Monument Number 1404145 |
| Hob Uid: 1404145 | |
Location :
Wakefield
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : SE4600024000 |
| Summary : A complex multi-phase landscape is visible as cropmarks and sub surface deposits (those plotted from photos of excavated surfaces) on air photographs taken of the area to the south and west of Ferrybridge Henge (SE 42 SE 31). The excavation took place in advance of a scheme to upgrade the A1 Ferrybridge to Hook Moor road to motorway standard as part of the A1 Darrington to Dishforth Design Build and Operate (DFBO) project. A new interchange (the Holmfield Interchange) was to be constructed at this site. The investigation was undertaken by Archaeological Services WYAS. Some features visible here have been recorded previously in other records; the Neolithic and Bronze Age features have been dealt with in record SE 42 SE 133. The landscape includes: IRON AGE - pit alignments, and pits;IRON AGE/ROMAN - 9 rectilinear enclosures, a curvilinear enclosure, 3 round houses (domestic), trackway, boundary, field boundaries, ditch, and pits;ROMAN - a rectilinear enclosure, an inhumation, and ditch;PREHISTORIC - two pit alignments;PREHISTORIC/ROMAN - an enclosure, a curvilinear enclosure, trackway, field boundaries, and ditch;MEDIEVAL/POST MEDIEVAL - field boundary;UNCERTAIN - field boundary, ditch, and pits. |
More information : A complex multi-phase landscape is visible as cropmarks and sub surface deposits (those plotted from photos of excavated surfaces) on air photographs taken of the area to the south and west of Ferrybridge Henge (SE 42 SE 31). The excavation took place in advance of a scheme to upgrade the A1 Ferrybridge to Hook Moor road to motorway standard as part of the A1 Darrington to Dishforth Design Build and Operate (DFBO) project. A new interchange (the Holmfield Interchange) was to be constructed at this site. The investigation was undertaken by Archaeological Services WYAS.
The landscape has been recorded in part in SE 42 SE 65. Some features have been recorded previously in other records; the Neolithic and Bronze Age features have been dealt with in record SE 42 SE 133.
An Iron Age/Roman field system (recorded in part in SE 42 SE 65)comprises a south-west/north-east orientated parallel ditched trackway (running for 845m), field boundaries, and a group of enclosures. To the north-east the trackway splits at a 'T' junction. The branch heading south-east may (if the course is extended beyond what is visible on the air photographs available) intersect with an Iron Age pit alignment and an Iron Age/Roman linear boundary (that roughly parallels the pit alignment). These sinuous linear features appear to form a boundary between the ritual landscape of barrows and circular enclosures (around the henge), and the agricultural landscape of field units based around settlement and stock enclosures.
The Iron Age/Roman boundary is c.2m wide and sinuous. It is abutted by three Iron Age/Roman rectilinear enclosures (d, e and f), and cuts a Bronze Age barrow (SE 42 SE 133). The Iron Age pit alignment (SE 4709 2431 to SE 4760 2406) was visible over c.657m. It is formed by numerous rectilinear pits that are predominantly elongated and measure between 1.4m by 0.8m and 9.2m by 1.6m. There is a large tight cluster of over 30 pits at SE 4710 2426.
9 rectilinear enclosures and 1 curvilinear enclosure, of Iron Age/Roman date, are visible throughout the field system. There location and form are as follows:
a) SE 4639 2398 (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 63) - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a ditch measuring between 1m and 2.6m in width. It has an internal area of 0.1ha (37m by 30m) and a possible entrance at its southern corner, which opens onto a possible trackway of similar date. Field boundaries (some dated by excavation to the Iron Age) abut the trackway. There are pits of uncertain date in and around the enclosure.
b) SE 4693 2423 - a rectilinear enclosure comprising a narrow ditch that abuts a field boundary forming its south-west side. It has an internal area of 0.02ha (17m by 16m). Internally there is a round house measuring 5.5m in diameter.
c) SE 4698 2406 - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a 2.7m wide ditch and with an internal area of c.0.3ha (70m by 43m). A field boundary of similar date extends south-west on the same orientation as the enclosures south-eastern side. To the north east the limits of the enclosure are formed by the Iron Age/Roman boundary (mentioned above). Internally there are Iron Age ditches and a roughly central round house measuring c.12m in diameter.
d) SE 4657 2398 - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a narrow ditch it has an internal area of 0.03ha (20m by 15m). It has internal sub-divisions and two putative entrances in its south-east side. To the north-east it abuts a curvilinear enclosure (e).
e) SE 4659 2399 - this curvilinear enclosure is formed by a 1.3m wide ditch with an internal area of 0.08ha (36m by 25m). There is an entrance in its south-west side that leads into the rectilinear enclosure (d - previous). To the north-east it is abutted by a larger rectilinear enclosure (f).
f) SE 4663 2401 - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a 1.6m wide ditch with an internal area of 0.5ha (76m by 69m). There is an entrance mid-way along the north-east side. There are internal sub-divisions and a round house (only partially visible and c.13m in diameter).
(The north-western sides of these three joined enclosures define one side of the north-east/south-west aligned double ditched trackway that provides the main route through the site - mentioned above.)
g) SE 4652 2434 - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a 1.4m wide ditch with an internal area of over 0.27ha (63m by 47m). It cuts or is cut by field boundaries that are on a similar orientation. However, it also has several internal subdivisions, some that transect these field boundaries, and others that abut them.
h) SE 4658 2436 - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a narrow ditch and an internal area of 0.03ha (20m by 17m). It is situated in the right-angle between two field boundaries. There is a north-east facing entrance.
i) SE 4717 2413 (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 82) - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a narrow ditch in the right-angle between an intersecting field boundary and a more substantial boundary. It has an internal area of 0.06ha (31m by 20m). There are several ditches within the enclosure, one of which has been dated through excavation to the Neolithic period (SE 42 SE 133).
j ) SE 4719 2412 - a rectilinear enclosure formed by a narrow ditch in the right-angle between an intersecting field boundary and a more substantial boundary. It has an internal area of 0.07ha (27m by 25m). There are several ditches internally that may represent sub-divisions or re-cutting.
In the Roman period there appears to be very little overall modification of the site. One rectilinear enclosure (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 64 and 108) is added at SE 4708 2411. It is formed by a 0.8-1.4m wide ditch and has an internal area of 0.14ha (45m by 29m). There is an entrance in its north-east side towards its eastern corner. Within the enclosure there is an inhumation (SE 4702 2412). The enclosure overlies an intersection between two field boundaries. Though it maintains the same orientation as the field boundaries, the sides of the enclosure are not in line with the field boundaries, rather it is slightly offset. Internally there is a ditch extending from the entrance in the direction of the inhumation.
The prehistoric period is represented by two pit alignments (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 62). They are located at SE 4722 2435 and consist of two parallel rows of c.5 pits each. The rows are separated by a gap of 4.4m. They are orientated roughly NNE/SSW. Their function is uncertain.
Features of prehistoric/Roman date include:
A possible enclosure located at SE 4614 2373 is only partially visible as a ditch with a semi-circular plan. There is too little evidence to suggest dimensions. It is associated with lengths of field boundary and some parallel ditched trackway 170m to the south.
A curvilinear enclosure (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 83) is visible at SE 4681 2395. Although this enclosure intersects with Iron Age/Roman field boundaries it is very different in morphology to the other elements in that field system. It is formed by a ditch with an irregular width varying between 0.5m and 1.8m. It has an internal area of 1.3ha (147m by 112m). It is quite possible that this feature pre-dates the field system and has more in common with the Neolithic and Bronze Age features to the north-east.
In the Medieval/post Medieval period a length of ditched field boundary is cut c.187m to the south of Ferrybridge Henge.
There are several features of uncertain date, including lengths of field boundary, some ditch, and numerous pits, that are visible across the site.
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