- large 47 HERN'S CLOSE Excavation of the buildings uncovered in 1974(Nos. 4, 5 and 6) was completed and about 3400 sq.m were cleared, half by hand and half by machine, across the N. side of the field. The remainder of the field was also trenched by machine to search <strong>for</strong> any outlying buildings, of which 11 were uncovered. EARLY FEATURES Be<strong>for</strong>e excavation it was hoped that this site would produce evidence of late Saxon occupation, as Great Lin<strong>for</strong>d is thought to have a Saxon charter. However, evidence of occupation in this period has been slight, only a scatter of late Saxon sherds in the area of buildings 5, 6 and 14 on the surface of the natural clay subsoil. A number of post-holes and beam slots cut into natural beneath buildings 5 and 6 produced no dating evidence, and may be connected with these later stone buildings. The only definite Saxon features were two ,V1 section ditches, 35cm across, aligned E.-W., to the S. of building 14. Near these, on the subsoil, was found a large sherd of a Stam<strong>for</strong>d Ware spouted pitcher. in destruction levels and a rubbish tip on the S. yard occupation appears to have continued into the 017th. Building 9 Like Building 8, this structure has been almost completely removed and was only identified by the surrounding yard edges and the internal floor of crushed fossiliferous limestone. This 017th building measured 13m x 5.5m. No internal features were noted, but a well-laid pitched stone, path 1.2m wide led N. Building 10 A substantial five-bay building, dating from the 013th, 22.5m x 5m. The W. bay, which had been cut by a(c.C18th) drainage ditch, contained a square stone hearth and the E. central bay a circular stone-lined oven, 1.2m dia., set into the floor. The E. bay was surfaced'with pitched stone. A ditch running along the S. side of the building yielded quantities of PottersPury and other C13th-C14th sherds. THE BUILDINGS Building 5 The two-bay C17th building excavated last year was shown to have a third bay at its W. end, making the structure 17m x 5.5m. Built onto the N. side of this bay was a further room, measuring 3m x 3m. In the angle between this room and the main building was a stone structure 2.4m x 1.5m, tentatively identified as a staircase. To the W. of Building 5 a further Cl7th building (Building 7), 8m x 5.5m, was uncovered. This appears to have been an outbuilding associated with Building 5. Building 8 This building, which measured 1.-5m x 6m, had been badly robbed, and was idLntified on the ground by the edges of the surrounding yard. It contained a well-built flagged hearth in its E. bay and a rough lean-to, represented by four post-holes, was built onto its E. end. The earliest pottery from this building was 014th, but from scattered sherds Building 11 Situated 3m N. of Building 10 and separated from it by a cobbled yard, this building measured 13m x 5.5m. In its N.E. corner was a rectangular kiln (malt?) 1.2m x 1.6m, with a stokehole at its W. end and stone walls, battered outwards. A flagged,path ran down the centre of the western bay, cutting a substantial stone wall which may have been the original end of the building. From the finds, this building is contemporary with Building 10, <strong>for</strong> which it was probably the kitchen/ brewhouse. Building 12 Approximately 17m x 5.5m, this building was badly damaged by robbing, and a 019th pond system. Pottery and a quantity of tile found in destruction le-rels points to'the continued existence of this C13th building into the 017ti. Bnilding 13 A small building, 8m x 6m, to the N.of Building 8, mud sealed by a post-medieval surface in the yard of Building 8. Inside the ,
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