Medieval ditches at Wallbury Lodge, Dell Lane (EHER 82083)

A 2018 trial trenching evaluation revealed medieval ditches, likely relating to agricultural activity.

2018. Trial trenching. One ditch, located a further 7.5m to the north of the Late Iron Age to Roman activity, was aligned north-east to south-west and measured 1.4m wide by 0.26m deep. It contained a significant quantity of medieval pottery (dated from the 12th to 13th century) and residual Roman ceramic building material. A posthole was recorded in the base of the ditch. In the northern third of the trench were six parallel linear features aligned north-west to south-east. They were U-shaped but the top of the features was indistinct and a 7m long section was lowered by machine to fully define them, the remaining area to the north being left to preserve them in situ. It is likely that these features were bounded to the south by a ditch F13 and contained pottery of 12th to 13th century date. These linears resemble ridge and furrow but the gaps between them are much too narrow at about 0.2m apart, with ridge and furrow typically ranging from 3m to 20m apart. However they may have had a similar agricultural or horticultural function. Also excavated were an undated pit and posthole and two medieval pits, one of which had a posthole cut into the base. <1>