Project Summary

This collection comprises of text, images, spreadsheets, databases, GIS, site records from archaeological mitigation works which were carried out by Connect Archaeology between 8th March and 8th July 2021 at WP29D Roundhill Wood. The mitigation area had been identified as having archaeological potential during previous investigations, which revealed three distinct areas of archaeological features, including pits, ditches, gullies and postholes.

The specific aims of the mitigation works were:

• To examine whether the character of activity can be identified; whether any focus of settlement is present, or if the ditches present characterise agricultural use;
• To examine potential zoning of types of activity during different phases of use;
• To confirm how many phases of activity are present;
• To provide a secure chronological framework for the phases of activity through recovery of additional finds, supplemented by scientific dating;
• To examine the environment and economy through recovery of palaeoenvironmental and ecofactual information.

The following specific objectives were outlined in the Generic Written Scheme of Investigation:

• Can we identify regional patterns in the form and location of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements across the route, and are there associated differences in landscape organisation and enclosure?
• The Romano-British period saw the beginning of a more established infrastructure network. Can we investigate the development of these routes, trackways and road and the influence they had on landscape change?
• Assess the evidence for regional and cultural distinctiveness along the length of the route in the Romano-British period, with particular regard to the different settlement types encountered along the route.

Re-Use Value Statement

The archaeological recording in Mitigation Area A revealed evidence for rural settlement activity from the Iron Age and Romano-British period. The results should be compared with regional and route wide evidence to examine whether there are differences in Iron Age landscape organisation and enclosure, and whether evidence for Romano-British activity is regionally and culturally distinctive. The artefact evidence retrieved from Mitigation Area B and C have potential to aid the investigation of the Romano-British infrastructure network.

The pottery assemblage was a moderate to large sized group of pottery from a rural Romano-British site in Staffordshire. Some Iron Age pottery was also recovered, mostly from Area A. The size pottery assemblage, and the relatively tight date range, specifically of the of the Romano-British pottery, means that it warrants further study. Rural sites of Romano-British date are relatively scarce in Staffordshire. Analysis to fabric of the pottery assemblage could yield important information about the levels of supply to rural sites in southern Staffordshire in the 1st and 2nd century AD. Further analysis may contribute to the GWSI: HERDS research objectives above, particularly if there is consideration of other results in the locality.

The metal assemblage from Roundhill wood is regarded to be of considerable archaeological significance, and further specialist analysis and conservation is required, particularly focusing on the fire-dog (RF 3070) and it is recommended that it receive urgent specialist conservation to stabilise the object for long-term curation and for X-radiography to be undertaken. Conservation to stablise the Roman copper alloy pin fragment (RF 2008) as well as the collar (RF 3053), is also recommended. Investigative cleaning of the terminals of the iron loop fragment (RT 1001) is considered a low priority but may aid in more closely identifying the form and function of this object. Although further examination of the objects after conservation is likely to be limited (with the exception of the fire-dog), the conservation process may reveal details not currently visible on the objects.

In terms of the date of the structures, grain drying kilns have a long currency of use and their design sees little modification over the centuries. Again, the composition of the macroplant assemblages associated with these structures suggest an Iron Age date for the kilns but precise dating will likely rely on radiocarbon dating of samples of securely stratified carbonised organics from the chambers of the kilns/ovens.