Medieval to post-medieval pit and undated gully at Wakerings Farm, Leighs Road (EHER 80839)

Archaeological monitoring during groundworks at the Bailey Barn recorded a shallow pit which produced a single sherd of medieval/post-medieval peg-tile, and an undated gully.

August 2023. Watching brief. Archaeological monitoring recorded a shallow pit under the floor of the north-east room of the Bailey Barn. The feature was 100% excavated and a single sherd of medieval/post-medieval peg-tile was recovered. An undated gully (recorded for a length of 13.7m) was observed running roughly north-south under the floor of the Bailey Barn. It extended north and south outside of the excavation area, however it was not observed further south so likely terminates or turns between the barn and the new extension. Two sections were excavated and with no finds recovered the feature remains undated. Extending south-west from the Bailey Barn were two foundation walls, both of which extended out of the excavation area. South-west of the Bailey Barn was an area of made-ground, presumably related to a historic southern extension to the Bailey Barn (as seen in historic mapping). These findings suggest that the area was inhabited prior to the establishment of farm buildings at Wakerings Farm, with later evidence correlating to the existing historic mapping of the complex, to create a wider picture of the farmstead and its direct environs. <1>