Title: |
Excavations at Turner's Hall Farm & Sandridge, Hertfordshire - Interim Report. |
Number of Pages: |
41 |
Biblio Note |
Please note that this is a bibliographic record only, as originally entered into the BIAB database.
The ADS have no files for download, and unfortunately cannot advise further on where to access hard copy or digital versions.
|
Publication Type: |
Report
|
Abstract: |
Excavation was undertaken at Turner's Hall Farm and Sandridge in advance of the Peters Green to South Mimms Pipeline. The excavations commenced with a 25 metre-wide topsoil strip along the length of the pipeline. The exposed archaeological features were planned and recorded and those within the actual proposed pipeline trench were fully excavated and recorded. The Turner's Hall Farm excavations revealed features from the Late Iron Age through to the Late Roman period. The earliest datable features were dated to the Late Iron Age and consisted of four dispersed pits. The majority of the excavated features were Roman and formed part of a farmstead. The eastern and western boundaries of the farm may have been represented by ditches which traversed the pipeline corridor. Evidence for a farmstead was apparent by the corner of a building, a cob walled buiilding and yards. Two additional structures were basemented. The occurrence of much building material across the site suggested that many of the buildings were of high status, which was also reflected in many of the small finds which were recovered. Undated features included a number of pits, ditches and post holes, a possible (unexcavated) keyhole-type oven and the remains of a pad/stand of compact cobbles (unexcavated). Excavations at Sandridge revealed Late Iron Age - Early Roman period features which were believed to have been constructed in five phases. Features related to Phase 1a (Late Iron Age-Early Roman) included a long curving ditch which terminated within the excavated area, two hut gullys, a number of pits and postholes and three linear ditches, one of which wascut by a chalk filled ditch. Phase 1b (Late Iron Age-Early Roman) related to features including a ditch which cut through an earlier ditch, 2 small pits, a second ditch and a large meandering ditch which terminated within the excavation and was cut by post holes which formed the northern boundary of a fenced enclosure. Phase 1c (Late Iron Age-Early Roman) features included a well preserved square, cellared structure which had been robbed out (see below). A row of 13 shallow post holes adhered to the alignment of an earlier ditch and represnted the remains of the southern half of a fenced enclosure. It was possible that the enclosure was contempory with structure 1. A pit in area II and a shallow pit and two post holes to the east of the gully, were placed within Phase 2 (3rd century AD) and there was evidence that structure 1 had been robbed out during this period. Phase 3 (4th century), consisted of a semicircular pit which cut an earlier ditch, and the southern end of a ditch which terminated within the excavated area. [Au(adp)] |
Author: |
T McDonald
|
Publisher: |
Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust
|
Year of Publication: |
1999
|
Note: |
Date Of Issue From:
1999
Date Of Coverage From:
01
Date Of Coverage To:
01
Editorial Expansion:
Site name: TURNER'S HALL FARM & SANDRIDGE, ST PETERS TO SOUTH MIMMS PIPELINE Study area: Investigation type: Post-determination/Research District: St. Albans Monument: FEATURE. Undated, GULLY. Undated, FEATURE. Roman (AD43-410), DITCH. Roman (AD43-410), BUILDING. Roman (AD43-410), DITCH. Undated, PIT. Roman (AD43-410), [finds]. Roman (AD43-410), LINEAR FEATURE. Undated, WELL. Roman (AD43-410), POST HOLE. Undated, POST H Ngr: TL16131633 Parish: Wheathampstead Postcode: AL5 5DU
|
Source: |
BIAB
(Archaeological Investigations Project (AIP))
|
Created Date: |
19 Jan 2009 |