juamei

pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=117437

A Neolithic promontory enclosure comprising a projecting spur of Birdlip Hill with two curving concentric earthworks cutting across the axis of the promontory. The site was surveyed by RCHME in 1996 as part of the Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project. Quarrying has lowered the tip of the promontory and eroded the north and south sides; the east area is intact. The promontory is cut off by two earthworks across the spur, about 90 metres apart, with vestigial banks which appear virtually continuous. The outer would originally have enclosed an area of more than a hectare. The inner earthwork consists of a bank; the outer, 55 metres to the south east, is a bank with slight external ditch. The area narrows in width from 95 metres at the south eastern end to 15 metres on the northwest. Excavations were undertaken by T Darvill (who referred to the site as Peak Camp) in 1980-1, comprising a trench across the outer earthwork and a small trench towards the western end of the promontory. The outer earthwork comprised a single rock-cut ditch with an internal bank of limestone rubble. The ditch featured at least one causeway, and had seen at least four phases of recutting. Finds included flints, animal bones, and pottery. The second trench revealed a ditch or gulley, which contained further Neolithic pottery, flints and a quantity of bone. The lithic material included leaf-shaped arrowheads and a flake from a polished axe. Research into the dating of Early Neolithic enclosures indicates a construction date for the outer circuit of probably of 3655-3540 cal BC. The enclosure at Peak Camp may have been used into the 33rd century cal BC, although this late date is dependent on a single measurement. The research also highlighted the relationship with the Crickley Hill enclosure nearby, suggesting they were probably built within a generation of each other and were in concurrent use, at least until the destruction of Crickley in the mid-35th century cal BC.

pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1075209

The site of a probable Neolithic causewayed enclosure at Springfield Lyons, visible as cropmarks and tested by small-scale excavation. The cropmarks were transcribed and interpreted by RCHME in 1997 as part of the Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project. See the archive report for full details. The existence of the enclosure was realised following excavation of the adjacent Late Bronze Age enclosure (TL 70 NW 86). Excavation in 1990 and 1991 plus air photographs indicate the presence of an arc of pits and/or ditch segments immediately to the east of the Late Bronze Age site, and which appear to cut off a small gravel promontory between two streams which run into the River Chelmer. Trial trenching so far has recovered around 2000 sherds of Mildenhall-style plain bowl sherds, plus Grooved Ware and Beaker sherds from superficial deposits and pits. Much of the Neolithic material appears to have been deliberately placed. Of the two fully-excavated features along the enclosure circuit, one comprised an almost shaft-like pit, and contained deposits of Mildenhall pottery often comprising up to half a complete vessel. One of the pits had a narrow slot associated with Beaker pottery cut into its upper fills. A by-product of the excavation of the Late Bronze Age enclosure is that it is clear that much activity associated with the causewayed enclosure was occurring outside the ditch circuit. It is also intriguing to note that the Late Bronze Age enclosure is itself causewayed, and its principal entrance directly faces the Neolithic enclosure.