Archaeol North 16

Brief report on archaeological and conservation work carried out at the cathedral during the preceding year or so.

Describes the nineteenth-century limekilns and their history, and the clearance work undertaken at the site, which was followed by a survey to assess their current structural condition.

Report on excavation in advance of development, which uncovered a total of forty-seven pits, three of which are provisionally interpreted as post pits. The majority of the pits appear to have been medieval in date, and most contained a high proportion of organic material in addition to which a high quality assemblage of large, unabraded sherds of medieval pottery was recovered. Organic preservation included assemblages of animal, fish and bird bones, as well as marine mammals. Preserved plant matter was abundant, and the remains of insects and dung deposits were recovered. Several fragments of medieval leather were recovered, as well as a medieval decorated knife sheath. Two medieval ditches and two stone foundations may have marked boundaries to medieval burgage plots.

Description of two stone hammers apparently of stone local to the area, along with a discussion of their possible utilisation in mining metal ore.

Report on the sixth season of excavations at Wether Hill. This completed the investigation of the later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pit discovered previously, and excavations began on the hillfort. The pit contained a possible fragmentary cist and a small Food Vessel. Sherds of Beaker pottery were found in deposits beneath this. Carbonised wood was discovered on all sides of the pit underlying the stone structure, and a complete but crushed Beaker was discovered directly overlain by carbonised planks, possibly a box or `coffin'. The carbonised timbers were identified as oak, and radiocarbon dated to 3670 ± 50 BP and 3675 ± 55 BP. The pottery assemblage comprised two Beakers and the remains of three Food Vessels. Excavation of the hillfort area recorded the defences and one of the later stone-built round houses, which overlies a part of the defensive ditch. The composite structure of the ditch and rampart are described; radiocarbon dates of 2070 ± 45 BP and 2145 ± 45 BP were obtained from charcoal from the core of the rampart.