Dancing Lane/Main Street, Long Riston
TA 1245 4250; (Mark Randerson); evaluation; October 19th-December 10th 2001; DLR01
Six trenches were investigated and these revealed important evidence relating to the medieval settlement of Long Riston. Remains associated with domestic and agricultural activity within at least one ancient property were encountered. Important artefactual and palaeoenvironmental evidence was recovered.
The natural sub-stratum was encountered in all six trenches during the fieldwork. The character of the deposits varied across the site, but were generally characterised as silty and sandy clays, varying to pure clay with sandy silt in discrete patches. These deposits are assumed to be of glacial origin and the height at which they were encountered rose from 10.98m AOD to 11.39m AOD.
Trench 1 contained the remains of part of a probable timber outbuilding of medieval date. To the east, linear features of uncertain function but probable medieval date were recorded crossing the trench.
A substantial ditch was recorded in Trench 2 along with five sub-rounded features, which may represent either pits or the terminals of enclosure ditches. A narrow gully was also recorded, as were two other pits, used at some time as cess-pits. All the features are of probable medieval date.
Trench 3 exposed a substantial feature of probable medieval date, extending to over 4m in width. This was probably a continuation of a hollow-way visible in the field adjacent to the site, to the north of Dancing Lane. To the south, the putative hollow-way had been truncated by a ditch of medieval date running along the trench. A small medieval pit was recorded towards the western end of the trench.
Trench 4 revealed a boundary ditch of medieval origin running along the length of the trench. A smaller gully ran into the southern side of this feature. A substantial modern pit, containing a large amount of domestic rubbish and ironwork, accounted for approximately one third of the trench.
Trench 5 exposed several ditches of probable medieval date, including a feature interpreted as the main boundary ditch of the property, crossing the southern end of the trench. A substantial curvilinear enclosure ditch, with indications of an associated palisade, two small possible postholes and a shallow linear ditch - all evidently of medieval date - were also recorded. A shallow curvilinear gully in the centre of the trench may represent a much earlier phase of occupation. A probable post-medieval or modern drainage feature was also recorded crossing the trench.
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