Late Iron Age roundhouses and funeral pyre, 39-45 Crescent Road (EHER 81893)

Archaeological excavation in 2002 recorded the remains of two phases of roundhouse construction, suggesting a relatively prolonged occupation. Although there were no remains of major land divisions, the area excavated was perhaps too small to conclude that the settlement was unenclosed. The base of a possible Late Iron Age funeral pyre was also recorded and provides evidence of late prehistoric funerary practice at the site, though was probably not contemporary with the occupation of the roundhouses.

August-October 2002. Archaeological excavation. Late Iron Age pottery was collected from a number of features, most notably the fill of a curvilinear gully. This was interpreted as either the foundation slot for or drainage gully around a roundhouse building, and was an irregular, near circular feature with a diameter of 14.5m, with a gap to the southwest. It was a shallow feature with a surviving depth of just 0.16m and lay stratigraphically under a further curvilinear gully complex, which constituted a ring ditch with an overall diameter of between 17 and 18m. This represented a later phase of Late Iron Age occupation (though notably this feature contained apparently residual Middle Iron Age pottery). There were numerous pits and post holes that contained late prehistoric material identified within these two ring ditches, which were possibly internal structural elements. Further undated features may be broadly related to this period of activity. A 5.3m long north-south gully lay underneath curvilinear, though its function remains unclear. Possible evidence of cremation practice, probably of Late Iron Age date (though not securely dated), was encountered with the shallow base of a pit, to the east of the site, which contained both cremated bone and small lumps of copper alloy. It measured around 1m north-south by 0.6m east-west, and may have been the base of a funeral pyre, the finds representing residue from a cremated body and pyre goods. The probable eves-drip gullies represent two phases of roundhouse construction, suggesting a relatively prolonged occupation. Although there were no remains of major land divisions, the area excavated was perhaps too small to conclude that the settlement was unenclosed. The base of a possible Late Iron Age funeral pyre provides further evidence of late prehistoric funerary practice, though was probably not contemporary with the occupation of the roundhouses. Similar structures were encountered in Area W of the Elms Farm excavations (EHER 81914), confirming the peripheral nature of this area to the north of the main settlement. <1> Note: The material described in this record may be associated with the settlement at Elms Farm, see EHER 81914.