Post-medieval gravel pit, east of Maypole Road (EHER 81929)

A watching brief during geotechnical test pitting in 2016 recorded a post-medieval gravel pit which was confirmed by the First Edition of the Ordnance Survey map.

January-February 2016. Watching brief. The infilled remains of an old gravel pit were identified in Test Pit 206, located to the east of Maypole Road. A slight hollow was visible in the ground surface in this area. The base of the cut for the gravel pit was identified but the sides were not. Whilst this feature contained no dating material, the ceramic building material in its fills being occasional and very small, reference to the First Edition of the Ordnance Survey (1876) shows a ‘Gravel Pit’ at this location. This small pit was presumably excavated to obtain material to repair the adjacent road. It had been infilled by 1897, by which time the field boundary immediately to its south was established. An additional six test pits were excavated in the vicinity of Test Pit 206 to establish the extents of the infilled gravel pit. The backfill deposits were noted in Test Pits 206GP4, 206GP1 and 206GP5. <1> <2>