ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION - Mike Griffiths and Associates

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from this deposit but a flint flake as well as a small piece of Langdale greenstone were found. The flint
fragment displays a small area of polishing and may represent a knapped piece from a polished stone axe. F16
was interpreted as a small pit.
F17 was situated c.0.40 to the east of F16 and appeared as a small sub-circular deposit of mid-greyish-brown
silty sand measuring c.0.48m in diameter. The feature was half-sectioned approximately east-west, where it
proved to be 0.15m deep and backfilled with a single deposit (C1196). A flint flake and Neolithic pottery were
recovered from C1196 during excavation and following recording, the remaining half was excavated to recover
any further material and the full form of the feature. C1196 consisted of a silty sand and contained rare mixed
moderate gravel and charcoal flecks. A small assemblage of poorly preserved ceramic was recovered during
excavation, and assessment identified two vessels of probable later Neolithic date. In addition, two flint flakes
were recovered. F17 was interpreted as a small truncated pit.
F18 was situated c.48.00m from the southern end of the
intervention and appeared as a large possible circular pit located
against the eastern limit of excavation and continuing beyond it
(Plate 26). The feature measured c.4.40m in diameter and was
half-sectioned where it proved to have gently sloping sides to a
depth of c.0.80m, whereafter the sides became near vertical
(Figure 60). The feature was excavated to a depth of 1.20m
below the top of ploughsoil; excavation was not taken beyond
this depth for health and safety reasons.
Plate 26 F18, Intervention 23, looking east
(scale 1m)
F18 proved to be filled with at least four distinct deposits up to a depth of 0.90m. The earliest excavated fill
of F18 consisted of a coarse sandy clayey silt with high percentages of mixed gravel (70%) (C1195). The
deposit was excavated to reveal a minimum thickness of 0.20m, but the base was not found. This fill was
overlain by C1194 made of a clayey sandy silt with rare mixed gravel (4%), which measured 0.35m thick and
was ‘u’-shaped in profile. C1194 was overlain by C1193, an unusual deposit of marl which was pale brown in
colour and contained only traces of fine gravel and pebbles but was otherwise sterile. The deposit was welldefined
against underlying C1194, measured 0.30m thick and was ‘u’-shaped in profile, overlying C1192.
C1192 represented the latest fill of F18 and consisted of a stiff dark brown sandy silt containing rare mixed
gravel and pebbles (4%) measuring up to 0.45m thick. Modern glass and china were recovered from C1192
during excavation as well as a sherd of North Yorkshire Gritty ware and a flint end scraper, a fragment of flint
core, a chert flake which had been utilised, and four flint flakes. F18 has been interpreted as a sink hole and
corresponds with F13 (Intervention 17) and F28 (Intervention 4).
F19 was situated 19.20m from the southern limit of the intervention and appeared as a sub-circular feature
positioned against the western limit of intervention and disappearing beneath it. Where visible, the feature
measured 5.60m long x 3.20m wide. The southeastern quadrant of the feature was excavated where it proved
to be a steep-sided feature filled with three distinct deposits, C1205, C1206 and C1227 (Figure 61). C1227 was
the basal fill of the feature and consisted of a deposit of gravel-rich sterile brown silt. This deposit was overlain
by C1206 which was an homogenous brown sterile clayey-silt with frequent mixed gravel and pebble inclusions.
The final fill of F19 was allocated C1205 which was a deposit of brown sterile clayey silt with frequent mixed
FIELD ARCHAEOLOGY SPECIALISTS