Site Event/Activity record ENT4977 - Evaluation near Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe

Location

Location Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe, Nottinghamshire, NG23 5RG
Grid reference Centred SK 4756e 3538e (557m by 511m) (2 map features)
Map sheet SK43NE
District Newark
Civil Parish Staythorpe, Newark

Technique(s)

Organisation

Wessex Archæology

Date

Not recorded.

Map

Description

The site forms an irregular 11.5 ha parcel of land in east Nottinghamshire, 22 km to the north-east of Nottingham and 3.5 km to the west of Newark-on-Trent. A total of 18 trial trenches, each measuring 50 m in length and 2 m wide, were excavated. Archaeological remains were present in seven of the trenches, predominantly in the west, central south-east and north-east of the site. The earliest feature uncovered was a north-east–south-west aligned Late Neolithic ditch, which was noted in three trenches in the central south-east part of the site. Sherds of Grooved Ware and Beaker pottery were recovered from one of the ditch fills, as well as worked flint typical of Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic forms. Evidence of post-medieval/modern boundary ditches was also recorded in the north and western parts of the site and correspond well with boundaries shown on the 1884 Ordnance Survey (OS) map, as well as with some of the anomalies identified in the geophysical survey. Additionally, a palaeochannel was identified at the northern edge of the site that was potentially a continuation of a river channel, from which a human thigh bone carbon dated to the Mesolithic period was recovered from, 1.3 km to the east of site. The finds range in date from Late Mesolithic to modern. The most significant find was a group of Late Neolithic pottery. Although only a small assemblage, the pottery holds some regional significance. The presence of burnt residues on the interior of some sherds also provides the potential for samples to be taken for radiocarbon dating and for the contents to be analysed. The bulk sediment samples from the upper fills of the palaeochannel contained plant remains indicative of medieval/post-medieval settlement. All samples recovered from the channel showed evidence of bioturbation, indicating that much of the material had been reworked. The monolith sample taken through the fills of the palaeochannel showed evidence of fluctuating water levels, contributing to the decay of any material in the waterlogged deposits. The potential preservation of environmental evidence is considered poor.

Sources/Archives (1)

  • --- Unpublished document: Clare Jackson-Slater. 2022. Land south of Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation Phase 1.

Related Monuments/Buildings (6)

  • Ditch near Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe (Element)
  • Ditch near Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe (Element)
  • Ditch near Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe (Element)
  • Ditch near Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe (Element)
  • Ditches near Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe (Element)
  • Pit near Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe (Element)

Record last edited

Jun 24 2024 11:55AM

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