Part of a series of bulletins from the BAS excavations at Wickham House

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Tools kindly loaned by BARG were collected from Lindsey and brought to site, and with the fine weather continuing excavation quickly picked up where we had left it on Friday. The priority for day #4 was to locate archaeological features identified by the high resolution earth resistance survey.

The high resolution earth resistance image shown in Figure 1 (within the green boundary) suggests that the two trenches opened should both contain rectilinear ditches passing across them. In the westerly 2m x 2m trench(1A) a sondage was excavated by Jean and Jane through the pebble/flint deposit revealed on day #3. Beneath this pebble deposit the ditch predicted to lie in a NE-SW orientation could be seen as shown in Figure 2. This not only represents the first significant archaeological feature discovered, but it also proves that features seen in the high resolution earth resistance survey images can be located. This result also suggests the depth that similar features are likely to be found elsewhere across the site .

The northerly end of Trench 1A will be expanded on day #5 so that both sides of this ditch are visible along a sufficient length for the ditch to be excavated in section so that the stratigraphy of fills can be recorded. It is hoped that the morphology of the ditch, its function and evidence indicating its period of its usage may also be revealed .

In the 2m x 3m Trench 1B to the east work continued to remove the topsoil revealing a deposit of pebbles/flints similar seen in Trench 1A. Recording of this context was started as seen in Figures 4 and 5 which will be further progressed during day #5.  A further sondage the north of Trench 1B will be excavated to locate the second ditch identified by the high resolution earth resistance survey. 

Also on day #5 further high resolution earth resistance survey will be conducted to the south and east if the initial two trenches to identify further archaeological features to be investigated in the coming weeks.

Part of a series of bulletins from the BAS excavations at Wickham House

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Attendees: Tim L, James, Geoff, Tony, Nick, Nigel and Keith

Work on the first trench continued at a good pace in the continued fine weather, and the topsoil was soon removed revealing a layer of pebbles some 25cm beneath the surface as seen in Figure 1. However, the ditch shown in the high definition earth resistance survey thought to run across the is trench was not yet evident. Finds from the topsoil consisted of a small number of pottery sherds, some modern glass fragments, roof tile – and lots of clay pigeon skeet fragments! 

The temporary benchmark (TBM) level was established using the GPS total station so that the ‘dumpy’ level could used to accurately measure height above sea level across the site. This allows the relative height of archaeological features and the location of special finds to be accurately recorded.

The topsoil context was recorded and the newly revealed context planned, photographed and levels recorded. Excavation continued at the northly end of the trench continued to assess the depth of this pebble layer and determine what archaeology lay beneath it as shown in Figure 2. This context soon began to reveal a large number of CBM fragments (mostly roof tile) and a number of pottery sherds as shown in Figures 3. Also discovered was a fragment of a glass vessel and a number of hobnails as shown in Figure 4.

The high resolution earth resistance survey suggested that the spread of gravel beneath the first trench extended some meters to the east with a linear edge at 90^o to the ditch expected within the initial trench. Having established the depth of this archaeological context, a second trench was opened  to locate the edge of the pebble surface and expose the ditch thought to lie across it. Figure 5 shows topsoil from being removed from this 3m x 2m trench.

Part of a series of bulletins from the BAS excavations at Wickham House

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Attendees: Tim L, James, Debbie, Andrew R, Geoff, Tony, Martin and Keith

The gradiometer survey of the area to be excavated was completed as shown in Figure 1 giving a more rectilinear image of the features observed in the initial 2023 survey due to the accuracy of the grid set up using GPS on day #1. Training was provided for attendees who had not previously used the gradiometer. These features were then marked onto the ground with spray paint using tape measures relative to the site grid, which gave a much clearer impression of the scale of these enclosures.

Features of interest were then surveyed using high resolution earth resistance for 10m x 10m squares as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. This method gave significantly more detail than revealed by the 2023 20m x 20m resolution survey. Although considerably more effort to survey using this method, this will be continued until the areas of interest across the site have been completed. 

Work also continued to identify datum points across the wider site area and record location/AOD with the GPS total station so that these datums can be used by the total station theodolite and dumpy level during the excavation to record locations of small finds, test pits etc etc.

The high definition earth resistance image revealed an area of high earth resistance transected by a ditch on the southeast side of the lane in Figure 4. A 2m x 2m trench was opened across there features as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 so that the depth of these features and their morphology could be assessed in more detail prior to opening up the full area of the trench. 

Part of a series of bulletins from the BAS excavations at Wickham House

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Attendees: Tim L, James and Keith

Got straight to work with the GPS to layout the 20m x 20m site grid to an accuracy of 1cm as shown in Figure 1. This took 1 hour and each node was marked with a wooden post (aka broom handle) and labelled with the NGR easting/northings to serve as a reference framework for the rest of the excavation as shown in the photograph in Figure 2. The GPS proved very straightforward to use and the increase accuracy of the grid (compared to using tape measures and trigonometry) was immediately visible to the eye. 

The gradiometer survey then began in the N-S alignment with a total of eight squares (C/H/M/R/D/I/N/S) being completed as shown in Figure 3. The result of this survey compare well with those taken in June 2023 as shown in Figures 4 and 5, but with combined with the site grid the georeferencing of the gradiometer image will allow trenches to be accurately located over features of interest.

The rectilinear features within the new survey were then plotted onto the site grid and marked with temporary spray paint so that their scale could be assessed on the ground. From this it was possible to assess the relative size of these features  and determine their likely function as part of building #2 as internal and/or external spaces. On completion of the gradiometer survey and the high-resolution earth resistance survey a final decision will be made on the location of the initial trenches to be opened for excavation.