Site Event/Activity record ECH7301 - Townfield Lane: Archaeological Investigations 2022

In November 2021, a geophysical survey was undertaken on the site of a rectangular enclosure (CHER 6965) located on a meander of the River Dee near Townfield Lane, Farndon. The enclosure is visible on LiDAR survey data and was thought potentially to be Roman in origin due to its form and proximity to the Holt legionary pottery and tile works located on the other side of the river to the south. The survey covered 2.85 hectares of flat ground, comprising well grazed pastoral land. Faint anomalies were identified which coincided with sections of the ditch and bank of the enclosure; additionally, an area of increased magnetic activity contained within the interior of the enclosure indicated some form of archaeological activity, potentially a demolition or burnt deposit. Other features identified include lines of drainage, ridge and furrow cultivation, a field boundary and an extraction pit/natural depression. In 2022, six evaluation trenches totalling 135m were opened over elements of the enclosure identified in the geophysical survey and on LiDAR data. Trenches 1 to 4 targeted the rectangular enclosure or its interior. Trenches 5 and 6 targeted external features that may or may not have been related to the enclosure itself. The ditch of the enclosure was identified in trenches 1 and 3, but was only excavated fully in trench 1. Also visible in both trenches 1 and 3, adjacent to the ditch, was a band of clean natural sand. This contrasted with other deposits which were charcoal flecked or slightly greyed from activity and could indicate that a bank had been present, sealing the natural. The enclosure likely dates to the Roman period and is probably some form of temporary camp related to the Holt Roman pottery and tile works. Roman materials were recovered the ditches and from within the enclosure and although most were undiagnostic fragments, one rim sherd, dating to c.AD 90/110-130, was recovered from a possible midden dump located on the enclosure’s western edge. The enclosure was later reoccupied during the 6th century for the purpose of bog iron processing as indicated by remains of an iron furnace and large quantities of iron slag. C14 dating from the furnace gave a date of 570-650 cal AD. A second C14 date of 600-670 cal AD was recovered from a secondary fill of the enclosure ditch placing this deposit within the sites later industrial phase. This date is reinforced by further analysis of the industrial residues which identified a furnace technology associated with either the Iron Age or Early Medieval period. Two post-holes that are shown to be stratigraphically related may also suggest some form of contemporary structure associated with the furnace, which when combined with evidence of food preparation identified through environmental analysis, suggest a least some permanence to the industrial phase of the site. (1)