Monument record 2061/1/0 - Arthill Heath Farm

Site first appeared as cropmark 1969. Composed of a series of sub- rectangular enclosures and/or field boundaries, sited on sand and lying on the third terrace above the River Mersey. Discovery of a perforated macehead (2061/1/1) prompted excn. Site located by resistivity survey (1). Excns 1986-87 revealed enclosure ditch of large sub-rectangular enclosure 100m x 150m, c.6m wide x l.5m deep. Immediately behind this was a timber-revetted bank, based on two post trenches, 1m apart, containing rectangular postholes, some of which showed signs of renewal. Examination of internal area on the west side revealed four circular structures and two rectangular structures. The circular structures probably round houses, 6-10m diameter, based on penannular ditches containing a circle of postholes, the two rectangular structures, 10 x 5m and 8 x 5m with clay floors. Finds of carbonised seeds from the two round houses, waste flint flakes and a possible mortarium sherd and fragments of very friable ware (2 & 4). Two samples of charcoal taken from the fill of sealed contexts were C14 dated at Groningen. Have produced dates 3730 +/- 35 BP and 4120 +/-35 BP indicating a Bronze Age date for the earliest phase of this site (5).

Greater Manchester Sites and Monuments Record, various, Greater Manchester Sites and Monuments Record Sheet (Unpublished Document). SCH1268.

<1> Nevell M, 1987, Arthill Heath Farm : The First Season 1986, Nevell M 1987 (Book). SCH375.

<2> Nevell M, 1988, Arthill Heath Farm : A Second Season of Excavations 1987, Nevell M 1988 (Book). SCH374.

<3> From 1988, The Manchester Archaeological Bulletin, Nevell M 1987 2/27-34 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3204.

<4> From 1988, The Manchester Archaeological Bulletin, Nevell M 1988 3/5-13 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3204.

<5> Various, Written Communication to the HER, Faulkner P 1988 (Written Communication). SCH3756.

<6> National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside, 1993, Greater Manchester Western & Northern Relief Road - M56-M62 Archaeological Assessment Report, R2033/33 (Client Report). SCH1269.

<7> Nevell M, 1989, An Aerial Survey of Southern Trafford and Northern Cheshire, Nevell M 3/1987-1988 (Article in Journal). SCH4326.

<8> Nevell M D, 1992, Settlement & Society in the Mersey Basin c.2,000 BC to c. AD 400 (Book). SCH4325.