Berkshire Archaeological Journal 74

An account, based on the excavators' archive report, of the investigation of the smallest of four ring-ditches, which lay on a proposed route of the M4 motorway. The regular, flat-bottomed ditch produced a single Beaker sherd from the base, with mainly late Neolithic pottery and flint work from the upper fills. A pit in the interior contained sherds of Grooved Ware. Part of a second ring-ditch cut the first and produced a sherd of MBA pottery. Includes a report on the `Pottery', by Rosamund Cleal (18-21 & microfiche), and a `Catalogue of illustrated pottery' is appended (24-5).

A complex of cropmarks, including apparently nucleated settlement features, was identified in 1975 and, in advance of a planning application for gravel extraction, an evaluation was carried out in 1982. Three areas were excavated: part of a first century AD double-ditched enclosure that may have been used for iron working and possibly for occupation; part of a MIA curvilinear ditch defining a possible enclosure for non-domestic purposes; and a small MBA ring-ditch, probably funerary in function. Finds reports include comments on ironworking by G McDonnell (48-9 & micofiche), and P A Harding (60-2 & microfiche) discusses `Flint'. `Appendix I: feature dimensions' (65-6), is followed by `Appendix II: seed and pollen analysis, a summary' by W Carruthers (66-7 & microfiche), and `Appendix III: illustrated sherds' (67-8). The remaining contributions are on microfiche only: `Identification of charcoal' by R Gale, `Magnetometer survey' by A Bartlet & D Bolton, and `Pottery' by E Morris (incorporating a comment on an amphora sherd, by D Williams).

An area of dense cropmarks on river gravels has been largely destroyed by the M4 and quarrying. A watching brief and limited excavation were carried out between 1979 and 1982: a ring-ditch -- probably Bronze Age -- was partially excavated, and evidence of prehistoric, Roman, and medieval landuse was recovered.

The excavation of a series of trenches across `Celtic' field lynchets is described. The results show that a large majority of the lynchets examined were formed in Roman times. The wide distribution of these fields on the downs (visible from the air) appears to reflect the extent of Roman land use. The `Pottery' is discussed by Vince Gaffney (microfiche).

A brief report on LIA/early Roman pottery and a quern fragment recovered during fieldwalking. fieldwalking.

Investigations aimed at resolving questions arising from a recent survey have revealed the medieval open hearth, evidence of an early structural phase, and burials (assumed to pre-date the hall and to be associated with the adjacent church of St Laurence).

Notes recording of the north and east boundary wall of the abbey precinct, undertaken in advance of road widening.