2018 Ancaster Fieldwork Season - Update 1

Whilst archaeologists don't exactly hibernate over the winter, we do prefer good weather and reasonable temperatures before we venture out to do our work. So it is that the rather late arrival of some proper spring weather has tempted us back onto site at Ancaster to continue our excavations of the Roman-British remains to the south of the town.

In previous seasons we have revealed a well constructed road dating to the RB period in two phases leading from Ermine street to (we think) the Lady Well; a natural spring which is believed to be what first drew the Iron Age settlers to this location. We have subsequently found that the road is bounded on its southern side by a large ditch - probably an earlier boundary ditch dating to the late Iron Age or early RB period. It is this ditch and its associated features which are forming the focus of our work so far this year.

 

As the photograph (from Trench 11) shows there are likely a number of phases to the ditch which is cut into the underlying post-glacial sands. Once the ditch had undergone substantial infilling and at least one recut, it was replaced or augmented by a wall, perhaps one of two delineating the sides of the road, the basal remains of which can be seen in the photograph about 1m above the ditch bottom.

In other trenches the wall is far more substantial and appears to have served a second function which is to prevent colluvial creep into the ditch and onto the road. The photograph below shows the wall in Trench 6

Finds from within the lowest levels of the ditch help to date it to the late Iron Age or Early RB period. 

Looking from the inside of a late IA or Early RB vessel. We have recovered almost the complete pot from within the boundary ditch.  

 

An imported vessel probably made in northern Gaul in the 1st century AD. 

The wall appears to date to the late 1st century AD again based on pottery and some metalwork found in association with the rubble. We will have more photos of these finds in future blogs. 

Work continues at Ancaster this coming Friday and Saturday and all members are welcome to come and take part. If you are not a member and fancy coming over to take a look at what we are doing then let me know and I will provide directions.