Iron Age round house at Pentlow Hill, Pentlow (EHER 80204)

The earliest human activity on site is present in the form of three struck pieces of flint. The middle to late Iron Age appears to have been the start of sedentary activity. An enclosure formed by a large ditch of middle to late Iron Age date is located to the north, within which is a 9m round house ditch.

August to September 2022. Trial trenching. The earliest human activity on site is present in the form of three struck pieces of flint which were hard hammer struck and likely of late Neolithic or Bronze Age date. Although these finds were found within later features it does indicate a very low level of probable transient activity during this period. The middle to late Iron Age appears to have been the start of sedentary activity, with land segregation present to the west of site with ditches on an approximate cardinal alignment. Two of these ditches are large, running eastward and potentially forming an enclosure around a low status agrarian settlement outside of which are sporadic ditches suggestive of an associated field system. A second potential contemporary enclosure formed by a large ditch of middle to late Iron Age date is located to the north, within which is a 9m round house ditch. The enclosure is recut during the early Roman period and some of the field system have similar dating. The presence of wheat, barley, cow, pig and sheep/goat is suggestive of a small mixed subsistence farming community. <1>