Birmingham Warwickshire Archaeol Soc Trans 109

Archaeological recording and excavation in advance of sand extraction on land adjacent to Somers Lane, Meriden, revealed a palimpsest of prehistoric archaeology. The earliest phase was a group of pits dated to 1800--1600 BC by an assemblage of Early Bronze Age pottery urns and accessory vessels. A double ring of postholes adjacent to the pit group probably formed a roundhouse with an entrance on the western side, either contemporary with the pit group or dating to the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. The later prehistoric phase was a regular polygonal ditched enclosure of Iron Age date. It was probably occupied during the period 400--100 BC. The enclosure contained three roundhouse ring ditches, a scatter of pits and postholes and a two-post structure. Separately authored reports include

Report presenting excavation evidence for the location of a moated site approximately 100m south of the present Knowle Hall near Solihull. The excavation was concentrated on the east side of the platform and indicated a small, approximately square site with surrounding moat. A timber revetment was found at the platform edge. Dendrochronological evidence has been obtained for the construction of the site in the early-thirteenth century. The area within the moat was later occupied by a substantial house with deep masonry foundations, with deep cellars. Early structures belonging to the moated phases were investigated in the north-east corner, which was occupied by a part of the later building lacking a cellar. The report focuses on the moated site and the start of the later building which took its place. Includes a separately authored report on

Archaeological investigations identified nine phases of activity within the stables and coach house located to the rear of 21 Coleshill Street, Sutton Coldfield. It is postulated that the earliest phase dates from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries, and consists of a timber and stone structure, with three subsequent phases of activity and a rebuild assigned to the medieval period. To the rear of 33 Coleshill Street an oven was found which appears to be contemporaneous. The artefactual and palaeoenvironmental evidence suggest domestic and agricultural activity, and an interpretation is offered of a kitchen annexe to a dwelling fronting on Coleshill Street, and for a crop-drying oven. During the post-medieval period successive timber and brick structures were built upon the earlier foundations, and each phase terminated with demolition deposits. The final phase was a mid-nineteenth century brick stable block of high quality design, which was demolished in 2003. Separately authored reports include

A small-scale excavation was carried out along the frontage to Dean House at Upper Dean Street, Birmingham, prior to redevelopment of the site. The excavation revealed a pit and postholes of post-medieval date and deposits associated with a former watercourse, Dirty Brook. Cartographic evidence suggests that these were part of a water system which included two medieval moats formerly located to the north-west and north-east of the site. The excavation also recorded a layer of dark earth, possibly a levelling layer, and a nineteenth-century brick-built culvert. Separately authored reports include

In 1977 a deposit of pottery and glass was exposed during roadside ditch cleaning works at Church End, Ansley. The pottery was made up of both local wares and those from Staffordshire and elsewhere. The latter, together with the small number of clay tobacco pipes recovered, date the deposition of the assemblage to c 1780. The range of material present indicates that it was likely to have originated from the nearby coaching inn, the Red Lion.