| Abstract: |
A comprehensive report on investigations carried out in the vicinity of Old Place by the following people and agencies: K R Fennell (1955); C E R Ellis and Carre's Grammar School Archaeological Group (1960); P Mayes and K R Fennel (1960), Margaret and Tom Jones (1960, 1961, 1963), the Trust for Lincolnshire Archaeology (1984--85); Heritage Lincolnshire (1989, 1990); Pre-Construct Archaeology (1995). There was evidence of the following phases of occupation: Middle Iron Age (including a palisaded enclosure with grain storage platform and drying rack); Late Iron Age (enclosures, a trackway, and structures -- associated with stamped and rouletted pottery and coin pellet moulds); a Romano-British roadside settlement (with an aisled building, malting/drying kilns, and inhumations); a few Saxon artefacts; medieval and post-medieval (including the remains of the former parish church of St Giles/All Saints, burials, an infilled ditch or moat, agricultural and horticultural structures and features). Reference is also made to Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Sleaford Railway Station (G W Thomas, 1882) and settlement at Quarrington (Heritage Lincolnshire, 1993). In `The Romano-British inhumations 1984--85' J M Oetgen (45--6) considers the possible dating and interpretation of human and dog burials. The chapter discussing the IA mint debris includes `The statistical analysis' by J Reynolds (56--9) [an examination of morphological attributes of the coin pellet mould fragments, drawing conclusions about the technological processes and coin denominations being made] and `Metallurgical analysis of the coin pellet moulds and crucible fragments' by Keith Robbins & Justine Bayley (59--64) [silver-rich alloys were identified in both moulds and crucibles]. A chapter on `Medieval Old Sleaford' by S Pawley (68--72), recounts the history of the parish and its relationship to the adjacent parish of New Sleaford. There is also a short account of the careers of Margaret and Tom Jones, highlighting the importance their work at Old Sleaford, and a select bibliography of Margaret Jones's publications. The finds section comprises: `The samian pottery from the 1960--63 excavations' by B Dickinson (81--4); a report on mortaria from the 1960--63 excavations that includes notes on `Illustrated mortaria' by K F Hartley (88--91); `Amphorae 1960--63' by M J Darling & D F Williams (92--4); `Gaulish imports' [Gallo-Belgic pottery of the LIA/early post-Conquest period]; Middle Iron Age scored ware; `The Late Iron Age and Romano-British pottery' by S M Elsdon (103--74) [which includes `Stratified Romano-British pottery from the 1984--5 excavation' by R S Leary (110--13), `Romano-British fine wares from the 1960--63 excavation' (117--21) and `Sources and stylistic affinities of the Romano-British pottery' both by S M Elsdon & R S Leary, with a discussion of the `Regional significance' by R S Leary (122--4)]; `Late Iron Age, Romano-British and Saxon fabrics' by J M Oetgen & S M Elsdon (124--6); `The Iron Age coins' (175) and `The Roman coins from Old Place, Sleaford' (176--80) are both by J A Davies; `The brooches' [IA--RB, copper alloy and iron] by D F Mackreth (181--9); two Roman enamelled skillet handles; and, lastly, an Anglo-Saxon grave slab, carved stones, and a copper-alloy mount. |
