Monument record 6965 - Farndon Meadows Enclosure

<1> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Garner D, 22/11/2011 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

A sub-rectangular enclosure visible on an aerial photograph dating from 1947 (see 2). Given the proximity to the Roman potteries at Holt, it may be a Roman fortlet or something much later.

<2> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, CPE UK 1935 no.4319, 17/01/1947 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

<3> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, CPE UK 1935 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

<4> Various, Written Communication to the HER, PAS FLO, 12/01/2016 (Written Communication). SCH3756.

Appears on the LIDAR survey for the area (see 5).

<5> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, SJ3955 First Return 01/11/2008 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

<6> Mountford, F, 1980, Interpretation of Aerial photographs in Cheshire, p.11 (no.4319) (Article in Journal). SCH6903.

Rectangular, ditched, enclosure. On plot of land surrounded on three side by the River Dee.

<7> Various, Written Communication to the HER, Matthews C, 02/02/2017 (Written Communication). SCH3756.

LIDAR analysis has revealed a small one acre Roman fort or marching camp. Possibly overlain by ridge and furrow.

<8> Historic England & Archaeological Research Services, 2017, Cheshire National Mapping Programme and Lidar Mapping Project: Sampling the Peak Fringe, Cheshire Plain and Mersey Valley, 873449 (Digital Archive). SCH8172.

The rectilinear ditched and banked enclosure, possibly a Roman temporary camp or fortlet, is visible as earthworks centred at SJ 3980 5535 on historic aerial photography (see 2) and LIDAR imagery (see 3) and appears to remain extant on the latest 2013 vertical photography (see 9). The site, located in a meander in the River Dee and oriented with its long axis north-south, was mapped as part of the Cheshire National Mapping Programme project.

The enclosure consists of a rectilinear perimeter bank and external ditch with rounded corners. The internal dimensions of the feature are approximately 77.3 x 50.4m, enclosing 0.37 hectares. A break in the perimeter bank and ditch approximately midway on the northern side and further breaks in the perimeter bank on the east and west may represent potential entrances. A gap in the perimeter to the south-east may represent later activity.

The enclosure is overlain by medieval ridge and furrow ploughing (NRHE UID 1606642) aligned in part with the earlier feature. This may account for the appearance of internal ditches parallel to the eastern and western embanked perimeters. The ploughing appears to terminate just short of the southern perimeter of the enclosure.

The proximity of the site to the known Roman potteries across the river at Holt adds credence to the possibility of the enclosure being a Roman camp or fortlet.

<9> Next Perspectives, 2013, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2013), SJ3955, 04/06/2013 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8273.

<10> Holt History Society, 2023, Townfield Lane: Archaeological Investigations 2022, R4771 (Client Report). SCH9606.

In November 2021, a geophysical survey was undertaken on the site of the enclosure. 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.

Following the geophysical survey, six evaluation trenches totalling 135m were opened in 2022 over elements of the enclosure; trenches 1 to 4 targeted the enclosure sides or the interior. 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 could be a temporary camp related to the Holt Roman pottery and tile works. Roman materials were recovered from the ditches and from within the interior 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.

<11> Chester Sub Aqua Club, 2022, Chester Sub Aqua Club: River Dee Dive Report, R4767 (Client Report). SCH9602.

A river survey using echo sounder and side scan sonar, supplemented by a dive survey, was undertaken in 2022 by Chester Sub Aqua Club with the aim of identifying any evidence of a former crossing of the River Dee. This survey followed on from an investigation in 2022 undertaken by the Holt Archaeological Society which noted field boundary features east of Townfield Lane, including one field bordering the river to the west known as 'Bridge Meadow'; a tree was identified by the society as being close to the potential crossing based on the field boundaries.

The echo sounder and side scan survey did not find any evidence for structural remains of a bridge. Similarly, no structural remains were observed during the the dives apart from a circular timber which, following excavation, was considered to be part of a tree root. At the location of the tree identified by the Holt Archaeologica Society, the dive was extended up the banks to within 1m of the surface. The western bank was covered in cobbles and boulders, it is not known if these were naturally arinsing or placed by human activity, but similar bank sides have been noted on other River Dee dives. Fine gravel was present on the western, deeper side of the riverbed which included slag, no evidence of hematite was found. The depth of the river recorded showed a fairly unobstructed river bed with only a few anomalies; the depth was fairly consistent at around 2m, except for the outside bend of the river close to the fish farm (SJ 398 558), where a depth of almost 5m was recorded.