Title: |
Archaeological Excavations at Dunton Bassett, Leicestershire |
Series: |
University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) unpublished report series
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Downloads: |
universi1-34059_1.pdf (18 MB)
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Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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DOI |
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Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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Abstract: |
The watching brief and survey conducted by University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) Dunton Bassett playing fields, Leicestershire identified the extant earthwork remains of the potential medieval village settlement. The excavations however produced evidence of much earlier activity. Flints including a possible Upper Palaeolithic burin suggest very early human activity in the area. The proximity of the site to water also appears to have attracted Neolithic settlement in the lower north-west area of the site with evidence for the possible location of a burnt mound, or at the very least cooking hearths during this period. The flint recovered suggests that activity continued into the Bronze Age where the higher areas of the site (south west) were utilised with a portion of what appears to be an enclosure ditch suggesting settlement. Although the evidence suggests that the main settlement area was on the higher ground to the south, a number of truncated small prehistoric pits and gullies were identified with pottery sherds suggesting a Late Bronze Age/early Iron Age date. Pottery from the gullies beneath the earthworks suggests a date from around c. 1100 for these features, while a 12th/13th century date for the main earthworks in the excavated area is suggested although the presence of Late Saxon pottery in the upper earthwork layers might suggest slightly earlier origins. Some of the features appear to be later in date, specifically a metalled bank and hollow trackway which appear to be in use during the mid 17th century, although there is no reason why this cannot represent the reuse of earlier features. Although the area appears to have been little utilised since the medieval period, to the extent that the majority of earthworks are still visible, post-medieval brickwork was present in the northern layers of the site which had possibly been used as hardcore to fill in boggy areas. |
Author: |
V Priest
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Publisher: |
University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS)
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Other Person/Org: |
Historic England (OASIS Reviewer)
Leicestershire HER (OASIS Reviewer)
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Year of Publication: |
2005
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Locations: |
Site: |
Dunton Bassett Primary School |
Parish: |
DUNTON BASSETT |
District: |
Harborough |
County: |
Leicestershire |
Country: |
England |
Grid Reference: 454450, 290640 (Easting, Northing)
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Subjects / Periods: |
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Identifiers: |
OASIS Id: |
universi1-34059 |
OBIB: |
2005-168 |
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Note: |
A4, 53 pages, 21 Figs., 6 plates
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Source: |
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Relations: |
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Created Date: |
23 Nov 2016 |