Land at Derritt Lane, Bransgore, Hampshire: Archaeological Evaluation

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned to undertake an archaeological evaluation on a 10.7ha parcel of land located south of Derritt lane, Bransgore, centred on NGR 417826 097902. Further mitigation works were undertaken on two areas of archaeological interest identified in evaluation trenches 15 and 31, totalling 952 m2 and centred on NGRs 417908 097998 (Area 1) and 417718 097858 (Area 2). The archaeological evaluation identified a Bronze Age pit in trench 15 that produced sherds of a Food Vessel that is of significance as an unusual ceramic type in the region. Several post medieval field boundary ditches and numerous undated shallow gullies that likely relate to a field or drainage system. Of particular interest were a number of postholes and ditches along with a large scatter of bricks within trench 31. These features may be related to the post medieval brick manufacturing industry that was prevalent in the local vicinity of Bransgore. However, although the ditches and brick scatter likely date to the 17th/18th century based on recovered artefacts the postholes remained undated and may not be associated. They could potentially date to the prehistoric period especially given such evidence dating to the Bronze Age period within the immediate vicinity of the site, and within the site itself in Trench 15. Area 1 contained the remains of a complex enclosure defined by ditches. This was accompanied by linear alignments of postholes and other discrete features including a well. Interpretation of these features is not secure; although they may have been agricultural in function it is possible that they formed part of the extensive local brickmaking industry. Activity in Area 1 may have been all of a single phase. The best chronological information to date this activity is glass bottles of 18th century date, consistent with pottery, clay tobacco pipe and CBM. Area 2 contained only an undated ditch that had previously been recorded during the evaluation. No further prehistoric remains were identified during the excavation phase beyond a few residual flints recovered from Area 1.