| Abstract: |
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by The Wheeldon Group to undertake an archaeological evaluation prior to determination of a planning application for a housing development at Outseats Farm, Alfreton, Derbyshire (centred on NGR 442414, 355540).
Previous excavations comprising both trial trenching and a strip, map and record excavation have already been undertaken within Area E and have identified and characterised a medieval enclosure system. The current scheme of works was commissioned to further investigate the area of the former Outseats Farm buildings to the south-west of the previous excavation and the area adjacent to a footpath through the southern section of the site.
The presence of asbestos around the previously demolished buildings of the farm shifted the focus of investigation to the footpath area. Five trenches were excavated; four contained archaeological features. A drystone wall, running north-east to south-west, was identified in trench 4. The wall lies perpendicular to wall sections observed in previous excavation to the north and medieval pottery recovered from the wall further indicates contemporaneity with the medieval enclosure system to the north. Fired clay fragments, possibly hearth or kiln lining, were also recovered from the wall.
A second wall/ structure was seen in trench 6, lying east of the buildings of Outseats Farm visible on historic mapping from the 19th century onwards. The wall could therefore be of medieval or post-medieval date. An undated pit in trench 5 contained evidence of in situ burning. Pit features were common across the previous excavation area, but he presence of in situ burning is unusual.
Two ditches were identified in trenches 5 and 8. They likely form part of a drainage or boundary system, however, they do not seem to be on a slightly different alignment to the medieval enclosure system and could represent a later delineation of the agricultural landscape.
The ditch in trench 5 may correspond with a shallow linear with dense rooting on a roughly similar alignment in trench 7, thought to be a hedgerow. Trenches 7 and 8 both contained further evidence of bioturbation with shallow shrub bowls/ tree throws. Previous work has identified evidence of former hedgerows and tree throws and this has been interpreted as the clearing of the landscape for farming or the spread of trees and bushes over recently abandoned pasture. The archive has been submitted to Derby Museum and Art Gallery under
accession code DBYMU 2012-181. |
