During machine stripping of the overburden around the edge of Phase 3 possible archaeological features were detected. Two areas were investigated to ascertain the nature of these deposits. At BES/05 several areas were identified for archaeological investigation. The features here cut into the gravel and sub-rounded to rounded in plan c. 0.30m – 0.50m wide and ran in a single line. Cleaning and recording of the area revealed a southwest-northeast alignment of sub-rounded features, c. 1.50m wide, cut by a linear feature, c. 0.80m wide, which turned and continued to the northern edge of the area. The southwest-northeast alignment continued as a series of separate sub-rectangular features, c. 1.00m wide. Other features included a gulley 0.80m wide and 0.30m deep. No directly datable artefacts were retrieved, though both bone and wood were recovered from the features including 6 pieces of in situ wood. Three of these were found to be cut and shaped stake-ends, up to 0.06m wide and surviving up to 0.27m long tapering to a point. The features appear to represent a boundary replaced on a number of occasions. (1)
See M4291 for associated SMR entries.

<1> TPAT, 1997, Report on the Watching Brief at Besthorpe quarry 1997 (Unpublished document). SNT1881.