Anglo-Saxon cremation cemetery, Hall Road (EHER 46804)

Archaeological excavation in 2006 recorded 69 cremation burials and a possible isolated grave. Of these, 59 were urned, and both urned and un-urned cremations were often located next to postholes, which may have originally held burial markers. The majority of the cremations were located in the area defined by the Iron Age (EHER 46803) double enclosure ditches, and many were associated with a series of Anglo-Saxon ring/circular enclosure ditches and straight, linear ditches. No evidence of Anglo-Saxon habitation or domestic activity was recorded.

October 2006. Archaeological excavation. Sixty-nine cremations and a possible isolated grave were recorded across the site. Fifty-nine cremations were contained within pottery vessels dated to the early Anglo-Saxon period; the remaining ten were un-urned. Both urned and un-urned cremations were often located next to postholes, which may have originally held burial markers. The majority of the cremations were located in the area defined by the Iron Age (EHER 46803) double enclosure ditches. Cremations both inside and outside of the enclosure were associated with a series of Anglo-Saxon ring/circular enclosure ditches and straight, linear ditches. Only evidence of funerary activity was recorded. The Anglo-Saxon features clearly represent a cremation cemetery site. No features indicative of habitation or domestic activity were identified, although some recorded features may have had a function not directly associated with the cemetery. The Anglo-Saxon phase of activity at the site was dominated by a striking arrangement of ring-ditches and circular/sub-circular enclosure ditches seemingly linked by very straight linear ditches. These features appear to form the focus of the site around which the cremation burials were arranged. The stratigraphic relationships between these features indicate that, despite all being of Anglo-Saxon date, they were not all completely contemporary with one another. The way in which these features were arranged does, however, suggest that they were deliberately placed in relation to one another, even when one appears to have been filled in before the creation of another. It is a regularly observed feature of Anglo Saxon burial that there was, apparently, little problem identifying earlier graves, either to avoid disturbing a previous burial or to locate a grave in which to place another family member. It seems possible that a similar knowledge was held with regard to previous landscape features that, in this case, possibly represented funerary monuments. For ease of reference, the Anglo-Saxon cremations can be divided into two sets; those outside of the Iron Age enclosure and those within it. At least five groups of cremations were located within the earlier double-ditched enclosure and a further five were recognised outside of it. Further, isolated Anglo-Saxon cremations were also recorded, both inside and outside of the Iron Age enclosure. A series of six postholes and a pit were arranged around the northern and western outer edge of Penannular Ditch F1324. These postholes all appeared to have been cut into the outer edge of the penannular ditch, while it remained open. They all had backfills very similar to that of the ditch, suggesting that they may have been backfilled at the same time. This raises questions regarding the function of these postholes: if they were cut into the edge of the ditch while it remained open, they would not have been structurally capable of supporting posts. The first of these four postholes, F1096 (Grid Square C4) measured 0.51 x 0.50 x 0.30m and was circular in plan. In section, it was seen to have steeply sloping sides and a concave base. Its fill, L1097 was a dark brown sandy silt with occasional sub-rounded gravel inclusions. Posthole F1770 (Grid Square C4) was the most southerly of these four postholes. It measured 0.42 x 0.38 x 0.31m and was circular with near vertical sides and a flat base. It contained a dark brown silty sand with occasional sub-rounded stones (L1771). The westerly-most Posthole F1725 (Grid Square C4) was circular in plan and had near vertical sides and a concave base. It measured 0.50 x 0.50 x 0.32m and contained L1726, which was a dark brown silty sand with occasional stones and gravel. Posthole F1134 (Grid Square C4) was slightly larger than the other postholes in this group (measuring 0.90 x 0.48 x 0.45m). It was circular, with near vertical sides and a flat base. It contained two fills. The lower fill (L1136) comprised large angular stones in a matrix of brown grey sand. Its upper fill (L1135) was a dark grey brown silty sand with occasional small to medium sized stones. None of these post-holes yielded finds and their assignment to Phase 3 is based solely on their association with Cremation Pit F1295. Similar four-post wooden structures associated with Anglo-Saxon cremation burials have been identified at other sites in southern England. It has been suggested that such structures may have supported pitched roofs and had wooden planking or wattle and daub walls. Such structures are often viewed as having been built specifically to house the cremation deposits of one particular family. Similar structures are known from continental Europe but some of these have been identified as cremation pyre supports, rather than cremation houses. Williams (2005, 263) suggests that grave goods, especially weapons, may have been displayed on the outside of such ‘gravehouses’. <1> <2> <3> A possible grave was located towards the western edge of the site, between the Iron Age enclosure ditches. It was aligned north to south and was rectangular in plan, with rounded corners, near-vertical sides and a base that sloped down to the south. The feature has been interpreted as a grave on account of its size and shape in plan and profile. The absence of any bone could be accounted for by the acidic nature of the natural sand/gravel deposits on site, which would have hindered the survival of organic material. Identification as a grave is tentative, especially given the absence of other evidence for inhumations on the site, and the clear preference in favour of a cremation rite among the population using the cemetery. A posthole was located to the north of the grave and may have originally held a grave marker. It was sub-circular in plan, with moderate sides and a flat base. <3>