Western International Market, Hounslow TQ1075 7850 PCA Ltd (Peter
Boyer) excavation Oct 2005-Aug 2006 Gifford and partners Ltd on
behalf of Kier property Development Ltd HYA01
Following the 2003 evaluation an extensive open-area excavation
was undertaken at the site. Archaeological deposits and features
dating from the Early Neolithic to modern periods were revealed
above the natural Lynch Hill Gravels and brickearth. Subsoil sealed
both the archaeology and natural deposits. The earliest features
were a number of scattered small pits containing Early Neolithic
pottery and contemporary worked flints. A cluster of these in the
centre of the site may be related a possible timber structure. The
Late Neolithic was represented by a small number of scattered pits,
some possibly containing placed deposits. A segmented ditch extending
E-W across the centre of the site possibly dated to this period.
Sometime during the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age a penannular
ditch was excavated at the N edge of the site. It had an entrance
to the S and the enclosed area appears to have been used for ritual
purposes. During the Middle Bronze Age the area to the S of the
entrance was used as a cremation cemetery. Up to thirty-five burials
were interred, the majority in upturned, Deverel-Rimbury bucket
urns, though some unurned examples were also recorded. During the
Late Bronze Age the ‘ritual’ enclosure and cremation
cemetery were enclosed by a shallow ditch and two roundhouses were
constructed to the S. A number of small timber structures were also
built at various locations across the site. During the Late Bronze
Age/Early Iron Age transitional period a number of placed deposits
were made in the enclosed ‘ritual’ area and further
small structures were erected across the site. A small settlement
probably also began to develop to the N. During the Early and Middle
Iron Age the settlement expanded to the S, with two roundhouses
positioned towards the N edge of the site. Further small structures
were also erected and a large ‘territorial’ boundary
ditch was excavated on a NW-SE alignment. To the S field systems
developed, evidenced by a number of smaller boundary ditches. By
the end of the Middle Iron Age the ‘ritual’ area was
no longer respected as such, as postholes of this date truncated
cremations and the penannular ditch. The site appears to have been
abandoned during the Late Iron Age and was re-occupied again briefly
during the Early Romano-British period, with the S field system
boundary ditches being re-aligned. A further phase of occupation
occurred during the Early Anglo-Saxon period, when a number of rectangular
timber structures were built towards the N edge of the site. Further
to the S a sunken featured building was recorded. The Iron Age ‘territorial’
ditch appears to have been partially recut during this period and
a further NE-SW one was excavated to the W of the rectangular structures.
Little evidence for medieval and post-medieval activity was detected,
with the last construction on the site comprising World War 2 air
defences, mostly features to prevent glider landings. Topsoil sealed
the site.
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