Monument record 6940 - Prehistoric Settlement at Brook House Farm, Bruen Stapleford

Excavation in advance of the construction of a pipeline revealed a prehistoric Settlement close to Brook House farm in the parish of Bruen Stapleford. Radiocarbon dates show that the settlement was occupied from the end of the Middle Bronze age through to the end of the Iron Age though no Roman material was recovered. The settlement consisted of six roundhouses, a large boundary ditch, linear features and a large number of other discrete features. There were three fields containing archaeology, labelled 27, 28 and 20. the majority of the settlement was found in field 28.

Features in Field 29
Roundhouse 1 (Structure 1) was defined by a ring gully, a linear ditch cutting a pit and three pits inside the roundhouse. Part of the ditch extended beyond the easement of the pipeline. Charcoal from the ring gully gave a radiocarbon date of 390-160 BC (2195+/-49 BP) Pot boilers, a lump of burnt clay and an unidentifiable burnt animal bone were also found. A posthole, with a post pipe and stakehole were also identified.

The pit cut but the roundhouse gully contained VCP, a lump of fired clay and some heat shattered stones. Charcoal from a soil sample gave a radiocarbon date of 1020-800BC (2765+/- 55BP) which is much earlier than the roundhouse.

Charcoal from the three pits inside the roundhouse ring gully gave a radiocarbon date of 390-90BC which broadly matches that of the ring gully.

A small quantity of burnt animal bone recovered from the linear ditch where it cut though the pit gave a radiocarbon date of 0-AD240 suggesting activity during the early roman period though no other roman material associated with the site has been found.

This structure lies in a different field(Field29) and is 51 metres north of the other features in field 28. It is possible that this roundhouse indicates that the settlement was much larger than it presently appears, possible extending across the plateau

Features in Field 28
A Bow sided or oval roundhouse 2 (Structure 2) was defined by a shallow outer ring gully and the partial remains of an inner gully. Probably 11m in diameter. An unexcavated portion of the structure lies beyond the construction easement. VCP, a struck flint flake, charcoal and heat shattered stones were also found. Radiocarbon dates of 390-90 cal BC given from charcoal samples found in the inner gully.

Almost complete remains of a late bronze age roundhouse c 19m in diameter with outer and inner ring gullies.(Structure 3) The entrance to the roundhouse was flanked by two piles of stone interpreted as post pads. No postholes were identified suggesting all other posts rested on the ground surface. The outer gully has been interpreted as a drip gully for the buildings eaves. The inner gully was probably a wall slot and produced Radiocarbon dates of 920-780 cal BC. This is consistent with the late Bronze Age construction style of the building.
A pit inside the building

A pit inside the building entrance gave a radiocarbon date of 520-170 cal BC. A second pit inside the entrance contained charcoal which gave a radiocarbon date of 260-50. It is likely that this relate to a phase of later activity on the site of the earlier roundhouse.

Structure 4 was a roundhouse with two construction phases. One phase was represented by the remains of a semicircular gully and the other by a semicircular arrangement of small gullies, post and stake holes. A single radiocarbon date for the semicircular gully of 170BC - 60AD was obtained from charcoal fragments. Burnt stone and a stone pounder was also recovered from the same context. VCP was also found in a natural hollow overlain by the semicircular gully.

Structure 5 was a roundhouse represented by the remains of three ring gullies, two outer and one inner. The plan of the building and radiocarbon dates suggest it was rebuilt twice with three phases of activity spanning 1000 years from the Bronze age to the Roman conquest. The first phase structure was 8m in diameter and presented by the western ring gully. Fire cracked stones, charcoal and a large collection of pottery was found. The pottery had charred material stuck to it with a radiocarbon date of 1050-800 cal BC. Charcoal in a soil sample gave a radiocarbon date of 1320-1010 cal BC. Charcoal from a post hole found at the terminus of this gully had a much later radiocarbon date (120BC-60AD) suggesting it was part of the third phase.

The second phase structure was also around 8 metres in diameter and represented by the eastern gully, Charcoal from the fill gave a radiocarbon date of 400-170 cal BC.

The third phase was the construction of a smaller building presented by the inner gully. This was cut by a large pit that extended under the spoil heap that truncated this site. No radiocarbon dating was done for these features. Inside the roundhouse was a firepit with a large amount of charcoal and a pit. VCP and burnt bone was also found. Emmer and spelt grains found here were radiocarbon dated to 1000-800 cal BC. This date is contemporary with the carbonised food residue on the pottery in the phase 1 ring gully.

Just outside the buildings was a circular pit containing a lot of fire cracked stones and charcoal and some VCP and burnt bone and was probably used for the disposal of domestic waste

Structure 5 contained the largest collection of ceramics from the whole site with 115 sherds of pottery from two different vessels and 76 pieces of VCP. All of the pottery came from a single context in the phase 1 ring gully. It forms one of the largest collections obtained from a prehistoric settlement in the North west. The pottery appears to have come from two vessels, probably bucket shaped jars and has parallels with other Late Bronze age pottery in the region including Beeston Castle, the Breiddin, Mam Tor and Rhuddlan. Pot boilers or heat shattered stone indicate domestic activity like cooking.

Structure 6 was the remains of a substantial double ring roundhouse c. 9.5 metres in diameter with outer and inner ring gullies. This was partially exposed and excavated with about half of the structure beyond the construction easement for the pipeline.

No pottery or VCP was recovered from the excavated sections. Environmental samples from the fills of the inner and outer gullies were poor but a radiocarbon date of 800-350 cal BC was obtained from poorly preserved barley grains from the outer ring gully. This is broadly comparable to structure 3.

Features in Field 26/27
A large ditch was recorded by watching brief ring just beyond the boundary of field 27. Charcoal from a soil sample gave a radiocarbon date of 1130- 800 BC which is broadly contemporary with a number of the structures and features in the settlement

Features in Field 27
Archaeology in field 27 was dominated by a ditch dating from the medieval period. A number of sections of this feature were made but no artefacts were found. A radiocarbon date of 1280-1410 cal AD was given from grains recovered from a soil sample. Post holes and stake holes between the boundary of fields 26 and 27 are not dates and may also be related to the prehistoric settlement. (1)

<1> Chester Archaeological Society, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, Fairburn et al 2002 vol.77/p.9 - 58 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1595.

<2> Network Archaeology, 2004, Birch Heath to Mickle Trafford Gas Pipeline: Archaeological Evaluation, Excavation & Watching Brief 2001. Volumes 1-2, Report & Appendices, R2588.1 (Client Report). SCH4658.