Field L
Two Early Neolithic pits were located in the south east corner of the field, worked flint and small amounts of pottery were recovered from their fills. The pits were succeeded by a small but complex hengiform monument in the form of interrupted ditches and settings for postholes dating from the Late Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age.
In the Middle Bronze Age, after the monument had gone out of use, pits and ditches were dug in the vicinity. There was extensive evidence for field systems in this field at this time and some of the ditches were notable for the very large amounts of pottery deposited in the ditch fills.
A total of 32 charcoal-filled pits were excavated, one of these had large slabs of iron-working slags lying on the base of the pit. A radio carbon date for this feature is pending. The date is likely to fall between 600 - 850 AD.
A two metre deep deposit of peat in the south east corner of the field was likely to have been laid down thousands of years ago. The excavation through this peat took place at the beginning of 2005 under very difficult, wet conditions which needed two pumps to keep the area relatively free of water. Neolithic flint was found at 1.5m below the present ground level hinting at the antiquity of the deposit. Part of an oak tree trunk is currently undergoing dendrochronology, and Carbon 14 and pollen samples will illuminate the environmental history of this part of the site.
The Middle Bronze Age field system was located, and some of these contained substantial quantities of pottery. Of note was an unusual Sussex style handled drinking cup, decorated in Dorset tradition. A small pit contained fragile clay loom weights, one of which had been decorated with finger tip impressions.
An area of iron working was located and consisted of small pits, a smithing hearth and quantities of slag. C14 dates are awaited but it is likely that this activity area is either Roman or Saxon. A further 19 charcoal pits were located in this field.
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