Monument record 0204703004 - Elmwood Close, Oakley

Watching brief carried out by AS&C in June 2008 during groundworks for housing development identified a number of undated and medieval pits, ditches and gullies, possibly representing activitity peripheral to the Medieval settlement. The fills of 5 of the 10 pits and 2 of the 3 gullies were dated by late medieval (14th to 15th century) pottery, whilst 4 pits, 2 ditches and 1 gully were undated. The largest feature, an irregular, steep sided pit, 4m X 3.5m and 0.75m deep, with a concave base contained a charcoal-rich fill with Early Bronze Age pottery, a fire-cracked flint and animal bone and may have been prehistoric in date. Eight tree throw holes were excavated and found to contain pottery of mid 13th to 17th century date. 3 of the tree holes were thought to result from natural processes whilst 5 were thought to be the result of deliberate felling and root grubbing, possibly in connection with deforestation from the 13th and 14th centuries, following a period of neglect. See report for detail (B8).