Excavation of Neolithic Pits, Late Bronze Age Occupation, Late Iron Age into Roman Field System and Saxon Pits at Roke Manor Farm, Shootash, Romsey, Hampshire (Paperback)

This volume presents the results of archaeological investigations in advance of sand and gravel extraction. The first phases of excavation revealed an extensive field system including a possible droveway, dated to the Late Iron Age-Early Roman period, into which two enclosures were incorporated. The smaller enclosure in the south-eastern quadrant was possibly contemporary with the field system but only scant dating evidence was recovered. The larger enclosure at the western edge of the excavation was securely dated to the Early Roman period. The latter was only partially uncovered by the fieldwork and it is not clear if this was an occupation site or was simply another component of the organised landscape. The fourth phase of excavation revealed the eastwards continuation of the Late Iron Age-Early Roman field system and droveway, but added unexpected new components in the form of Late Neolithic pits, a dense cluster of Late Bronze Age occupation features, and two Anglo-Saxon pits. The chronology is supported by radiocarbon dates. The final phases of extraction extended this range of features with several discrete clusters of unenclosed and only very loosely organized Late Bronze Age settlement. A substantial pottery assemblage was recovered (though very few other finds) and the chronology is again supported by radiocarbon dates centred on the 9th and 10th centuries cal BC. Shallow ditches and gullies, although undated in this area, also appear to extend the Late Iron Age or Early Roman landscape seen to the west. The most notable feature on the site is a Late Bronze Age pit which contained 22kg of pottery from at least 18 vessels, radiocarbon dated to 1125–969 cal BC. The Saxon pits, one of which dated to AD 659–729 contained iron smelting slag but no furnace was present.