Border Archaeology were instructed to carry out a programme of archaeological work by Swaythling Housing Association. This initially took the form of evaluation of the proposed development area via eight trenches, comprising 5% of the total area. After completion of this first stage of evaluation a preliminary report (BA0454SWMLB) was compiled, and based on these results further evaluatory work was ordered, assessing the area most intensively affected by the development. This assessment was undertaken by strip and record of a c.2000m2 area to the first archaeological horizon. Evaluation of this horizon revealed evidence of further anthropological activity below, and the decision was made to re-strip a targeted area of this site, comprising 750m2 along the eastern edge of the stripped area. Copies of the report will be submitted to Swaythling Housing Society, Hampshire County Council and the County sites and monuments office. The stage one trenching revealed a significant quantity of artefactual evidence, particularly concentrated in the south and central areas of the site. This is most evident in trench 3 where a substantial proportion of the finds were discovered. Features were evident throughout the majority of the trenches, with only trench 8 devoid of activity. This level of activity led to the decision to open the stage two strip-and-record area. This was not targeted on the areas of greatest productivity but instead on the footprint of the proposed development area. Stage 2 revealed evidence of early arable activity with a small scattering of pitting, probably with agricultural origins. This activity was represented most notably by the buried plough soil or occupation layer (003). This layer was patchy and varied in depth across the site in a non-uniform manner. This may suggest evidence of medieval farming practices such as ridge-and-furrow fields resulting in build up of plough soil in some areas and scarcity in others. Toward the north edge of site this deposit peters out, possibly indicative of removal of material prior to construction of the railway in the 19th century. Evidence from historical sources suggests that "Little Home Field" was part of a larger field whose boundaries may have formed one of the medieval common arable fields within the demesne manor of Brockenhurst. If so, this buried plough soil may have been deposited quite early in the medieval period. The large quantity of finds in the soil are likely to be the result of truncation and disturbance of the buried features below, rather than deposition in the layer at the time of ploughing. The features cut into this were poorly defined and rarely of significant depth - it is likely that they represent rapid excavation and backfill events, such as burial of animals or installation of wooden objects, such as fence posts or similar. Near the railway, in the area where (003) declined, was dark humic deposit (007). This was interpreted as being a deposit accumulated in an area of long-standing water, such as a seasonal pond, as similar deposits were noted in the area of trench 1 where heavy waterlogging prevented detailed investigation. However, palaeoenvironmental assessment of material recovered from (615), the element of (007) within trench 6, revealed a low number of uncharred seeds. This indicates that the material was not deposited under waterlogged conditions, and hence is unlikely to represent the base of a pond. The presence of a number of charred cultivated seeds such as oat and bread wheat in the sample, and an abundance of charcoal, may suggest this was more of a disposal deposit relating to domestic fires or similar, dumped in a depression - possibly a furrow in (003). Concealed below this humic material was a 19th century land drain and an earlier gravel drain. As well as two pit features: 006 and 513.
Graham Cruse (Sat,) studied this question.