of enclosure A (the larger of the two), and to investigate the archaeology of the western entrance in advance of it becoming waterlogged with the imminent re-wetting programme. No excavation was undertaken on enclosure B.

<23> A report on the tree ring analysis of timbers from Sutton Common was also produced in 2001.The majority of the timbers examined had insufficient rings for tree-ring dating. The assemblage suggests widespread use of relatively immature oak stems.

<24> Banked and ditched earthworks on marshy ground on Sutton Common. Excavator (YAJ) Dates earthworks on pottery evidence to the late 1st century A.D. Planning Department map lists "NC/BA Flints", "R.B. Pottery".

<25>Additional reference: Doncaster District Survey, J Magilton (1977) p.69.

<26> See article in Antiquity volume 8 (1934) p. 104 (Crawford)

<27> Extensive open area excavations were carried out from 1998-2003 by the universities of Hull and Exeter. These focused on the larger, eastern enclosure, Enclosure A. A date of construction of the main defences in 372-350BC was obtained by C14 and dendrochronological analysis. The excavation revealed c150 post-built structures within the enclosure, these were interpreted as 4 or 6 post granaries. 12 small enclosures within the western part of the enclosure were tentatively interpreted as 'mortuary rings' as they contained cremated bone, though only one fragment of human bone was recovered from these; the rest were fragments of animal bone. Within the rings, 5 glass beads and a gold bracelet/ingot were found. One of the glass beads was unfinished and may represent the first evidence for early glass working from northern England. Two skulls (probably from adult males) were recovered from a terminus of the outer ditch at the eastern entrance of the enclosure. Two small early Bronze Age enclosures were also identified, one of which enclosed a cremation burial (see PIN5430).

<28> See for a summary of work between 1987 and 1990. Enclosure A was fieldwalked as part of the 1989-90 investigations. Several fragments of possible saddle quern were recovered.

<1> Surtees, Rev Scott, F., 1868, Footprints of Roman occupations in the Southern Parts of North Humber Land, p. 1-21 (Bibliographic reference). SSY412.

<2> Whiting C.E., 1936-38, Excavations on Sutton Common 1933, 1934 and 1935. Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Volume 33, Vol 33 p57-80 (Bibliographic reference). SSY413.

<3> Sydes, R.E. & Symonds, J., 1988, Archaeology Today (Article in serial). SSY414.

<4> Sydes, R.E. & Symonds, J., 1987, Sutton Common: Investigations of a Northern Wetland Site (Unpublished document). SSY432.

<5> Adams, M and Sydes, R.E., 1988, Sutton Common Impact Study and Proposals (Unpublished document). SSY415.

<6> Adams, M and Sydes, R.E., 1988, Excavations at Sutton Common, South Yorkshire 1988 (Unpublished document). SSY416.

<7> Boulter, S and Merrony, C, 1989, Topographic Survey of Part of Sutton Common (Unpublished document). SSY417.

<8> South Yorkshire Archaeology Unit, 1990, Sutton Common Landscape Project (Article in monograph). SSY293.

<9> South Yorkshire Archaeology Unit, 1990, Sutton Common Proposals 1990 (Unpublished document). SSY428.

<10> Sydes, B, 1990, Recent work by South Yorkshire Archaeology Unit (Article in serial). SSY419.

<11> Geomorphological Services, Ltd, 1990, Hydrological Appraisal of Sutton Common, Askern, South Yorkshire (Unpublished document). SSY418.

<12> Sydes, R.E., 1991, Proposed Assessment of the Effects of Desiccation on Archaeological Remains: Sutton Common, Doncaster (Unpublished document). SSY420.

<13> Sydes, B, 1992, Report on the Re-Excavation of Trench A/C Sutton Common (Unpublished document). SSY421.

<14> Parker Pearson, M, 1993, Sutton Common Desiccation Assessment Proposal 10 may - 4 June 1993 (Unpublished document). SSY422.

<15> Parker Pearson, M, 1994, Sutton Common Desiccation Assessment Proposal Stage II 9 may - 2 June 1994 (Unpublished document). SSY423.

<16> Whiteley, S.P. & Cumberpatch, C., 1994, Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1993-1994. (Monograph). SSY17.

<17> ARCUS, 1994, Sutton Common Environmental Analysis Full Report (Unpublished document). SSY424.

<18> Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, Vol 63, 1997, The Iron Age Enclosures and Prehistoric Landscape of Sutton Common, South Yorkshire., p. 234 (Article in serial). SSY294.

<19> Saich, D., 2002, Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1998/1999. (Monograph). SSY430.

<20> Van de Noort, R and Chapman, H, 1999, An archaeological assessment in preparation of a Management Plan at Sutton Common (Unpublished document). SSY425.

<21> Van de Noort R & Chapman H, 2000, Sutton Common, Sutton, South Yorkshire: Draft Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SSY426.

<22> Saich, D, 2005, Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1999/2001 (Monograph). SSY431.

<23> Nayling, N, 2001, Tree-ring analysis of Timbers from Sutton Common, Askern, South Yorkshire (Unpublished document). SSY427.

<24> Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1937-8, Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Volume 33, p. 57-80 (Serial). SSY1521.

<25> Magilton, J.R., 1977, The Doncaster District: An Archaeological Survey, p. 69 (Monograph). SSY96.

<26> South Yorkshire Archaeology Service, c1974-c2003, SMR Card (Unpublished document). SSY213.

<27> Van de Noort, R., Chapman, H. and Collis, J., 2007, Sutton Common: The Excavation of an Iron Age 'Marsh Fort' (Bibliographic reference). SSY912.

<28> South Yorkshire Archaeology Unit, 1990, Annual Review 1989-1990. (Monograph). SSY14.

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