Ladybridge Farm: Evaluation Trench (Intervention 23)

Intervention 23 was located in Zone C in the southwestern corner of the site. The trench was positioned to investigate two anomalies identified by the magnetometry survey, which had been partially excavated within Interventions 17 and 18 (being Intervention 4, F28 and 29=Intervention 17, F12 and Intervention 18, F13). This machine-excavated trench measured 100m x 4m and was orientated north-south. The ground surface in the area of the trench was fairly level at c.42.50m AOD. The dark yellowish-brown gravel and clayey silt ploughsoil (C1123) was found to be c.0.30m deep. The underlying natural subsoil consisted of an homogenous orangish-brown gravel and clayey silt subsoil with small areas of cleaner clay towards the southern end of the trench (C1124).

Six features were identified within Intervention 23 (F15, F16, F17, F18, F19, F22). F15 was situated 45.60m from the northern end of the intervention and was defined as a suboval deposit of friable dark brown sandy-silt. The feature measured 0.50m long by 0.30m wide and upon excavation proved to be 0.10m deep, backfilled with C1197. C1197 consisted of a sterile dark brown sandy silt with occasional pea gravel inclusions and rare charcoal flecks. No dateable material was recovered from F15. F15 was interpreted as a possible small truncated scoop or pit.

F16 was situated 4.80m to the south of F15 and was defined as a small sub-circular deposit of dark yellowishbrown sandy silt. The feature measured c.0.56m in diameter and upon excavation proved to have near vertical sides and a flat base, being 0.40m deep. The feature was half-sectioned approximately east-west and was found to contain Neolithic pottery and lithic material and following recording the remaining half was excavated to recover all material and the full form of the feature. The feature contained two backfills allocated C1190 and C1191. C1191 was the earliest backfill and consisted of a dark greyish-brown silty sand with occasional fine gravel and charcoal flecks throughout. A small assemblage of pottery was recovered from C1191 and assessment identified three vessels. A deep bag-shaped vessel with carination was represented and thought to be Grimston ware. A thin-walled flat-based and flared sided vessel made of a quartz-gritted fabric was also identified. A third vessel was also represented but was weathered and appeared to be a thick-walled vessel made in a calcite-gritted fabric. A total of eleven flint flakes and one chert flake were recovered from C1191 during excavation, some of which appeared to have been utilised. An end scraper and a leaf-shaped arrowhead assigned to Green’s type series 3A were also recovered. Overlying C1191 was a second backfill, C1190, which consisted of a dark yellowish-brown silty sand and contained occasional fine gravel inclusions. No ceramic was recovered from this deposit but a flint flake as well as a small piece of Langdale greenstone were found. The flint fragment displays a small area of polishing and may represent a knapped piece from a polished stone axe. F16 was interpreted as a small pit.

F17 was situated c.0.40 to the east of F16 and appeared as a small sub-circular deposit of mid-greyish-brown silty sand measuring c.0.48m in diameter. The feature was half-sectioned approximately east-west, where it proved to be 0.15m deep and backfilled with a single deposit (C1196). A flint flake and Neolithic pottery were recovered from C1196 during excavation and following recording, the remaining half was excavated to recover any further material and the full form of the feature. C1196 consisted of a silty sand and contained rare mixed moderate gravel and charcoal flecks. A small assemblage of poorly preserved ceramic was recovered during excavation, and assessment identified two vessels of probable later Neolithic date. In addition, two flint flakes were recovered. F17 was interpreted as a small truncated pit.

F18 was situated c.48.00m from the southern end of the intervention and appeared as a large possible circular pit located against the eastern limit of excavation and continuing beyond it. The feature measured c.4.40m in diameter and was half-sectioned where it proved to have gently sloping sides to a depth of c.0.80m, whereafter the sides became near vertical. The feature was excavated to a depth of 1.20m below the top of ploughsoil; excavation was not taken beyond this depth for health and safety reasons.

F18 proved to be filled with at least four distinct deposits up to a depth of 0.90m. The earliest excavated fill of F18 consisted of a coarse sandy clayey silt with high percentages of mixed gravel (70%) (C1195). The deposit was excavated to reveal a minimum thickness of 0.20m, but the base was not found. This fill was overlain by C1194 made of a clayey sandy silt with rare mixed gravel (4%), which measured 0.35m thick and was ‘u’-shaped in profile. C1194 was overlain by C1193, an unusual deposit of marl which was pale brown in colour and contained only traces of fine gravel and pebbles but was otherwise sterile. The deposit was welldefined against underlying C1194, measured 0.30m thick and was ‘u’-shaped in profile, overlying C1192. C1192 represented the latest fill of F18 and consisted of a stiff dark brown sandy silt containing rare mixed gravel and pebbles (4%) measuring up to 0.45m thick. Modern glass and china were recovered from C1192 during excavation as well as a sherd of North Yorkshire Gritty ware and a flint end scraper, a fragment of flint core, a chert flake which had been utilised, and four flint flakes. F18 has been interpreted as a sink hole and corresponds with F13 (Intervention 17) and F28 (Intervention 4).

F19 was situated 19.20m from the southern limit of the intervention and appeared as a sub-circular feature positioned against the western limit of intervention and disappearing beneath it. Where visible, the feature measured 5.60m long x 3.20m wide. The southeastern quadrant of the feature was excavated where it proved to be a steep-sided feature filled with three distinct deposits, C1205, C1206 and C1227. C1227 was the basal fill of the feature and consisted of a deposit of gravel-rich sterile brown silt. This deposit was overlain by C1206 which was an homogenous brown sterile clayey-silt with frequent mixed gravel and pebble inclusions. The final fill of F19 was allocated C1205 which was a deposit of brown sterile clayey silt with frequent mixed gravel and pebble inclusions. F19 is a continuation of F13, which was identified in Intervention 18 and was interpreted as a sink hole and was encountered during the magnetometer survey (Intervention 4, F29).

F22 was situated c.1.5m from the southern end of Intervention 23 and was situated against, and continued beyond, the eastern edge of excavation. It appeared as a possibly circular deposit of gravel-rich brown clayey silt measuring 1.5m long x 0.89m wide. The available area of the feature was excavated, and it proved to be a shallow scoop with gently sloping sides and a concave base. The feature had been backfilled once with C1200, which consisted of a sterile brown clayey-silt with high percentages of gravel inclusions (80%). The feature was no greater than 0.22m in depth, appeared as a truncated pit or posthole and no dateable material was recovered.

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