Early to Middle Iron Age settlement at Power's Farm, Wheeler's Hill (EHER 80862)

Evaluation in 2022 recorded a dense concentration of Early to Middle Iron Age remains in the SE part of Area 5, extending ENE across Area 6 and into Area 4. The recorded features include linear and curvilinear ditches and gullies, postholes and pits, which appear to represent a series of enclosures, possible structures and remains of disposal activity constituting settlement of Early to Middle Iron Age date. The artefactual evidence suggests that the remains possibly span a date range of 800–150 BC.

August 2013 Trial trenching. The earliest dated features on site are densely concentrated in the South-central/SE part of Area 5 (Trenches 120, 134, 138, 142, 145, 150, 151, and 157), extending ENE across Area 6 (Trenches 165–171), and into Area 4 (Trenches 82, 82A and 106). The recorded features include linear and curvilinear ditches and gullies, postholes and pits, which appear to represent a series of enclosures, possible structures and remains of disposal activity constituting settlement of Early to Middle Iron Age date. The below-ground remains and the corresponding geophysical anomalies suggest that a number of roughly rectangular enclosures containing several possible roundhouses are located in the South of Area 5, potentially with continued use into the Late Iron Age. A further rectangular enclosure with associated possible roundhouses is located in the West of Area 6, with another in the North of Area 8. This latter enclosure does not appear to have any associated structures, which could indicate that it was part of the agricultural hinterland related to these settlements. Several other straight linear ditches, primarily on an ENE-WSW orientation in Area 6, may represent associated field boundaries. The artefactual evidence suggests that the remains possibly span a date range of 800–150 BC, with a mix of flint-tempered and more-sandy fabrics in the pottery seemingly showing distinct Early and Middle Iron Age components in the assemblage. Loom weight fragments from ditches [151/021] and [168/007], alongside pieces of structural daub and some evidence for cereal crops, also suggest that these features were associated with settlement. Typically for this period, the recovered artefact assemblages are generally of small size and restricted range. Across the Chelmer River valley, only about 1km West, the prominent Middle Iron Age settlement at Ash Tree Corner (EHER 6186) demonstrates a significant presence within the vicinity of the site during this period. Also with continued use into the Late Iron Age and Roman periods, it would have formed part of the contemporary Early/Middle Iron Age landscape with the settlements found here. To the East, the remains of an isolated Middle Iron Age farmstead found at Park Farm (EHER 80635) also form part of this landscape. It is likely that the Early-Middle Iron Age settlement here continues, possibly as late as the Late Iron Age/Early Roman transition (see EHER 80863). The five possible un-urned cremation burials, found in Trenches 121, 144, 151, 196, and 197, are awaiting further analysis and, as such, are currently undated. It is possible that they are associated with the Early/Middle Iron Age settlement in the south or, like the urned cremation in Trench 144, with the Late Iron Age/Early Roman activity. <1>