Series: Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust unpublished report series

An archaeological desk-based assessment and field evaluation was undertaken in advance of proposals to construct two new dwellings and associated garages on the site. The site was located in the historic core of the village of Steeple Morden. A crop mark complex to the immediate west of the site indicated activities of probable Roman date. Archaeological finds and cropmarks were known from close to the site, confirming that the area had a moderately high archaeological potential, though no remains were known within the site itself. Trial trenching of the site revealed the presence of a large number of archaeological features of Romano-British date. These predominantly comprised ditches and curvilinear features representing enclosures. A number of larger pits and smaller post holes were also present, indicative of occupation. [Au(abr)]

A desk-based study, supported by a programme of fieldwalking was undertaken to assess the archaeological impact of the proposed widening of the A1 (M) between junctions 6-8. New and known sites and features highlighted in the study included: find sites of prehistoric (including palaeolithic) artefacts; a possible ring-ditch; areas of Romano-British occupation and industrial activity; a Romano-British villa; a Roman road; a Romano-British cemetery site; the possible location of a cemetery of unknown date; an undated enclosure; a medieval moated site; medieval field systems; and a deserted medieval village. [AIP]

Forty four trial trenches were excavated on land proposed for mineral extraction. A previous archaeological desk-based assessment had revealed the presence of multi-period archaeological remains in the vicinity of the study area. Finds and archaeological features recorded close by dated to the prehistoric, Romano-British, Saxon and medieval periods. An archaeological excavation within the quarry area immediately adjacent to the west of the area of the current proposals in the late 1970s had revealed evidence of occupation of the first millennium BC. Further Iron Age pits were recorded in 1984 in the eastern face of the quarry, suggesting that features were likely to have continued into the area of proposed extraction. An aerial photograph held by SCC AS suggested that cropmarks of archaeological features extended into the area of proposed development. The current evaluation confirmed the presence of archaeological features of Late Iron Age and early Roman date, principally comprising enclosure ditches, pits and post holes. Many of the trenches revealed no archaeological features. Substantial ditches of Late Iron Age/Roman date in trenches 35 and 38 may have been related to a large possible enclosure recorded on aerial photographs. A single trench in the northern part of the site revealed features containing material of later Roman date. [Au(adp)]

An evaluation, comprising geophysical survey and the excavation of twenty trenches, was undertaken on land proposed for development situated less than 200 metres from a known Romano-Celtic temple, and close to routes of two supposed Roman roads. A number of archaeological features were revealed, mainly in the southern part of the site, but due to the lack of associated finds it was not possible to establish a definite date. [AIP]

An excavation was undertaken in advance of the first phase of the construction of a new access route to the factory. Pre-Roman activity tentatively identified comprised two large ditches on a similar alignment to Ermine Street, the fills of which were sealed by the earliest road construction. A number of residual struck flint flakes and a Bronze Age barbed and tanged arrowhead were found in several Roman features, but no positive evidence of prehistoric occupation was discovered. The earliest Roman activity was the construction of Ermine Street, built shortly after the Roman invasion of AD43. Several early finds included a brooch of a style common during pre-conquest Britain. The road was not as substantial as seen in earlier excavations, and no large road-side ditches had been excavated. The road had been widened and re-surfaced by the time of the late 1st-2nd century, the camber increased and narrow drains inserted either side of the road. A small timber structure in the north-east corner of the site was constructed during this phase, located 10 metres from the eastern side of the road. A small pond to the eastern side of the road produced evidence for a variety of industrial and domestic activities carried out in the vicinity of the site during the 1st and 2nd century, and the presence of iron slag suggested that this feature may have been used as a smelting pond. By the 2nd to 3rd century the road had started to fall into disrepair, although the large quantities of finds recovered from a well to the west of the street, and the presence of two rubbish pits suggested increasing intensity of settlement during this period. By the 3rd-4th century the only evidence for structural evidence of occupation on the site was a large 'veranda-style' timber structure, and the demise of the Roman settlement was marked by a large accumulation of material sealing earlier Roman levels and covering Ermine Street. [AIP]