Data from an Archaeological Evaluation and Recording at Dews Farm, Hillingdon, Greater London, 2019-2022 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., MOLA Headland Infrastructure, 2024. https://doi.org/10.5284/1124405. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © High Speed Two Ltd. unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4955
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1124405
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
![Test Pit J32 subsoil [1193], W facing section. IP and Copyright Free.](images/1C19CVDAR_DSCN7928.jpg)
This collection comprises of reports, site photographs, CAD data, spreadsheets, Harris matrices and site records from an archaeological recording undertaken by MOLA Headland Infrastructure between December 2019 and March 2020 on land designated as C10046 Dews Farm, located approximately 1km south of the village of South Harefield in the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Project Summary
The archaeological investigation at Dews Farm was undertaken in two different areas: C10046 and C10047.
The works at C10046 included the excavation of 160 hand dug test pits. Informed by the results of the test pitting, the area was then fully excavated during the archaeological recording. A moderately large assemblage of Late Mesolithic to Neolithic flint assemblage was recovered from a series of pits and two ditches. Two burnt mounds were present, one of which was radiocarbon dated to the Bronze Age. Majority of the archaeological evidence comprised features dated from the mid-late Iron Age through to the early Roman period, including evidence for enclosure as well as gullies and postholes. Limited later evidence for medieval and post-medieval activity was recorded.
Archaeological recording was undertaken on land designated as C10047 Dews Farm, 1km south of the village of South Harefield in the London Borough of Hillingdon (the Site). The archaeological recording comprised machine excavation of topsoil and subsoil, followed by hand excavation and recording of archaeological deposits within a targeted area. The majority of the archaeological evidence was concentrated at the northern end of the excavated area, where the archaeological recording was able to further identify the remains of a ring gully of c. 10m internal diameter. This ring gully was formed by a series of curvilinear ditch segments forming a rough but incomplete circle. A small number of post holes were located within the limits of this ring gully. Four of these post holes on the eastern side of the gully were hypothesised as possible evidence for at least one entrance on the eastern side. The ring gully and associated features were dated to the Middle to Late Iron Age period 350-50 BC, with a c14 date of 206-50 BC (Beta-5641 see Appendix 9) obtained from one of the segments. Part of an undated north-south aligned ditch was located across the northern end of the gully, providing indication of at least one further phase of activity. The only other features of note were located at the south-eastern end of the excavation area where a small pit was dated to the Roman period by 2nd century pottery and a C14 date of 130-260 AD. The ring gully and associated features were interpreted as probable evidence of livestock management. A small amount of environmental evidence from the Roman pit provided some evidence of agricultural activity, in the form of carbonised cereal grains, including barley and wheat.
Re-Use Value Statement
This archive can be used independently and/or in in conjunction with the rest of HS2 datasets in order to further investigate the archaeological features, assemblages, and periods recorded on this route. This can also function as a guide to digital archiving for future infrastructure projects benefiting both the commercial sector and the research community.
