| Title: |
Postmaster's Hall Yard, Merton College, Oxford. Archaeological Watching Brief |
| Number of Pages: |
31 |
| 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: |
An extended watching brief was undertaken on four geo-technical test pits excavated in advance of the construction of a new basemented building. The main finds from this phase of work included the discovery of a well-constructed stone-built cellar or basement that abutted an earlier wall, possibly a tenement boundary. The basement cut deep into the natural gravel, removing in the process the red-brown subsoil that overlay the gravel noted in another test pit. Associated pottery suggested that both structures dated to the 11th-12th centuries. The basement appeared to have had a floor, above which domestic debris had accumulated including the remains of a possible hearth/oven. The basement wall was later robbed, possibly in the 13th or 14th century. Occupation material accumulated above, with traces of a stone floor. Later medieval pottery was recovered from all three new test pits. Tentative traces of further medieval structures were revealed, together with structural remains relating to the stable block known from 19th century maps. The excavations were notable for a remarkable ceramic assemblage spanning the 11th-19th centuries, including part of a vessel associated with late medieval industrial or distilling processes. Over 800 animal bones were recovered, including a complete post-medieval dog skeleton together with a small number of human bones. A quantity of ceramic building material was testimony to the location on the site of structures, and a small assemblage of metalwork was also recovered. [Au(abr)] |
| Author: |
Mark Peters
|
| Publisher: |
Oxford Archaeology
|
| Year of Publication: |
2001
|
| Subjects / Periods: |
|
MEDIEVAL
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
| 13th (Auto Detected Temporal) |
| 14th Century (Auto Detected Temporal) |
|
| Note: |
Date Of Issue From:
2001
Date Of Coverage From:
01
Date Of Coverage To:
01
Editorial Expansion:
Site name: POSTMASTER'S HALL YARD, MERTON COLLEGE, OXFORD
Study area:
Investigation type: Post-determination/Research
District: Oxford
Monument: FLOOR. Medieval (1066-1540), FLOOR. Post-medieval (1540-1901), WALL. Post-medieval (1540-1901), WALL. Undated, BASEMENT. Medieval (1066-1540), [finds]. Medieval (1066-1540), FEATURE. Medieval (1066-1540), FEATURE. Post-medieval (1540-1901), WALL. Medieval
Ngr: SP51720614
Parish:
Postcode: OX1 4ET
|
| Source: |
BIAB
(Archaeological Investigations Project (AIP))
|
| Created Date: |
19 Jan 2009 |
