During trial-trenched evaluation by Archaeology South-East in 2017 (see ECC3952), a large pit was excavated during the evaluation, originally thought to be in the centre of the possible ring-ditch (22/005) suggested by aerial photograph (MCC7715) although no evidence of the ring-ditch was detected by geophysical survey (ECC3889). A small quantity of undiagnostic burnt bone was recovered from the fill of the pit and a fragment was radiocarbon dated to the later Iron Age (cal 165 BC – AD 20; BETA-459918; 2050±30 BP; cal; 95% probability).<1><2>

Further investigation in the form of a strip, map and record excavation of the purported ring ditch was carried out by Oxford Archaeology East in 2020 (ECC4366, Area 1). Three pits were encountered. Two of these (53 and 56) were morphologically similar and both contained charcoal-rich fills. One pit (56) was radiocarbon dated to the Middle Anglo-Saxon period. The third pit, or slight hollow (61) had been partially excavated during the evaluation (where it was recorded as part of the possible ring-ditch). It has been phased as Anglo-Saxon due to fragments of lava quernstone found within it at the evaluation stage, but there was otherwsie no dating evidence within the fill.<3>

Pit 53 was a circular feature located in the south-western part of Area 1, 4.5m from the western edge of excavation. The pit measured 0.6m in diameter and was 0.12m deep, with gently sloping sides and a concave base. The feature contained two fills: an initial fill (54) of mid brown grey silt sand with occasional charcoal flecks that was 0.12m thick, overlain by a very dark brownish grey, charcoal-rich silt sand (55) which was 0.04m thick. The environmental sample contained abundant oak charcoal. No datable finds were retrieved from this feature.

Pit 56 was located 5.2m to the north-east of pit 53. This was also a circular feature with gently sloping sides and a concave base. This pit also contained two fills including a basal fill of very dark brownish grey silt sand (57) containing an abundance of charcoal flecks that was 0.12m thick. This fill was overlain by a mid-grey silt sand (58) that was 0.06m thick. No datable finds were recovered from either fill. The environmental sample from the basal fill contained abundant oak charcoal, a fragment of which was radiocarbon dated to the Middle-Late Anglo-Saxon period (cal AD 773 – AD 937; SUERC-90156; 1178 ± 20 BP; 95% probability).

The third pit, or pit/hollow 61, investigated in 2020, had been also partially excavated during the 2017 evaluation (where it was recorded as part of the possible ring-ditch). Pit/hollow 61 (previously investigated as ditch 23/003 in evaluation trench T23) was sub-circular measuring 0.54m in diameter in 0.13m deep. The pit was U-shaped in profile with gradually sloping sides and a concave base. The remaining fill (in 2020) was described as a a mid-brown silt sand (62) that contained no finds. During the evaluation, the fill (as 23/004) produced a piece (1576g) of Mayen lava quernstone of possible Roman to medieval date.