Our last week at Barcombe was progressing well, until on Thursday we had a devastating thunderstorm. Many of the features in the south-east corner of the site had just been cleaned for photography and recording when the deluge of rain, hail and wind hit the site. As this was the lowest part of the site it was then flooded and had to be bailed out. It was not until Sunday that some of the features were re-cleaned and ready for final recording.

The features in this corner included a good surviving stretch of wall foundations to Building 3, some pits (one of which was Saxon), and a Prehistoric ditch. Also found were a number of pieces of tile with a 'dogs tooth'  finish along one edge. these may have been decorative architectural pieces. Also found was a surviving remnant of the mortared flint base of one of the post pad's in Building 3 - most of these had probably been robbed-out.

Final planning and recording is taking place as this update is posted and the excavation is being closed down prior to backfilling.

This unfortunately means that the site is now closed to visitors until we start up again in May next year.

This week is the last full week of the 2004 excavation season, so we are rapidly trying to finish off all the parts of the site that will be backfilled at the end of the season.

At the south end of Building 3 substantial wall foundations have been found, which suggests that this wall may have been a full gable end to a large aisled building - the debate continues. Further features have been found at the south-east corner of Building 3, including a pit full of tile and tesserae, a Saxon pit and a large post hole.

 

Excavation of the Saxon pits in the north part of the site continues, with most now fully excavated. exactly what was going on here is unclear, but a provisional date between the 8th and 11th centuries can be given to the pottery. A Saxon knife was also found last week.

Finally further cleaning up on the west side of the site has revealed a stretch of a prehistoric field boundary ditch, which has produced a few sherds of pottery and some worked flint.