The evaluation uncovered extensive and complex archaeological remains across all three trenches, predominantly comprised of enclosure and boundary ditches. A total of 142 sherds (3.024kg) of pottery dated from the Late Iron Age to the later Romano-British periods were recovered from a range of features across all three trenches. Peak occupation of the site is suggested by the ceramic data of dating to the Later Roman period that perhaps may be tentatively linked to the Roman urban development of Crocolana, located c.3km to the north-east of the site. However, the interpretation of the site is tentative at this stage based on the small-excavated sample.

The investigation at the site revealed a complex set of archaeological remains spanning the Latest Iron Age and Romano-British periods of between 50 BC – AD 400. This phase of trenching represents an initial phase of works and as such all interpretation is tentative. A possible focus on the later Roman period (AD 100 – 400) has preliminarily been identified based on the pottery assemblage.

Earlier inhabitation of the site appears to be generally localised towards the north-west around the first trench. The general alignment of these earlier features is generally north-west to south-east. This is evidenced by the total of fourteen sherds (62g) of Early Roman pottery (AD 40 – 100) being recovered from all features excavated. However, activity dated to the Late Iron Age can be glimpsed partially across the site, notably demonstrated by the recovery of eight sherds (117g) of pottery from one pit in a second trench.

Furthermore, a total of four sub-circular anomalies highlighted by the geophysical survey can be interpreted as enclosures, the majority of which are similarly aligned south-east to north-west. Morphologically, these enclosures hint at a broad date range of Late Iron Age to Early Romano-British and suggest a concerted Late Iron Age exploitation.

The largest and most complete of the enclosures identified by the geophysical survey was investigated in the third trench, notably two ditches. Although only one intervention was placed on its south-eastern arm, it is likely that at least one re-establishment of the feature took place, in the form of a recut of one of the ditch. Three sherds (80g) of pottery recovered from its fill were dated to the Later Roman period. The other original ditch may have had an Iron Age origin. Although heavily abraded and likely to be residual, the two sherds (3g) of Late Iron Age pottery may support this hypothesis.

Two small circular feature ditches of the same size were identified during the investigation in the second trench. One of these was investigated. Although only around half of this feature was exposed, it is likely to have measured approximately 2m in total interior diameter. Although three sherds (22g) of pottery recovered from the upper fill of the feature are dated to the broad Romano-British period, it is possible it may date to the earlier Romano-British period. However, it is unknown at present if the circular features are the same phase, and thus within and associated with the large enclosure.

Although based on the small-excavated sample of the study area, the ceramic evidence suggests a hiatus in activity between the later 1st and later 2nd century AD. As a broad interpretation, this may represent complete abandonment, or may reflect a shift in site focus to another area, outside of the evaluation area. The site was subjected to a resurgence of sorts during the later 2nd to 4th centuries AD, evidenced by the large volume of Later Roman pottery, recovered from two trenches, which totalled one hundred and seven sherds (2.514kg) that comprised 89.4% of the overall assemblage.

Generally, these later ditchesfollow a pattern ofslight realignment to the north-north-east to south-south-west, suggesting a reorganisation of the landscape, particularly
notable with a ditch and a recut in the third trench.

However, the relative lack of fine ware within the pottery assemblage, which only amounted to 0.7% of the entire assemblage recovered from the site is intriguing, as is the low level (2.5%) of imported pottery in the assemblage.

The recovery of a small amount of Roman ceramic building material from ditches in the second and third trenches add to the corpus of later Roman dates provided by the pottery and possibly indicate the presence near-by of a Roman villa estate or bath house. However, the material is abraded and may have travelled from further afield from manuring.

Paddy Lambert, 2020, Iron Age and Romano-British Remains - Land off A1-A17 Junction, Newark: Archaeological Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SNT5865.