Iron Age to early Roman pits, ditches and cremation at the former Martello Caravan Park, Kirby Road (EHER 80463)

Archaeological remains encountered during the evaluation comprised a low to moderate density of ditches, pits, postholes, and a single cremation burial, relating to land use activity dating to the Early/Middle Iron Age and possibly Late Iron Age/Early Roman periods. The majority of the undated/unexcavated pits and ditches in Trenches 10, 11 and 14 share sufficiently similar characteristics and are in such close proximity to the dated remains that it is reasonable to consider them of a contemporary date.

February 2021. Trial trenching. Archaeological remains encountered during the evaluation comprised a low to moderate density of ditches, pits, postholes, and a single cremation burial, relating to land use activity dating to the Early/Middle Iron Age and possibly Late Iron Age/Early Roman periods. Small quantities of exclusively Early/Middle Iron Age pottery were retrieved from the tops of two unexcavated features in Trench 14. The Southern edge of this activity may have been marked by the drop in the original ground level, with the lower lying area perhaps more prone to flooding. No clear limits to the North and West were identified, with features appearing to continue as far as Trench 7 or 9. The cremation burial in the NW corner of the site is seemingly separated from the domestic pit remains. The burial was isolated and did not form part of a cemetery. Tentatively dated by a single sherd of Early/Middle Iron Age pottery recovered from it, it is noted that cremation is a relatively rare form of funerary rite in this period; it is possible that the pottery sherd is in fact residual and that the burial is of later date – perhaps Late Iron Age/Early Roman. Two pits in Trench 10 produced very small quantities of diagnostically grog-tempered Late Iron Age/Early Roman pottery, in addition to slightly larger amounts of Early/Middle Iron Age sherds. It is possible that at least some of the recorded ditches and pits in the SE of the site are of this Late Iron Age/Early Roman date. Whether or not this constitutes continuity of land use is currently unclear. The recovered fragments of fired clay, deriving from possible hearth/kiln structures, are associated with features of this date too and hint at domestic or manufacturing activities nearby. The majority of the undated/unexcavated pits and ditches in Trenches 10, 11 and 14 share sufficiently similar characteristics and are in such close proximity to the dated remains that it is reasonable to consider them of a contemporary date with either the Early/Middle Iron Age and/or Late Iron Age/Early Roman land uses. <1>