More information : SJ 592087. A roughly D-shaped enclosure was excavated in 1957. The site is well-defined on the northern side, but merges with a large natural hollow on the south-east. The enclosure, though to be Medieval because of surface finds of 13th century pottery, proved to have a very wide, shallow ditch with a stony outer bank. A road of simple construction had skirted the northern side of the enclosure and there were traces of a building on the edge of the road. None of the structures was datable by finds. Only five sherds of pottery and a nail were found during excavation. An earthen vase containing Roman copper coins is said to have been found near here some years prior to 1882. It is probable that reports of the discovery of a Roman villa and the remains of a tesselated pavement may be the result of confusion between this site and the Lea Cross villa (SJ 40 NW 2). (1-3)
The site lies in a damp, low-lying hollow, set near the foot of north-west facing slopes of a ridge, in arable boulder clay farmland. The ground rises fairly steeply to the south and east, and locally, gently to the north and west, before continuing to fall north-westwards to a valley bottom. The two fields in which most of the site lies, have recently been ploughed and in fact the earthworks have been much reduced and spread by the plough over the years. The enclosed area measures 130.0m by 90.0m. The ditch is from 18.0m. in width on the north-east to 24.0m. on the west, and nearby 50.0m. on the south. In depth, it measures from 0.5m. on the north-east, to 0.7m. internally on the west and south, and from 1.0 to 2.5,. externally on these sides. From the northern corner of the site, a shallow hollow way is seen on air photographs (2) as a soilmark, to lead north-eastwards onto higher ground for some 400.0m. On the ground, the western scarp of the hollow way remains extant for the first 120.0m. Either side of the hollow way, and to the east of its termination, are large areas of plough-out rig and furrow (2).
Although the plan and proportions of the earthworks might suggest an Iron Age date, the situation, the association with rig-and-furrow via the hollow-way, and the finds made in 1957 indicate a Medieval date. The site therefore, was probably a Medieval farmstead enclosed by a ditch, which would certainly have been boggy, if not water-filled.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. (4)
SH 13 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. (5)
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