The medieval boundary ditch is intersected by a narrow gully, 5m along its north west/south east section. The gully survived for a distance of nearly 4m before fading out probably as a result of truncation either due to the machine stripping or earlier activity on the site. The gully was very shallow, 100mm, with a splayed ‘U’ shaped profile. Finds from the gully are dated to between the 12th century and the 15th century making it broadly contemporary with the medieval boundary ditch.

Four further gullies intersected the boundary ditch. All of them are orientated north-north west/south-south east. The length of the gullies varied. One gully had an observed extent of 11m, its northern extent being beyond the limit of excavation. A second was 7m in length, a third was 9m and the last was 8.7m. Their profiles were generally a splayed ‘U’ with the base occasionally flattened.

Excavation of the intersections indicated that the four gullies cut the medieval boundary ditch although this was not clear in all cases. The pottery recovered from the excavation of sections has been dated to between the 12th century and the 14th century. Although excavation indicated that the gullies cut the boundary ditch, the pottery dates from the gullies and the ditch would suggest that they are all broadly contemporary.

The pottery finds recovered from the excavation of the gullies came in the main from the upper fills with earlier fabrics being mixed with later ones. This is the case with the first gully which cut a second gully where Stamford Ware (10th-12th century) was recovered in association with Nottingham Splashed Ware (12th-13th century) and Burley Hill type wares (12th-15th century) giving an earliest possible date for deposition and for the first gully in the 12th century. A similar pattern is observable in the single fill of the second gully. Stamford Ware is found in the upper fill along side Nottingham Splashed Ware with the same distribution in the lower portion of the same fill. The same pattern was noted in the third gully where Nottingham Splashed Ware, Burley Hill type wares were recovered from both spits of a single fill. Stamford Ware along with Burley Hill Ware and locally produced medieval pottery were recovered from the lower spit. A single piece of Brown Glazed Earthenware was recovered from the upper spit. Only three pottery shards were recovered from the fourth gully comprising Burley Hill Ware, Nottingham Splashed Ware and Stamford Ware all from the upper parts of the ditch fill.

Parts of a plated copper alloy object was recovered from the second gully. The plating is of a white metal probably tin. It has incised decoration and a squared off end has a rivet hole. The object has been provisionally interpreted as a rectangular mount possibly dating the 12th /13th century, although it may be older.

The function of the four gullies is uncertain. They may be associated with drainage or possibly structural, possibly indicating the presence of an animal shelter. The interpretation of them as structural is weakened by the fact that there are no post holes associated with them and no building material, (brick, stone, daub, timber or nails), was recovered from the excavation of them or nearby on the site.

The boundary ditch was cut by an ‘L’ shaped ditch broadly orientated north-west/south-east and north-east/south-west. Its north-west/south-east arm is irregular with a part of it orientated north-east/south-west before continuing north-west/south-east. This irregular arrangement suggests that the feature only partially survives. The north-east/south-west arm has an average width of 1.6m, similar to that of the boundary ditch whilst the remainder of L shaped ditch, at 1.1m is similar to the widest of the four gullies that cut the boundary ditch to the south-west. That the two parts of the ditch may be different features could not be demonstrated by excavation.

Pottery finds were recovered from the excavated sections of the L shaped ditch with a date range spanning the late 12th century to the early 15th century. The assemblage comprised Burley Hill type Wares, (late 12th century to 15th century), along with Nottingham Splashed Ware, (12th century to mid 13th century), and early Nottingham Glazed Ware, (early 13th century to mid 13th century). There was no stratagraphic separation between the pottery finds recovered from the excavation. Much of it was abraded suggesting re deposition form other locations beyond the limit of excavation.

A small curvilinear gully was partially uncovered with much of it extending beyond the limit of excavation. Its observed length was 1.6m and its width 300mm. On excavation it was shown to have a maximum depth of 100mm. Pottery recovered from the small gully has been shown to have a date range of between the 12th century and the 13th century and is broadly contemporary with the pot assemblages from the surrounding medieval features. It precise function and its relationship with the other medieval features is unclear.

A north east/south west orientated ditch was recorded in the north east quadrant of the site. This was cut by the base of a stone lined post medieval drain and butt ended immediately beyond it. On excavation the ditch did not produce any finds or other datable material. From the butt end, two shards of pottery were recovered, one dating to the 13th century the other between the 14th and 16th centuries.

Immediately to the north east of the butt end, a further ditch orientated north west/south east, was revealed. Its observed length was 3m but it clearly extended further to the north west beyond the limit of excavation. The butt end of the ditch was excavated along with its revealed length. Two shards of pottery dating to between the 14th and 16th century were recovered from the excavation.

L. Platt, 2013, Attenborough Village Excavation: Report of an Archaeological Excavation in Advance of New Flood Defence, Page 5-7 (Unpublished document). SNT5839.