Stevens, Simon; Allott, Lucy; Barber, Luke; Doherty, Anna; Pringle, Susan; Raemen, Elke; Whittingham, Lucy; (2024) Archaeological Investigations at the ‘Warren’s Croft’ Site, Basingstoke Road, Spencers Wood, Reading, Berkshire

A geophysical survey was undertaken which included the site and two trial trenches were subsequently excavated within the boundaries of as part of a larger evaluation project by Cotswold Archaeological Trust (shown in Figure 1).A ditch dated to the post-medieval or modern period was the only feature encountered, although a single sherd of Roman pottery was also recovered (ibid.). THE EXCAVATED REMAINSintrusive (the medieval pottery probably originated in an overlying series of gullies).However, large assemblages of Middle Iron Age pottery were generally lacking from features in Area I, leaving this dating somewhat open to question.Ditches and gullies assigned to this period were also clustered in evaluation Trenches 18, 22, 23 and 28 (Figures 1 &2).Although it is difficult to extrapolate these features, they suggest that the Middle Iron Age agricultural landscape extended to the south-west of excavation Area I.In general the pottery groups from the evaluation trenches were also limited.However, the deposition of partiallycomplete pots in ditches in T22 and T28 was indicative of long-recognised phenomenon of deliberate burial of artefacts, for ritual or ceremonial purposes (cf.Hill 1995), and may suggest more intensive Middle Iron Age activity in the vicinity than was suggested by the recorded deposits.Pit [504] (fill [505]); Inside Enclosure.Period 3. Fired clay brick/slab.Near complete.Fabric 4B 4 Ditch [547] (fill [548]); Inside enclosure.Period 3. Fired clay kiln bar.Incomplete.Tapering.