SECTION 2.1.1
WARRENS FIELD: ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MIDDLE IRON AGE
SETTLEMENT
Introduction
The earliest activity at Claydon Pike was discovered approximately
100 m to the north-east of Longdoles Field, in an area called
Warrens Field (Fig.
2.1.1: Location of Warrens Field settlement in relation to Longdoles
Field ). Here a series of round house gullies and enclosures,
ditches and pits were exposed, dating to the middle Iron Age.
These features were located on three gravel islands separated
by tributary palaeochannels. A network of Roman and post-medieval
ditches traversed the area. Large excavation trenches were opened
on each island to investigate the areas defined by cropmarks (Fig.
2.1.2: Trench plan of Warrens Field). Ceramic analysis has
indicated that the settlement shifted from west to east during
the middle Iron Age, with Island 3 representing the earliest occupation,
and Island 1 the latest. The gravel islands were numbered according
to the excavation sequence, but are here described in chronological
order.