Fieldwalking: Great Laine H397, H398

Prehistoric
This field produced 258 pieces of worked flint. Under 10% of the pieces were Mesolithic in date, and comprised both hard and soft hammer-struck flakes and blades, and a few bladelets. The remainder of the pieces were more typical of a Later Neolithic or Bronze Age date flintworking assemblage, and were predominantly debitage, with just three scrapers and single examples of a notched flake and fabricator. In addition to this later prehistoric flintwork, a Palaeolithic ovate handaxe was also found. This piece is well patinated, and has been neatly worked over both faces to produce a Type K ovate handaxe, approximately 100mm long, although now missing its tip. Although this is not a true bout coupé handaxe, it is likely to date from the Middle Palaeolithic.

Romano-British
One sherd of pottery and two tile fragments of Romano-British origin were recovered from the area of inspection.

Medieval
Two sherds of 12th C. pottery, 29 pieces of 13th-14th C. ware, 12 examples of 15th-mid 16th C. pot and a number of Medieval tile fragments were collected.

Post-medieval
Four mid 16th-early 18th C. sherds and 26 pieces of 18th-19th C. pottery were also recorded across the field. Other finds included numerous Post-medieval tile fragments, plus two 18th C. and one 18th/19th C. clay pipe segments.

Miscellaneous
A low-density scatter of Horsham stone was noted, while a single piece of worked Caen-stone (medieval?) was located towards the central-northern part of the field and indeed in spatial association with relatively large numbers of Medieval/Post-medieval tile. However, perhaps of greatest interest is the concentration of daub (40 pieces weighing c.1kg.) found in the north-easternmost area of the fieldwalking grid. Much of this material was burnt and as such may well represent the remains of an (as yet undated) oven or kiln.

Archaeology

Fieldwalking & Special Projects

Test-pits

Historical Environments Records