Later Features and Deposits (Figs 4-6)

The Late Neolithic/Early Bronze-Age site was sealed by a thick sequence of down-washed soils (Figs 5 and 6). Interspersed amongst these hillwash deposits, on various horizons, were a number of later archaeological features and structures. After the abandonment of the prehistoric site, layers of brown clay (Fig. 6, context 147) and dark brown clay loam (Fig. 5, context 54) had developed over the apron of burnt debris and these deposits must effectively represent an early ‘topsoil’, formed after activity on the site had ceased. Moderate quantities of burnt flint, presumably derived from the deposits below, were contained within these layers, together with three struck flints and three more undiagnostic sherds of prehistoric flint-tempered pottery from context 54.
   Probably some considerable time later, a small ditch was dug across the area (Fig. 4, F. 146). This cut through one of the prehistoric pits [F. 151], the burnt debris sealing it (96) and the overlying soil (147). The ditch ran north-west by south-east along the hillside and was traced in the excavation for a minimum distance of 21.50m before being destroyed by later features at the north-western end (Fig. 4). No datable finds were recovered from the lower filling of the ditch but the upper filling yielded some animal bone, fifteen prehistoric struck flints and four small pot-sherds. The sherds consist of two somewhat indeterminate prehistoric flint-tempered pieces, a fragment of late Iron-Age/early Roman grog-tempered ware and a small chip of Roman samian ware. Based on this very limited evidence, a late Iron-Age or early Roman date for the digging of the ditch seems possible. Most probably, it served as some sort of field boundary and a continuation of it may be represented by F. 43 located running along the hillside on a slightly different axis, further to the west in evaluation Trench 6 (Fig. 3).
   On the eastern side, a layer of sterile down-washed soil, consisting of a cream-brown clay loam subsequently sealed all these earlier deposits and features (Fig. 6, context 95). The deposition of this layer may well have been caused by ploughing further up-slope but the absence of finds within it precludes any precise dating. A Roman or early Anglo-Saxon date might be suggested on general sequential grounds. Sometime after layer 95 had become stabilised, two further pits [Fs 111 and 113] and a broad ditch [F. 97] were cut into it (Fig. 6). These produced no datable finds. After these features had been infilled they were sealed by more deposits of sterile hillwash (Fig. 6, contexts 92 and 94). Next, most probably sometime during the thirteenth century, a substantial masonry building was erected across the area. A series of other medieval structures, features and deposits appear to be broadly contemporary and this complex will form the subject of a future report.