Monument record 0853200000 - Land adj to The Pheasant, Windmill Street, Brill

Evaluation trial trenching carried out by John Moore Heritage Services in February and March 2005 revealed 3 small pits close to the street frontage and a large irregular sand quarry to the west which had destroyed any earlier features across the rest of the area evaluated. Two of the pits had vertical sides and flat bases, the larger was probably sub-circular with an estimated diameter of about 1.5m and was 0.7m deep, the smaller was rectangular, measuring 0.65m X 0.32m and was originally 0.25m deep. The third pit was oval with sloping sides and slightly rounded base, measured 1.25m X 0.8m and was originally 0.5m deep. Finds from the fills of the pits are of late medieval or Tudor date and it is suggested that they may have been associated with the local pottery, brick or tile industries. The sand quarry was at least 18m X 10m and 0.7m - 1.40m deep. It had been deliberately backfilled with sandy clay and clay containing abundant brick and tile fragments with occasional fragments of pottery, limestone and animal bone. The ceramic building materials and pottery are all local products and indicate a late medieval or Tudor date. It is suggested that the sand quarried was for use in the local brick and tile industry, with the backfill material being debris from the manufacturing process (B1).