Time Team - Harold's House, Portskewett, Monmouthshire, South Wales - Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results

Wessex Archaeology

The evaluation comprised the excavation of six trial trenches, combined with geophysical survey, landscape survey and geoarchaeological (auger) survey.

No evidence of the pre-Norman conquest hunting lodge was identified, but the earthworks were revealed as probably belonging to the manorial complex of the Deneband family. Areas of human and animal accommodation were identified as well as evidence for the probable location of bread ovens. Although some traces of structures survived, much of the stratigraphic sequence in this part of the Site comprised rubble layers relating to demolition of the manorial buildings, probably late in the medieval period. Very little cultural material was found in situ, but late 12th/13th century pottery from a possible quarry pit which pre-dated the excavated structures suggests a terminus post quem for the initial construction, and this is supported by the presence of ceramic ridge tiles of probable 13th century date amongst the demolition deposits.

Examination of the tidal inlet by auger survey indicated that it would have been a navigable water way well into the medieval period and that the sandy beach at the northern end of the inlet could have served as a harbour for the medieval village and manor. The dam seems to have been put in place while the inlet was still experiencing inundation from seasonal flooding events. At some point in the medieval period, possibly coinciding with the construction of the manorial complex, the boundary between the wetter land of the inlet and the drier, raised ground on which the manor was located appears to have been enhanced by the construction of a revetment.