Hartmoor Bess: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment and Geophysical Survey Report

DBA There is minimal evidence for early human activity in the vicinity of the Site, the nearest known prehistoric activity is located 500m to the east, although the postulated route of an east-west Roman road has been identified approximately 200m to the south of the Site and findspots of the Iron Age and Roman periods have been recovered from the study area. The medieval period is better attested in the study area, with a possible Anglo-Saxon settlement, Sheraton medieval settlement and medieval features north-west of Elwick, both scheduled sites, and an additional four isolated farmsteads with possible medieval origins. Numerous areas of medieval ridge and furrow, and other evidence for agricultural activity of the period have also been identified, with two historic township boundaries are nearby, one immediately adjacent to, and running through, the Site itself. Areas of medieval ridge and furrow have also been identified within the Site boundary itself, across the northern and central parts. The name Whangdon/Whangden, now associated with the farmstead at the northern extent of the Site, exists in the documentary record from at least 1600, a farmstead itself in existence at this location from at least c. 1790, when the Site formed part of the Sheraton Estate. Throughout the post medieval period, the study area continued to be dominated by agricultural activity, and the Site itself continued to be farmed, largely unaltered into the 20th century, albeit with the establishment, then removal, of an internal field boundary. The loss of other field boundaries occurred in the 21st century and a large modern agricultural building was established within the south-western part of the Site by 2005. In addition, the upgrading of the A19 may have affected sub-surface survival within the eastern extent of the Site. Otherwise, the layout of the Site has remained largely unaltered, perhaps since c. 1790, so surviving hedgerow and boundaries, particularly that to the south respecting the township boundary, may have early origins. Within the Site boundary, LiDAR shows the potential survival of medieval ridge and furrow not visible at ground level, and perhaps corroborated by the geophysical survey results. The geophysical survey results have revealed a number of anomalies which may have archaeological origins, particularly within the south-western part of the Site.