More information : NY 115537. A small sub-rectangular enclosure and field system, discovered by aerial photography in 1974-5, was excavated in advance of destruction by housing. The enclosure consisted of a ditch, 0.3m to 1.3m deep and 1.3 to 2m wide, surrounding a bank, 2.5 to 4m wide which, in turn, enclosed an area about 20.0m E-W by 14m. Beyond the NE ditch traces of a clay banks were found. A single entrance, 3m wide, was located in the NE side defined by a break in bank and ditch and two post-holes about 50cms in diameter. Post-holes on top of the bank indicate a palisade and a further line of post-holes at the base suggest a revetment. An irregular round hut, 4-5m in diameter and showing signs of having been re-built once, occupies the N part of the enclosure surrounded by metalling. In the southern portion of the enclosure post-holes indicate stock enclosures. Locally made pottery together with Continental and South of England ware indicate a date of about 190-225 AD. The associated field system comprised boundary ditches 2-3m wide and up to 1.5m deep, and is situated E of Silloth School buildings. The field system is of a later date than the Roman defensive works to the NW (NY 15 SW 9). Photographs held at Manchester University. (1-2)
NY 115537. Further excavations in 1977 suggest a single phase enclosure and substantiate a date within the 3rd century AD. In the interior of the site 150 post-holes were located, all of which, apart from 2 entrance posts lay within the perimeter ditch. At the centre of the site a group of post-holes suggested a small rectangular structure, measuring 2.5m by 2.8m internally. The clearest grouping occured immediately inside the entrance on the N side, where most of the important structures probably stood, but no group provided enough evidence for a building. Excavation of the ditch-line running NW away from the site (see plan 9b) has demonstrated that this ditch was connected to the outer ditch of the farm site, and was contemporary with it. Finds include 3 fragments of animal bone, 65 sherds of Roman coarse pottery, 7 nail fragments and a possible spearhead or pilum measuring 12mm radius by 65mm long. (3)
The features recorded by the previous authority were seen and mapped from air photographs. All the photographs held at Manchester University were seen in the NMR and one (CS 57,5A) was used for mapping. The rectilinear enclosure, centred at NY 1149 5362 measured 27 m by 30 m with an entrance in the NE. A boundary ditch ran NW for over 100 m with other boundaries attached at right angles to the east side. Another rectilinear enclosure lay to the west of the boundary ditch at NY 1143 5370 and measured 13m by 14 m. (4)
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