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Church Field - BarcombeIntroductionIt was planned to build a car park in the northeast corner of Church Field, adjacent to Barcombe Church graveyard, at TQ41761439 (Fig. 1). Prior to submitting a planning application, and after discussions with the County Archaeologist, the Church Warden, Mr John Simpson, approached the Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team to carry out a geophysical survey of the proposed site. The geophysical survey suggested the presence of archaeological features, and was subsequently followed up with an assessment excavation to investigate these. Download Full Report:-ChurchFieldBarcombe.doc The site is situated on the junction of the third terrace river gravels and head deposits overlying the Lower Greensand. The Church, some 50 metres to the east of the site, is located on the third terrace river gravels at around 22 metres OD. The ground then slopes away to the southwest into a ditched stream running west to east towards the River Ouse. Recent survey work by the Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team in Church Field, and the adjacent Dunstalls Field has revealed a Roman villa complex in the latter (Butler, 1999). In addition a number of probable Roman buildings, together with a square enclosure of unknown date have been identified at the south end of Church Field (Butler, 2000). Fieldwalking in Church Field undertaken in 2000, revealed a scatter of archaeological material dating from prehistoric flintwork, fire fractured flint, Medieval pottery, and Post Medieval pottery and building material, in the area of the site. Geophysical SurveyA resistivity survey was carried out on the 29th April 2001 using an RM15 resistivity meter with an automatic data-logger. A total of nine 20 x 20 metre squares was surveyed, aligned on the boundary of the existing churchyard. Readings were taken at one-metre intervals, and the results downloaded into Geoplot 3.0, and processed by Andrew Woodcock. The results of the survey are shown in Fig. 2. This shows a generally high area of resistance on the north and east sides which may correspond to the third terrace river gravels on the higher ground. Low resistance on the south and west sides corresponds to the head deposits on the lower ground. Two features show as linear areas of low resistance within the generally high resistance readings on the north and west side, and may represent archaeological features such as ditches. Therefore, after discussion with the County Archaeologist and the Church Warden, it was decided to excavate some evaluation trenches to investigate these features. EvaluationTwo trenches were initially opened on the 26th May 2001 to investigate these two features, together with a further seven test pits across the area of the proposed car park to determine whether any other archaeological features were present (Fig. 3). The excavations continued at weekends through to the 23rd June, and a summary of the trenches and test pits follows: Trench 1This trench (5 x 1m) was located to investigate a negative linear feature, running from northeast to southwest, showing on the geophysical survey results. Below the topsoil a flinty gravel layer (5) was located. On further excavation a series of layers of gravely material and silty clays were found (Fig. 4) to a depth of almost one metre. This sequence of layers extends outside the trench on the east side, whilst on the west side an edge was located. This appears to be the interface between the third river terrace gravels and the head deposits. From the uppermost layer of gravel (5), a single humanly struck flint flake was recovered. Grab samples were taken from the section for possible pollen analysis in due course. Trench 2Trench 2 (5 x 1m) was located over a linear negative feature showing on the geophysical survey, also running from northeast to southwest. Below the ploughsoil a dark brown sandy loam fill (3) was encountered. Upon further excavation this was confirmed as a ditch (2) containing a single fill, of which the north edge was located within the trench, but the ditch extended outside the trench on the south side (Fig. 4). The fill contained prehistoric worked flint, fire-fractured flint, Medieval pottery, Roman tile and Post Medieval brick, tile and pottery. Although containing material from a broad range of periods, it is clear that everything prior to the Post Medieval material must be redeposited, and the ditch is Post Medieval. Test Pit 1This test pit (1 x 1m) contained a ploughsoil, below which was a yellow-brown sandy clay (8) with a darker very sandy loam (14) below. No archaeological features were encountered in this test pit. Test Pit 2Excavated (1 x 1m) to see if the ditch found in Trench 2 continued down the slope. Below the ploughsoil was a dark brown sandy loam (9) similar to the ditch fill in Trench 2, and containing a similar range of finds. Test Pit 3Located to the east of Trench 1 to see if the gravel deposits continue in this direction (1 x 1m). Below the ploughsoil was a light orange-brown sandy layer (10), above three further layers of silty clays and sands. Two small U-shaped cuts were noted in the top of layer 10, filled with a sandy gritty loam (24 & 25). Test Pit 4This test pit (1 x 1m) was randomly located in the northwest part of the site. Below the ploughsoil was a mid to dark grey-brown sandy loam (26) above a silty clay subsoil (27). No archaeological features were found. Test Pit 5This (1 x 1m) was also randomly located in the northwest quadrant of the site, and produced exactly the same sequence of layers as test pit 4, with no archaeological features. Test Pit 6This test pit was located in the central part of the site to investigate a change from high to low resistance shown on the geophysical survey. It was initially 1 x 1m, but extended eastwards to 1 x 2 m. Below the ploughsoil, two distinctly different subsoils were located. On the east side a sandy gritty deposit (13) corresponding to the third river terrace gravels identified in Trench 1 and test pit 3. On the west side a compact silty clay (12), which corresponds to the head deposit seen in Trench 1. This was planned but no further excavation was undertaken. Test Pit 7This was located on the east side of the site to investigate the area of very high resistance here. Initially 1 x 1m, it was extended north to 1 x 2m in size. Below the ploughsoil was a sandy gritty deposit (28) similar to (13) in test pit 6, although it contained a slightly larger sized grit. This layer extended across the whole trench and again corresponds to the third river terrace gravels. No further excavation was carried out in this test pit. The FindsNumerous archaeological finds dating from the Palaeolithic through to the Post Medieval period were recovered during the assessment, and are summarised by trench or test pit, and context, in Table 1 below. Each category of finds (flintwork, pottery, brick & tile, fire-fractured flint, metalwork etc) is then discussed in more detail.
PotteryPottery was recovered from the ploughsoil, and from the ditch fill in Trench 2 and Test Pit 2. The pottery includes three sherds of East Sussex Ware, which can be broadly dated from the end of the Iron Age, and throughout the Roman period. From the ditch fill came a single Late Saxon grog & flint tempered sherd, and a Saxo-Norman sand and flint tempered sherd. A small quantity of Medieval sherds including a multi-coloured flint gritted sherd of probably 12/13th century date, and a glazed sherd also came from the ditch fill. Numerous Late Medieval sherds were recovered from the ploughsoil and ditch fill, and comprise mainly hard-fired sand tempered sherds, some of which have a glaze. These may be of 14/15th century date. One small, possible Border Ware, sherd was also found in the ditch fill. All of the Medieval and Late Medieval sherds are abraded. Post Medieval sherds, including glazed Sussex Ware, were also recovered from the ploughsoil and the ditch fill. The latest pottery from the ditch dates from the 18th century. Two fragments of clay pipe were also found. FlintworkA total of 13 hard hammer-struck flakes, together with two soft hammer-struck flakes, four fragments, three chips and a shattered piece were found. In addition, a single scraper, and a notched flake were recovered. These pieces divide into two distinct assemblages. Firstly, from the ploughsoil and the ditch fill, the hard hammer-struck flakes, fragments and implements are all manufactured on an unpatinated black or grey-black flint, and show no sign of platform preparation. These pieces are likely to date from the later prehistoric period. The most interesting pieces, however, came from Trench 1. These include a heavily patinated orange-brown soft hammer-struck flake from the uppermost layer of the gravels (Context 5), and from the lowest gravel levels four pieces, including a similarly patinated chip. A further chip from the ploughsoil in Test Pit 7 is also patinated orange brown. All of these heavily patinated pieces are likely to date from the Lower Palaeolithic. The flake from Context 5 is squat and broad, having a broad platform. On the dorsal side the scars of at least three removals can be seen. The flake has small chips and scars around its edge showing that it has probably been transported to this location in the water-borne gravels. Fire-fractured flintA total of 41 pieces of fire-fractured flint were recovered. None of these have been worked. Brick & tileNumerous fragments of Roman tile were recovered from the topsoil. Most of these were very small fragments, and their recovery should not be unexpected given the location of the Roman villa in the next field. Larger quantities of Post Medieval brick and tile were also found, and tended to be larger and less abraded fragments. A single piece of glazed Tudor brick and two small fragments of daub came from the ditch fill. Other findsAmongst the other finds were numerous small fragments of slate, iron nails and other pieces of iron, and a single piece of possible iron slag which came from the ditch fill. A few small-unidentified fragments of bone and a single oyster shell fragment were also found. These all came from the ditch or from the ploughsoil just above it. ConclusionsThe geophysical survey suggested that there were a number of possible archaeological features in the area of the proposed car park. The trenches and test pits excavated demonstrated that there was indeed some archaeology below the ploughsoil. There were no features dating to the Roman or Medieval periods, although Roman tile and some pottery sherds were located in the ploughsoil, and others redeposited into the ditch fill. It is likely that activity associated with the Roman villa in the adjacent field, and also at the south end of Church Field extended into the area surveyed, but has left no features other than the tile and pottery. It is likely that this activity was agricultural in nature. Pottery from the late Saxon and early Medieval period may also indicate continued agricultural activity here. The Church has early medieval origins, and local myth suggests that the Medieval settlement was located in Church Field. Our survey work and the excavations have produced no evidence of this settlement, and the quantity of pottery found does not appear sufficient to support the settlement theory. The Medieval pottery recovered from the ditch fill is very abraded, and was almost certainly redeposited. The ditch fill contained redeposited material from the later Bronze Age through to the late Medieval period. However, the latest pottery recovered from the ditch fill, securely dates its in filling to the 18th century. It is not at all clear for what purpose the ditch was dug, but its single fill suggests that it was filled in fairly rapidly, with no evidence of it having silted up or eroded during its use. It appears to run from the top of the slope down towards the stream at the bottom of the field. It is now clear that most of the features suggested by the geophysics were geological rather than archaeological, and included both elements of the river terrace gravels and the adjacent head deposits. The Palaeolithic flintwork recovered from Trench 1 can be added to a further piece found during survey work to the east of the church, and another piece recovered from the Villa excavation trench. All of these are likely to have derived from the river terrace gravel on which the church and churchyard are located. Very little Palaeolithic flintwork has been found in the River Ouse valley. To those pieces found around the Church can be added a Clactonian chopper-core and some other pieces found during fieldwalking at Culvers Mead about 1km. to the north of the church. These are also likely to have derived from river terrace gravels, probably during quarrying. AcknowledgementsI would like to thank John Simpson, the Church Warden, for allowing the assessment and his cooperation. Andrew Woodcock, the County Archaeologist for East Sussex, who made the initial arrangements, and processed the geophysics results. Bruce Milton assisted in the supervision of the assessment. Lawrence Gaston, Michael Fairbrother, Sid Jeffries, Barry Burfield and others helped with the excavation. Shirley Simpson drew the plans and sections. I would also like to thank Matthew Pope who visited the site and advised on the geological deposits and took samples for future pollen analysis. References
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