In the second of a two-part series, Deirdre Huston talks to archaeologist, Edward Biddulph, about uncovering our local history. Following on from last month’s introduction, we discuss findings from later periods. We discuss possible implications of archaeological findings during a dig at Clayton Mills between 2005 and 2007.
If you missed Part 1 find it here.

Roman Period AD43-AD410

“This site was occupied in the early Roman period. The Romans invaded in AD43 and it probably wasn’t too long afterwards that this site was occupied,” declares Edward. “Activity tailed off in the 4th Century but, otherwise, it was occupied from mid-1st Century through the 2nd and into the 3rd. A number of ditches were found which formed rectangular enclosures, and, in one of those, there was evidence for a building. Edward comments: “these enclosures were perhaps smallholdings, maybe for animals kept close to a settlement and there would probably have been a field system nearby.

“We found a whole range of interesting pottery. Most was made fairly locally, but not necessarily on site.” There was plenty of grey ware cooking pots, a dark grey or black-surfaced pottery called East Sussex grog-tempered ware. Edward explains: “grog is crushed up bits of old ceramic. Roman recycling! Tiny fragments were put into the clay to reduce shrinkage while being fired.” This grog-tempered ware was made in various locations around East Sussex, where the practise continued into the third century, much longer than other southern areas such as Kent. During the Roman period, much pottery was sand-tempered and some of this was found at the site too.

More exotic pottery was also discovered, such as pieces of samian pottery: this glossy red-slipped pottery comes from Gaul or France, and you are likely to have seen it in museums. It is commonly associated with the Roman period and is of very high quality.

However, Edward is quick to point out that it was made on an industrial scale in France, where one firing might produce thousands of pots, so it is not necessarily an indicator of high status. He explains: “objects found at the site included cups, dishes, bowls and these are all found in fairly good numbers in ordinary dwellings such as farmsteads, not just villas. If there were decorated bowls, with patterns in relief, then these do indicate high status, something a bit more special like a villa, but there was none of that in Hassocks. However, the samian pottery does indicate that the site was locked into a wider trading network. It wasn’t an isolated settlement.

Interested in learning more about Hassocks own Roman structures? Pick up a copy of Hassocks Life Feb issue to read the whole article.

For further information, see:
A Bronze Age settlement, Roman structures and a field system at Hassocks, West Sussex (SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS 148 (2010), 17–46) by David Mullin, Edward Biddulph & Richard Brown.

A cattle burial from Hassocks, West Sussex (POST-MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY 45/2 (2011), 366–7) by David Mullin, Lena Strid & Edward Biddulph.

In the first of a two-part series, Deirdre Huston talks to archaeologist, Edward Biddulph, about uncovering our local history.

Many of you know Clayton Mills. Perhaps you live there, or maybe you’ve jogged along the footpath, walked your dog around the fields, played on the old bike tracks in the copse, or taken a shortcut along the banks of the stream. Some of you will remember the fields before the present housing estate was built, but did you know that, in 2005 and 2007, Oxford Archaeology carried out excavations at this site?

Like most archaeological work, this was a result of the housing development: it was a condition of planning permission being granted that some archaeological investigation took place in order to mitigate the development’s impact and was funded by Barratts. I spoke with Edward, a Senior Project Manager at Oxford Archaeology, to learn more about what was learned during the project and the processes involved.

First, there was an initial desk-based assessment of existing archaeological work in our area, using the local authority database of heritage records.
Next, during an on-site evaluation, trenches were sunk across the site and yielded evidence which suggested there would be a reasonable chance of finding evidence of past activity.
Finally, a larger excavation was undertaken, involving a team of ten or so archaeologists in the field and an office-based team behind the scenes who wash, process and mark finds, such as pottery, animal bones, tiles or marked flint. (Artefacts made of leather and wood tend not to survive unless in extraordinary circumstances.) The team also analyse environmental samples to find tiny bits of seed, charcoal or grain which give clues to environment use, for example, telling us what crops may have been grown. From this evidence, the archaeologists are able to put together a picture of what human activity may have occurred in this location in the past.

This dug up some interest? Well look out for the January copy of Hassocks Life to read more and find out what Hassocks was like during the Bronze age!

A Hassocks Excavation Part 2 now available here.

A Hassocks Excavation Part 2 - Roman structures and a seventeenth-century burial pit

A Hassocks Excavation Part 1 - unearthing Clayton Mills