Prehistoric settlement and post medieval agricultural features at Alder Park, land adjacent to Cliphedge Farm (EHER 80472)

Excavations at the site revealed a prehistoric gully and a pit or tree-throw possibly dating to the Late Iron Age, indicating that a settlement may have stood nearby during this period. A post-medieval pit and a modern pit and ditch were also uncovered.

Evaluation, 2024 Thirteen features were uncovered during evaluation at this site: four pits, three ditches, two gullies, a pit or tree-throw, a pit or natural feature, a gully or natural feature and a natural feature. Finds were quite sparse and only five of these features could be dated. These remains were distributed across the site but tended to cluster within its western half. The most significant remains were pit or tree-throw in trench 4, which produced a sherd of pottery possibly dating to the Late Iron Age, and a gully in trench 3, which contained six sherds of prehistoric pottery and a flint flake. Both features were located in the western part of the site, and it is possible that a prehistoric settlement stood nearby in this period. A post-medieval pit, a modern pit and a modern ditch were also uncovered. These were likely the product of agricultural activity. <1>