Late Iron Age to Roman enclosure and field system, Langford Hall Reservoir (EHER 81846)

Archaeological excavation of a multi-period cropmark complex (EHER 7870) at Langford Hall Reservoir recorded a series of north-south aligned ditches which overlay the Middle Iron Age enclosure system (EHER 45968). In Excavation Area 1, two excavated ditches converge at a point immediately to the east of the Neolithic-Middle Bronze Age ring ditch (EHER 7871) and confirm the feature plotted as a cropmark. At the east end of the site, in Excavation Area 3, a north–south aligned pair of ditches was investigated and were discovered to have been recut, which implies that the land boundaries these ditches demarcated were maintained over time. They may represent a ditched trackway running north-south or successive phases of a single Roman period boundary. Previous interpretation of the wider cropmark complex had plotted these ditches as converging further to the north but aerial images from 2009 show two parallel ditches.

1995. Geophysical survey an archaeological excavation. In Excavation Area 2 three significant linear anomalies were located, one of which was not shown on aerial photographs. <1> March-April 1996. Archaeological excavation. During the Late Iron Age and Roman periods a different system of land division was constructed, based on north-south aligned ditches, to that used in the Middle Iron Age (see EHER 45968). It is likely the line of the east-west track remained visible in the landscape – it is possible that it continued in use. Two of these ditches were located to the immediate east of the Neolithic-Middle Bronze Age ring ditch (EHER 7871) and converged at a point immediately alongside it. While the west ditch was a relatively shallow feature with an irregular profile, the east ditch had a very regular profile with straight, gently sloping sides and a flat base. It was around 0.35m deep and contained a small amount of Late Iron Age pottery. Both clearly cut across the Middle Iron Age trackway and intruded into the interior of Enclosure B (an enclosure which projects south from the ditched trackway recorded in EHER 45968), so disrupting all previous land organisation and functional entities. At the east end of the site, in Excavation Area 3, a north–south aligned pair of ditches was investigated. Both were recut, which implies that the land boundaries these ditches demarcated were maintained over time. They contained Roman pottery of 2nd to 4th century date and formed part of a Roman landscape, not apparently associated with the earlier enclosure system. These may define either side of a trackway or successive phases of a single Roman period boundary. Previous interpretation of the wider cropmark complex had plotted these ditches as converging further to the north. However, aerial photographs dating to 2009 (post-dating the cropmark plots described above) would appear to show two parallel ditches. There were few further features of this period; a single pit or post-hole, which contained Samian ware, lay on the line a ditch in Excavation Area 1/2, while one of the ditches in Excavation Area 3 was cut by a large pit from which no datable evidence was recovered. <2> Note: The north-south aligned parallel ditches at the east end of Excavation Area 3 continue on the cropmark plot northwards until they converge with an irregular enclosure. This is recorded by NRHE record 380861 below and is thought to be of the same period. Furthermore, a series of similarly north-south aligned parallel ditches are recorded as cropmarks to the east, see EHER 7985, and may be part of the same field system described here. NRHE data transfer, 380861: Cropmarks, enclosures, ring ditches, linear features, trackways. <3> - <9> October 1976. Field survey The features visible on the above air photographs represent three areas of ring ditches, labelled A - C: 'A', centred TL 8423 0955, a tight group of ring ditches [Recorded in EHER 7871] associated with an irregular enclosure [this record]. 'B', centred TL 84060937, two ring ditches average diameter 8.0m. [Recorded in EHER 7871]. 'C', centred TL 84080918, ring ditch with approximate diameter of 20.0m. [Recorded in EHER 7871]. Nothing visible on the ground, the sites, possibly of Iron Age/Romano-British occupation adjacent to RRX 107b, lie on a gravel terrace under plough. <10> An enclosure with a single, east-facing entrance at Langford. Of the four circular features, three are probably round barrows of Bronze Age date (see EHER 7871); only the one with a south-facing entrance is likely to be a house. The enclosure abuts an earlier linear feature on the east. (Drury tentatively compared the enclosure with Little Waltham (Period III - later 2nd/early 1st century BC) settlement. Plan. <11> Aerial photographs taken for OS re-mapping show several groups of cropmarks within the field centred TL 842 093 . The enclosure 'A' at TL 8423 0955 (Auths 2 and 3) is clearly visible, as are three ring ditches within it, one cut by the west side of the enclosure. Another irregular enclosure with two ring ditches in the SW corner is centred at TL 8415 0920 (see EHER 49568). <12> NRHE summary description, 380861: An irregular enclosure and three ring ditches are visible as cropmarks on air photographs. The enclosure is nearer trapezoidal than rectangular. Its eastern side is the straightest, and one source suggests that this side abuts an earlier linear feature. There also appear to be an entrance gap in this eastern side. Three ring ditches are visible - two wholly within the enclosed area and one overlapping the enclosure's western side. All three are suggested to be ring ditches of probable Bronze Age date, while the enclosure is assumed to belong to the later Iron Age. One source claims that there are four circular features associated with the enclosure, and that one of the four features a south-facing entrance and is therefore likely to be a round house associated with the enclosure. However, this fourth circular feature is not visible on the air photograph published by Harding and Lee (1987, page 147, <13>).