Series: Wessex Archaeology Reports

Four sites in the Thames and Kennet valleys (from Mesolithic to Romano-British) are discussed, beginning with `Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement at Weir Bank Stud Farm, Bray' (1--51) by I Barnes & R M J Cleal. Archaeological evaluation ahead of gravel extraction on the Thames floodplain identified Middle Bronze Age occupation represented by ditches, mostly part of a field system associated with small areas of occupation. A triple-ditch feature also contained MBA pottery and other material. A roundhouse and other features were apparently a late stage of use, perhaps after the field system had been abandoned. There was small-scale use during the Neolithic and Late Iron Age/Romano-British periods. C Cox contributes `Aerial photographic assessment' (3--6). Specialist reports on finds are: `Flint' (21--4) and `Stone' (24--5, microfiche) by R Montague; `Burnt flint' (24) by I Barnes & R M J Cleal; `Pottery' (25--33, microfiche) by R M J Cleal; `Fired clay' (33--4, microfiche) and `Worked bone object' (34) by Elaine L Morris; `Human bone' (34) by Jacqueline I McKinley; `Faunal remains' (34--5, microfiche) by Janet Egerton & Clive Gamble; and `Plant remains' (35--45) by A J Clapham. Finally, `Discussion' (45--51) is by R M J Cleal.`An analysis of worked flint artefact concentrations from Maidenhead Thicket, Maidenhead' (52--64) by W A Boismier presents three groups of Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age flintwork. Two were remains of quarry or extraction sites, the third probably of a residential site. Spatial analysis identified significant artefact class associations and intra-site activity areas for the three concentrations.`An Early Iron Age settlement at Dunston Park, Thatcham' (65--92) is by A P Fitzpatrick, I Barnes & R M J Cleal. An unenclosed settlement of seventh-century BC date contained a roundhouse within which the distribution of finds was clearly restricted to one side; cereals and querns, crucible, spindle-whorl, flint and pottery suggest activities undertaken. Ironsmithing debris from a pit group at Cooper's Farm nearby provides some of the earliest well-dated evidence for ironworking in the region. Evidence for Bronze Age and Romano-British activity, and a medieval field system, was also recovered. Specialist reports on finds are: `Metalworking debris' (76), `Burnt flint' (77) and `Fired clay' (84) by L N Mepham; `Worked flint' (76--7) by F Healy & P A Harding; `Worked stone' (77) by Elaine L Morris; `Pottery' (77--84) by Elaine L Morris & L N Mepham; and `Plant remains' (84--5) by A J Clapham. `Discussion' (85--9) is by A P Fitzpatrick. `Appendix: an Early Iron Age (7th century ~BC) pit with ironworking debris from Cooper's Farm, Dunston Park' (89--92) by A P Fitzpatrick includes `Fieldwork' (89) by I Barnes & A P Fitzpatrick, `Metallurgical debris' (89--91) by Peter Crew, and `Pottery' (91--2) by Elaine L Morris.`Excavations at Park Farm, Binfield, Berkshire, 1990: an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement and two Mesolithic flint scatters' (93--132) is by M R Roberts. A small rural settlement was occupied from perhaps the first century BC to the second century AD and consisted of a nucleus of houses surrounded, and eventually enclosed, by two areas of enclosures. It is unusual in being located on London Clay, in the frequency of loomweights among the finds and in the quantity of charcoal recovered. Specialist reports on the finds are: `Iron Age and Romano-British pottery' (106--17, microfiche) by Paul Booth, `Fired clay' (117--18) by M R Roberts, and `Carbonised plant remains' (118--19) by Mark Robinson. `Appendix: the Mesolithic flint scatters' (124--32) includes `Flint' (127--30) by Steve Ford and `Discussion' (130--2) by Steve Ford & M R Roberts. BOC

Four sites excavated on the River Kennet gravels produced evidence for occupation, burial and riverside activities from Mesolithic to post medieval periods, providing a clearer picture of the developing landscape in the Kennet valley during the later prehistoric and Saxon periods. There are six chapters. `Introduction' (1--4) covers the archaeological background and location of the sites. `Excavations at Field Farm, Burghfield, Berkshire' (5--72) describes Mesolithic flintwork, a Neolithic hearth and pottery, and a series of Bronze Age ring-ditches associated with Deverel-Rimbury and Collared Urn cremations; in the seventh century AD the main ring-ditch became the focus for an Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery, described in `Grave catalogue' by H Rees & C Butterworth (18--38) and discussed in `The Saxon cemetery' by C A Butterworth & H Rees (70--2). There are specialist sections on finds: `Flint' by P A Harding (38--40), `Pottery' (40--48) and `Objects within urn 919' (48--50) by L N Mepham, `Saxon grave-goods' by H Rees & C A Butterworth (50--7), `Textile remains' by Margaret Brooks (57--61) and `Human remains' by Lynne Bell (61--2) and Jacqueline I McKinley (62--3), and on environmental evidence: `Plant remains' by W J Carruthers (63--5) and `Charcoal' by R Gale (65--8). Deverel-Rimbury cremations were also recovered in `Excavations at Shortheath Lane, Abbots Farm, Sulhamstead' by S J Lobb (72--8), which includes a `Discussion' of the urns by Ann Woodward (75--7) and sections on `Other vessels' by L N Mepham (77--8) and `Cremated bone' by Janet Henderson (78). `Archaeological investigations at Anslow's Cottages, Burghfield' (79--169) revealed a Bronze Age landing-stage followed by a series of Roman and Saxon stake- and post-built structures in a former river channel; a Saxon basketry fish trap and detailed environmental sequences were also recovered. Finds are discussed by P A Harding `Flint' (106--8), L N Mepham `Pottery' (108--14), `Fired clay' (114), `Objects of worked bone' (114--5) and `Worked timbers' (116--28), and J Watson `Basketry' (115). Environmental evidence is discussed by J Coy `Faunal remains' (128--30), J G Evans `Mollusca' (130--43), M Robinson `Insect assemblages (143--9), W J Carruthers `Plant remains' (149--58). R Gale `Charcoal' (158--9) and Belinda Thompson & Michael J Allen `Pollen' (159--64). Another Saxon timber was recorded in `Theale Industrial Site, archaeological assessment' (170--1). The volume concludes with `Development of the landscape' by S J Lobb (172--7).

This volume brings together the results from the excavations at the former Imperial College Sports Ground, RMC Land and Land East of Wall Garden Farm, near the villages of Harlington and Sipson in the London Borough of Hillingdon. <BR>The excavations revealed parts of an archaeological landscape with a rich history of development from before 4000 BC to the post-medieval period. The opportunity to investigate two large areas of this landscape provided evidence for possible settlement continuity and shift over a period of 6000 years. <BR><BR>Early to Middle Neolithic occupation was represented by a rectangular ditched mortuary enclosure and a large spread of pits, many containing deposits of Peterborough Ware pottery, flint and charred plant remains. A possible dispersed monument complex of three hengiform enclosures was associated with the rare remains of cremation burials radiocarbon dated to the Middle Neolithic. Limited Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age activity was identified, which is in stark contrast to the Middle to Late Bronze Age when a formalised landscape of extensive rectangular fields, enclosures, wells and pits was established. This major reorganised land division can be traced across the two sites and over large parts of the adjacent Heathrow terraces. <BR><BR>A small, Iron Age and Romano-British nucleated settlement was constructed, with associated enclosures flanking a trackway. There were wayside inhumations, cremation burials and middens and more widely dispersed wells and quarries. Two possible sunken-featured buildings of early Saxon date were found. There was also a small cemetery. Subsequently, a middle Saxon and medieval field system of small enclosures and wells was established. </SPAN>