Prehistoric, Roman, and Early Saxon Settlement at Prospect Park, London Borough of Hillingdon
D.E. Farwell, Phil Andrews & Rod Brook
Description
Three phases of archaeological work were carried out at Prospect Park, near Harmondsworth, London Borough of Hillingdon in 1993–5. The site, subsequently developed by British Airways for a new business centre, lies on the east side of the River Colne on 'brickearth', a drift deposit of aeolian origin c. 4 m thick at Prospect Park.
A section was investigated through the 'brickearth' in an attempt both to discover the potential for Palaeolithic remains within the deposit and to investigate the nature and origins of the 'brickearth' itself No archaeological remains were encountered but the recording, sampling, and subsequent analytical programme revealed an important sequence of periglacial features and provided much data pertinent to the depositional history of the 'brickearth', including climatic conditions, depositional regimes, and the sequence of soil development within the deposit. It has also identified the horizon in which Palaeolithic material might be expected to occur.
A small collection of Mesolithic flint comprised the earliest finds from the site and there were four features containing Late Neolithic Grooved Ware. Middle Bronze Age activity was indicated by the presence of a ring-ditch, cremation burials and a bucket urn. An extensive Late Bronze Age agricultural settlement of the 10th–9th centuries BC was associated with a field system. A few late Romano-British burials indicated nearby settlement but the most substantial remains were of an Early Saxon settlement of the 5th–6th centuries AD represented by sunken-featured buildings, timber halls, a well and various pits. Of particular interest was a significant group of non-local pottery vessels, some possibly of continental origin.
Details
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| Jan. 1, 1999 | Wessex Archaeology | 91 | 1-874350-26-4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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