Series: Historic England unpublished report series

The purpose of the project was to evaluate the extent and nature of the archaeological deposits on the site, as a management tool for the IAM, and to tie in with the outreach exercise during the Environment Agency-led Barking Festival.

English Heritage’s Central Archaeology Service excavated two Bronze Age barrows at Longstone Edge (SK 2088 7841) in 1996. The excavations and post-excavation analyses are reported elsewhere (Andrews, undated; Last et al, undated; Smith, undated). This assessment was requested in order to evaluate the significance of amphibian and reptile remains. Andrews (undated) recorded the presence of herpetofaunal remains in many contexts, and observed that they were fairly numerous in some. It is rare for amphibian and reptile remains from archaeological excavations to be investigated in any detail, probably owing to a lack of comparative material, expertise and perceived value. Herpetofaunal remains are useful as palaeo-environmental and biostratigraphic indicators in Quaternary science (e.g. Gleed-Owen, 1999), but also in archaeological investigations (Gleed-Owen, 2003; Pigière et al, in press).

Assessment of Human Bone From Longstone Edge, Derbyshire

An assessment is made here to determine the potential of the hand-collected and sieved/floated microvertebrate assemblages from the early Neolithic and Bronze Age deposits at Longstone Edge. Some levels have great abundance of microvertebrates, and if their mode of accumulation can be identified they could provide information as to the nature of the deposits and the environment existing during the Neolithic. The microfauna may further provide important clues about the taphonomic history of the barrows, including access to and exposure of the structures in different periods.

The Central Excavation Unit were asked to carry out watching briefs, on two separate occasions, during construction works within the scheduled site of Bisham Abbey.

Environmental research design for a project at Longstone Edge, Derbyshire, CAS 472

Analysis of the prehistoric pottery from Longstone Edge. This is an unusual pottery assemblage, and for a Peak District site is unique, with a preponderance of small fragments as opposed to sherds. This is a direct result of an excavation strategy of saturation sampling using mainly 4mm sieves and occasionally 2mm. Only 80 pieces of pottery were retrieved by hand, apart from one vessel found in situ and excavated in the laboratory.

Archive Summary for the Romano-British Pottery from Longstone Edge

Analysis of the Flint from Longstone Edge, Derbyshire

Assessment of Molluscs From Longstone Edge, Derbyshire