Flexford

A sixth season of excavation in 2013 directed by D Calow for the Roman Studies Group of SyAS. Excavation established that the northern end of an aisled structure, found in 2012, did not extend beyond the limit previously established. It appears to have been a six-bay structure, c 14m long x 8m wide with four rows of seven posts. A lack of building materials suggests either that the structure had been systematically dismantled, or more likely was of a design that left no ground impact beyond its postholes. The excavation also revealed the possible foundations of the northern wall of an earlier building, under the aisled structure and on a different alignment. The foundations were in line with four postholes found previously, suggesting that there were earlier buildings on the site of the aisled structure, but with a 30° difference in alignment. It is thought that this initial settlement activity was followed by the excavation of a large enclosure ditch in the 2nd century. New buildings were then constructed on a different alignment from the earlier structures, perhaps in the later 2nd century, and when these went out of use the area was cleared in the late 3rd or early 4th century. The excavation of a large flint surface that contained considerable quantities of Roman pottery, showed evidence for periods of reuse. Postholes cutting the surface suggested the presence of a small structure within a circular gully and on the same alignment as the aisled structure. Among the earliest phases in this area was a circular feature. At its centre was a single posthole with at its base, a rare, worn coin minted in Syria in AD 116. A later 2nd century enclosure ditch and track appeared to respect the feature. Excavations continued in the autumn of 2013 and two more busta, similar to those found previously (SyAC 98, 241), were excavated in the south of the site. They were c 3m long x 1.4m wide and up to 1m deep, with steep sides and were lined with 1–2cm of clay, burnt red during firing. A large flue, present at the north end of the deepest pit, was at least 1.2m long. Two greyware pots found at the base of the pit were dated to the first half of the 2nd century. Three complete charred wooden staves, each about 2m long, were found placed lengthways above the pit. Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal from the staves provided a date of AD 260–430 while those from the base of the pit gave dates of AD 85–260, suggesting the staves might have been added later than the burial. The second bustum, 0.6m deep, produced nails, ash, charcoal, the remains of burnt logs and a few traces of calcined human bone. There was evidence for a small air inlet at the south end. Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal also gave a date of AD 260–430. Returning in 2014, excavations revealed the probable continuation of the main enclosure 60m to the south, together with a parallel, north–south ditch and an east–west ditch. The former contained 1st century and later pottery, and a clay-lined feature containing burnt sandstone blocks and three complete or near complete jars. The ditch was cut by a pit containing three complete, early 2nd century Roman jars, and was itself cut by a later pit that contained a drilled and chamfered red deer antler radiocarbon dated to AD 230–380. The main enclosure ditch had been covered by an uneven flint surface. A shallow ditch at its south edge contained cattle and sheep bones and the bases of seven pedestal jars. Two trenches in the same area revealed evidence of a possible insubstantial structure and a probable well. A large pit contained the remains of a blacksmith’s hearth, part of a Lodsworth quern, a dressed Greensand block, 38 horncores and a complete but broken 2nd century jar. Late 3rd or early 4th century pottery and late 3rd century coins were recovered from the upper fill of the pit. (Bulletin 444, 446)
Year: 
2013-14
ID: 
2279
NGR: 
SU937512
Periods: 
Borough: