Prehistoric flint flake and post-medieval domestic finds St Mary Magdalen Church, Thorrington (EHER 80584)

Test pits excavated here in 2006 and 2007 revealed Roman pottery, a single prehistoric flint flake and a variety of 19th and 20th century objects.

June 2006. Test Pit 6. Two sherds of Roman pottery were excavated from the lower contexts of test pit one and consist of Grog-Tempered ware and Roman Greyware. An additional two sherds of post-medieval Glazed Red Earthenware were also recovered from the upper half of the test pit, but the majority of the pottery excavated dates to the Victorian period and was found through the upper five contexts of Test Pit 6. The presence of potential very Late Iron Age and Roman pottery in the base of test pit six probably suggests that this site was part of a Roman-British settlement in the far south east of the village. The lower four contexts of Test Pit 6 were also probable undisturbed late prehistoric or Roman ground surfaces, although the site was also probably fields during that time. There is no evidence for any further activity until the post medieval, when the site was potentially still used as fields, until an increase of occupation into the 19th century. This more recent disturbance also relates to most of the finds, which consist of CBM, slate, coal, glass and concrete excavated from contexts two, three and four. <1> May 2007. Test Pit 7. Test pit seven did not produce any pottery. The location of Test Pit 7 close to the entrance of the 14th century church could potentially yield both finds and pottery dating from the construction of the church. The presence of slag and clay pipe does suggest activity on site most probably during the post medieval period. The slate, coal, CBM, scrap iron and iron nails with bottle glass, slag and animal bone that were mixed through the eight contexts are potentially related to activity on the nearby farm, although it is possible that they were also related to activities in and around the church. The presence of a possible small cobbled surface was also excavated at c.0.2m in depth and may have been part of a path or road leading to the church. A potential worked flint flake was also excavated from context six and may indicate later prehistoric activity on site, although analysis of the lithics would be needed to confirm this. <1>