The area of controlled excavation also ran through the north half of the eastern geophysical enclosure. Two substantial lengths of the enclosure ditch were exposed, while c.350m2 of the enclosure’s interior was uncovered. The northern element of the enclosure was sample excavated in two locations, the west corner of the enclosure lying near the southern limit of excavation.

The ditch measured between 2m and 2.2m in width and was 0.5m deep, with a flattish base. The ditch contained two fills, the primary deposit comprising a light grey-brown silty sand. The upper fill was much darker and contained a significant quantity of visible charcoal together with a considerable number of fire-cracked stones. The upper fill also produced a residual flint blade of late Mesolithic to Neolithic date. The eastern element of the enclosure ditch, which was 2-2.4m wide and 0.5m deep, was also hand-excavated in two locations and again contained two fills.

The vast majority of finds came from the charcoal-rich upper fill of the enclosure’s northern leg. Over 90% of the pottery was recovered from this deposit, some 600 sherds in number. The pottery dated to the late third to first half of the fourth century, with a few earlier sherds, and included Dales ware jars, lugged jars, an East Yorkshire
calcite-gritted proto-Huntcliff type jar, oxidised ware samian bowl imitations and third century Black Burnished ware vessels.

A range of other finds were also recovered. A total of 31 fragments of ceramic building material - brick and roof tile - were recovered, again comprising over 90% of the recovered material. Several brick fragments showed signs of wear on their upper surfaces, probably from foot traffic, suggesting they were used (or reused) as parts of floors or thresholds. One fragment of flat roof tile (tegula) also had part of a stylised signature. Part of an iron hinge and a copper alloy stud, together with 8 iron nails were also recovered.

Only a few fragments of poorly preserved animal bone were recovered, mainly pieces of tooth, showing the generally poor level of bone preservation, but part of a beehive quern was also recovered. Soil samples produced a range of charcoal types, including oak, heather, willow and hazel, together with several wheat grains, being examples of both bread wheat and emmer. The upper fill of the enclosure’s eastern element contained far less pottery, but was consistent in date with the other upper fill. Oak, hazel and heather charcoal was recovered from a sample of the fill, as was spindle charcoal, which is rarely identified on archaeological sites.

The primary fill of the northern enclosure ditch contained a much smaller quantity of pottery, but these again dated mainly to the later 3rd to mid 4th century. The primary fill also contained a complete iron knife blade, 235mm in total length, the handle comprising half the length of the whole item. Carbonised plant remains again comprised charcoal of oak, hazel and heather, with a single fragment of elm. Artefacts from the primary fill of the eastern element were again few in number, but included pottery of 2nd to 4th-century date and a grain of probable bread wheat.

The presence of so much pottery, mixed with charcoal and fire-cracked stone in the upper fill of the enclosure ditch suggests that the material came from a rubbish dump or midden, presumably somewhere nearby and conceivably from somewhere within the enclosure. The already partly-filled enclosure ditch was presumably used as a convenient place for disposal of the material. Pottery from the primary fill of the enclosure ditch was of a similar date to the midden material, suggesting that the ditch was in use and had started to silt up at the same time as the rubbish material was being collected, probably nearby.

Philip N Wood, 2014, Worksop STW, Nottinghamshire: Archaeological Excavation and Monitoring Report (Unpublished document). SNT5706.