Proposed Solar Development, Mill Farm, Grantham, Lincolnshire. Archaeological Evaluation (OASIS ID: wessexar1-226118)
Wessex Archaeology, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5284/1046272. How to cite using this DOI
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This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
Jessica
Irwin
Finds and Archives Supervisor
Wessex Archaeology
Unit R6
Riverside Block
Sheaf Bank Business Park
S2 3EN
UK
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 2841
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1046272
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
Wessex Archaeology carried out a programme of archaeological evaluation trenching on land at Mill Farm, Grantham, Lincolnshire, in advance of the proposed construction of a new solar photovoltaic farm. A total of eight trenches were excavated across approximately 6ha of land. The trenches targeted anomalies thought likely to represent ditched field boundaries, which had been detected by an earlier geophysical survey.
Generally, there was an excellent level of correspondence between the geophysical survey data and the remains revealed in the evaluation trenches. The combined results reveal that Site contains an unenclosed farmstead dating from the Late Iron Age to the Early/Mid-Romano-British period. Archaeological traces of this chiefly comprise up to five large-diameter (13m to 21m-diameter) ring-gullies and a group of linear and curvilinear ditches. It is thought the ring-gullies probably drained the sites of former roundhouses (of which no direct traces were apparent), with the other ditches representing a sequence of agricultural enclosures, probably related to stock-handling.
The finds assemblage is of modest size with mostly utilitarian items in a limited range of materials present. The animal bone assemblage is relatively small and dominated by remains of cattle. Overall, the remains are fairly typical for the period and region, although the large diameter of the ring-gullies is unusual. The Site has some potential to make a limited contribution to established research aims, and is of local archaeological importance.
