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Data copyright © University of Reading unless otherwise stated

This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.

Primary contact

Prof Michael Fulford
Professor of Archaeology
School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science
University of Reading
Whiteknights
PO Box 218
Reading
RG6 6AA
England
Tel: 0118 3788048

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Resource identifiers

• ADS Collection: 1352
• DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1030449
• How to cite using this DOI

Totterdown Lane, Horcott (Gloucestershire)

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Published Sources

J Pine and S Preston (2004) Iron Age and Roman settlement and landscape at Totterdown Lane, Horcott near Fairford, Gloucestershire Thames Valley Archaeoloical Services Monograph no. 6 Thames Valley Archaeoloical Services

Database ID	14051
Site Type (Major)	Rural settlement
Site Type (Minor)	farm, field system, funerary site
Non Domestic Stucture	corndrier
Region	Central Belt
County	Gloucestershire
Summary	Excavations on the first gravel terrace of the Upper Thames Valley revealed a middle Iron Age settlement, continuing into the late Iron Age/early Roman period. Features of the latter date comprise a number of possible roundhouses (defined by drip gullies) and larger enclosures, perhaps stock pens. During the early 2nd C, it is suggested that site was peripheral to the main area of settlement. Features comprised field boundaries and rectilinear enclosures along with a large T-shaped corndrier and waterholes. Soon afterwards (in the mid 2nd C) the whole site was re-organised as a series of rectangular enclosures/fields alongside two trackways which form a T-junction. A number of burials located alongside the N-S trackway. Enclosure and trackway system constantly re-modelled during 3rd C; another T-shaped corndrier and numerous pits belong to this phase. By later 3rd C the trackways had gone out of use, with new extensive field boundaries dug. No evidence for 4th C activity. Small assemblage of early Saxon pottery but no certain features of this date. Further excavation 700m to the west revealed 2nd-3rd C field boundaries and a hoard of iron currency bars.
Organisation	Thames Valley Archaeoloical Services
Area of investigation (ha)	9
Easting	415200
Northing	199000
Start Date	-100
End Date	300
Rural settlement form	complex
Number of circular buildings	3
Number of rectangular buildings	Not recorded
Paddocks	Evidence
Multi-room building	No evidence
Aisled building	No evidence
Masonry building	No evidence
Trackway/Road	Evidence
Structured deposits	No evidence

Burial data
Burials summary	Seven inhumation graves, two cremation burials (one urned - both adult female) and three deposits of pyre debris (with human remains) dated to 2nd-3rd C AD, lying on either side of the N-S trackway. Fragmented sherds of pottery from backfill unlikely to represent grave goods. Varied orientation. One burial of a young adult male was flexed. Four with evidence for coffin in form of iron nails. Three other unurned cremation burials from western excavation area, of similar date. Also undated grave of a flexed adult female. Disarticulated adult human bone found in 19 contexts.
Burials start date	100
Burials end date	250
Number of burials	12
Cremations	5
Inhumations	7
Male	2
Female	6
Child	Present
Adult	11
Flexed burial	Present
Burials with coffins	4
Cremation urns	Present
Disarticulated bone	Present
Animal bone	Not present or no data
Associated settlement	Present
Associated enclosure	Not present or no data
Grave goods	Not present or no data

Brooch data
Brooch summary	Copper alloy penannular brooch of 1st-3rd C AD date.
Number of brooches	2
Trumpet/derived	1
Penanular	1

Coins data
Number of coins	1
Unidentified 3rd-4th C	1

Other finds data
Finds summary	Other finds comprise fired clay daub, loomweight, 45 pieces of brick/tile, iron nails, hobnails, tumbler lock slide key, sicle/billhook, glass bead, crucibles and small amounts of iron smithing slag. At least two leather hobnailed shoes from a 3rd C waterhole. A large number of iron sword shaped currency bar ingots were found in a shallow pit 700m to the west of the main excavated area.
Leather shoes	2
Agricultural tools	1
Security	1
Weaving (loomweights)	1
Glass objects	1
CBM	2
Iron slag	Present
Hobnails	Present
Evidence for salt production	Not present or no data
Evidence for bone-working	Not present or no data
Evidence for metalworking	Present
Structural worked stone	Not present or no data
Painted plaster	Not present or no data
Window glass	Not present or no data
Tesselated floor/mosaic	Not present or no data
Tiled roof	Not present or no data
Briquetage	Not present or no data
Inscriptions	Not present or no data
Hypocaust	Not present or no data
Evidence for Christianity	Not present or no data

Pottery data
Pottery summary	Significant assemblage of 1st-3rd C date, mostly Wilts greywares and Dorset black-burnished wares. 98 sherds of amphora (Dr 20) from one pit and probably one vessel. Dominated by jars.
No. of sherds	10677
Weight (kg)	81
Amphora sherds	121
Mortarium sherds	17
Samian sherds	207
Religious vessels	Not present or no data
Pottery wasters	Not present or no data
Graffito	Not present or no data
Amphora presence	Present
Mortarium presence	Present
Samian presence	Present

Plant data
The data below is divided into an overarching record for the whole site and, if recorded, separate records for individual phases.
Summary	Limited charred plant remains from 211 samples. One sample from a 3rd C ditch contained much cereal grain and chaff. All identifiable grain was spelt, with some hulled barley. The chaff comprised spelt glume bases. Much of the grain showed signs of germination and some had sprouted - possible evidence for malting? Another 2md-3rd C sample contained spelt grain and chaff. Quantified assemblage.
Barley	minor
Evidence for malting	Evidence
Evidence for horticultural crops	No evidence
Oats	minor
Overall
Spelt wheat	abundant
Evidence for hay meadows	No evidence
Start date	200
Evidence for imported foods	No evidence
End date	300

Zooarchaeological data
The data below is divided into an overarching record for the whole site and, if recorded, separate records for individual phases.
Summary	Modest assemblage in generally poor condition, dominated by cattle in the Roman period. Partial sheep articulation from a LIA-early Roman pit. A partial dog skeleton in one mid Roman pit and complete dog skulls in two other pits. One 3rd C pit contained all the chicken and cat bones from the site. Two oyster shells.
Sheep/Goat NISP	112
Cattle NISP	162
Pig NISP	20
Sheep/Goat ABGs	1
Domestic fowl NISP	6
Cat NISP	2
End date	300
Total bone fragments	2520
Dog NISP	25
Fish	No
Egg shell	No
Assemblage sieved?	Yes
ABGs in NISP	No
Dog ABGs	3
Marine shell	Yes
Overall
Horse NISP	62
Start date	-100
Sheep/Goat NISP	21
Cattle NISP	18
Pig NISP	2
Sheep/Goat ABGs	1
Total bone fragments	46
Fish	No
Egg shell	No
Marine shell	No
LIA/ER (1st C BC/AD)
Horse NISP	5
Sheep/Goat NISP	91
Cattle NISP	144
Pig NISP	18
Domestic fowl NISP	6
Cat NISP	2
Total bone fragments	329
Dog NISP	25
Fish	No
Egg shell	No
Dog ABGs	3
Marine shell	No
MR (2nd-3rd C)
Horse NISP	57

Faunal Ageing data
The data below is divided into an overarching record for the whole site and, if recorded, separate records for individual phases. Concordance with existing published ageing criteria is provided in the tables below Cattle Age category Grant stage Halstead stage Maltby stage Neonate 0-2 A 1 Juvenile 3-16 B-C 2-3 Subadult 17-37 D-E 4-5 Young adult 38-42 F 6 Adult >43 G 7 Elderly >43 H-I 7 Sheep/Goat Age category Grant stage Payne stage Payne stage Maltby stage Neonate 0-1 A 0-2 months 1 Juvenile 2-17 B-C 2-12 months 2-3 Immature 18-28 D 1-2 years 4 Subadult 28-39 E-F 2-4 years 5-6 Adult >40 G 4-6 years 7 Elderly >40 H-I 6-10 years 7 Pig Age category Grant stage Hambleton stage Maltby stage O'Connor stage Neonate 0-1 A 1 Juvenile 2-14 B-C 2-3 juvenile Immature 15-25 D-E 4-5 immature Subadult 26-35 F 6 subadult Adult 36-41 G 7 adult Elderly >42 H-I 8 elderly
Summary	Evidence for neonatal pig and sheep. Also very young calf tibia and juvenile horse.
Number of young adult cattle	6
Number of sub adult sheep/goat	3
Number of adult sheep/goat	6
Evidence of neonatal (unknown) bones	No
Number of juvenile pig	1
Evidence of neonatal horse bones	Yes
Evidence of neonatal domestic fowl	No
Number of immature sheep/goat	1
End date	300
Evidence of neonatal sheep/goat bones	Yes
Number of adult cattle	8
Number of sub adult cattle	2
CATTLE JUVENILE	1
Phase - Overall
Evidence of neonatal cattle bones	Yes
Start date	100
Evidence of neonatal pig bones	Yes
Evidence of neonatal (unknown) bones	No
Evidence of neonatal horse bones	No
Evidence of neonatal domestic fowl	No
Evidence of neonatal sheep/goat bones	Yes
Phase - LIA/ER (1st C BC/AD)
Evidence of neonatal cattle bones	No
Evidence of neonatal pig bones	No
Evidence of neonatal (unknown) bones	No
Evidence of neonatal horse bones	Yes
Evidence of neonatal domestic fowl	No
Evidence of neonatal sheep/goat bones	No
Phase - MR (2nd-3rd C)
Evidence of neonatal cattle bones	Yes
Evidence of neonatal pig bones	Yes

Site plans (published sources):

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