HILL HOUSE FARM (HHF 15) HORSHAM DISTRICT ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP REPORT FOR THE NATIONAL TRUST

Transcription

1 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD WALKING REPORT FOR HILL HOUSE FARM, NYMANS, HANDCROSS, WEST SUSSEX. CENTRAL GRID REFERENCE TQ SITE CODE HHF 15 INTERIM REPORT FOR THE BY HORSHAM DISTRICT ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP (AUTHOR VICKY LILLYWHITE) APRIL 2015 Field walking location IMAGE 1 Image Source: Archaeology South East

2 ABSTRACT Tom Dommett, National Trust Regional Archaeologist for West Sussex and the South Downs, asked Horsham District Archaeology Group (known from this point as HDAG) to carry out a field walk across a field to the east of Hill House Farm, Nymans, Handcross in April HDAG are a local, voluntary archaeological society for the Horsham District. In 2008 The National Trust commissioned Archaeology South East (known from this point as ASE) to carry out an Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey of the Nymans Estate. The Historic Environment Record for this area shows a record of Romano-British pottery as having been found on land belonging to Hill House Farm, and Archaeology South East recommended further assessment to establish if the pottery was there as a result of being imported with topsoil or manure, or if there were further more significant Romano-British finds to indicate a possible occupation site. Map from the report by Archaeology South East indicating the RB pottery find spot (11) IMAGE 2 Image Source: Archaeology South East Field walking location

3 1.0 Introduction In 2008 The National Trust commissioned ASE to carry out an Archaeological and Historic Landscape survey of the Nymans Estate, Handcross, West Sussex. One of the recommendations from this report was that an area of Hill House Farm, previously identified as having historically had Romano-British pottery found on it, be further assessed. (ASE, 2008) In April 2015 Tom Dommett, National Trust Archaeologist for West Sussex and the South Downs, communicated with the tenant farmer, Tony Hextall, at Hill House Farm to request the possibility of future field walking over the area in question. He was informed that the field had not long been ploughed and would be sown in 5 days time. Field walking would be possible in the meantime Tom communicated with HDAG and asked if it would be possible to arrange a field walk in the short space of time allowed, and HDAG agreed. The walk took place on Sunday 19 th April The full Archaeological and Historic landscape report of Nymans is available from Archaeology South East. Only summarised relevant areas have been used in the creation of this report. 1.2 Background history and geology The natural geology for the Handcross area is Upper Tunbridge Wells sand mudstone (B.G.S. 2015). The area of land that was field walked is situated on a south facing slope, and is being used for arable farming, therefore regularly ploughed as a result (Images 6&7) There is a Bench Mark situated on the SW side of East Park Cottages measuring meters (O.S. 2015) The Nymans Estate is situated in Handcross, West Sussex. The core of the property comprises a nationally significant 20 th century garden set around a ruined mansion of medieval origin, but largely remodelled in the 19 th and 20 th centuries. The wider estate comprises a large area of ancient woodland, ghylls, parkland and farmland. (ASE, 2008) Very little archaeological work had been carried out on the estate at the time of the report by ASE. The aim of the report was to produce a definitive and up to date review of the archaeological and historical development of the property and to inform future development proposals. (ASE, 2008) The ASE report identified a record on the West Sussex Heritage Environment Record of Roman Pottery having been found during 1962 at the location indicated on Image 2. It recommended that a future non-intrusive phase of geophysical survey and field walking would be useful (ASE, 2008). No. SMR/NMR No. Site name NGR Notes Date (ASE, 2008) The field walking area was incorporated into the Nymans estate between 1919 and 1924 (Image 3).The Cuckfield Tithe Map for 1843 appears to show dwellings in the same position as East

4 Park Cottages (built in 1888) are currently situated, but no other building close by (Images 1 and 4). The historic map records included in ASE s report do not show any other dwellings situated in the field walking area from 1843 through to the present day. The closest dwellings apart from East Park Cottages are Hill House Farm and Farthings both situated on the northern side of the B2114. Image 3 East Park Cottages Image 4 Image Source: Archaeology South East Field walking location

5 1.3 Methodology Only very short notice and a very short window of opportunity was given to conduct the field walk. As a result it was not possible to grid the field out fully or prepare much in advance The field walk was carried out in 5 approximately north - west to south - east transepts at 20 metre intervals as shown in Image 5. These extended from the edge of the ploughed field line to the footpath line that runs approx. north east/south east half way through the field in a line with East Park Cottages (Image 5) The time available to carry out the field walk on this occasion was 3 hours. The volunteers were asked to collect as much material as possible but to ignore natural geology The soil had recently been ploughed to a fairly fine consistency. The weather conditions had been very dry prior to the field walk and anything on the ground was covered in a very fine layer of dry brown dust, consequently making location and differentiation from the soil of any finds very difficult The finds were collected in bulk in bags by individually numbered transepts The remainder of the field that was not divided into transepts was free walked in the last half an hour to establish an overall picture of the type of finds throughout. No finds that differed greatly in type or date from those already collected were seen during this nonspecific exercise apart from a single Oyster shell fragment that was observed (Image 5). Field walking plan of Hill House Farm

6 Image 5: Image 6: Hill House Farm field looking south Image source: Horsham District Archaeology Group

7 Image 7: Hill House Farm field looking south east/transept 1 Image Source: Horsham District Archaeology Group

8 1.4 The Finds The finds have been identified, categorised and dated by Vicky Lillywhite, HDAG (Table 1). Luke Barber, Research Officer, Sussex Past, has confirmed the pottery identifications. Andrew David, retired English Heritage Scientific Officer and flint expert was consulted via regarding the flint identification. It must be considered, when analysing the provenance of any finds from this collection, that they came from an open field subject to regular manuring and deposition of any rubbish items over time. The finds may not have originated from their findspot The Ceramic finds represent 14% of the finds collected. 97% of the pottery is 19 th /20 th century contemporary with the East Park cottage dwellings constructed in (ASE, 2008). A couple of the ceramic examples show evidence of being burnt. It was not unusual for broken china to be thrown into the fireplace and then discarded along with the ashes (see 1.4.5). Several stoneware fragments are identifiable as coming from preserve/marmalade jars The Glass finds represent 7% of the finds collected. Apart from a 19 th -early 20 th Century single glass bottle base fragment, the remainder of the glass is modern The CBM/unglazed red earthenware finds represent 36% of the finds collected. The majority of the CBM finds were red unglazed earthenware consisting of tile, land drain and plant pot fragments The Metallurgical finds represent 7% of the finds collected. The slag finds are 16 th century and later blast furnace slag, often added historically to soil. The coal finds are examples of where the pieces have not burnt effectively due to not being fully formed during their original fossil deposition, and have been discarded, most likely with the fire ashes The Slate finds represent 2% of the finds collected, and are mainly 18 th -20th Century Welsh examples, possibly the remains of roofing material The Flint finds represent 30% of the finds collected. There is one possible Scraper, two struck flakes and two blades, both broken and one with possible retouch (Image 8) The other finds represent 6% of the finds collected. There is a broken furniture castor and the leg of a figurine, both made from Porcelain. There are also many modern plastic finds including a broken heel of a shoe indicating rubbish has been deposited over this site in the past. 1.5 Conclusion The spread of ceramic pottery is contemporary with the construction of East Park Cottages in The few earlier ceramic finds could be from existing/inherited kitchen utensils The majority of the remaining finds could also be rubbish discarded from nearby properties or from inclusion in manuring. The farmer has confirmed that hard core has been added to the field entrance. Red unglazed earthenware and ceramic pottery was also observed in this area The pieces of struck flint could be indicators of pre-historic activity, and struck flint has been collected at various sites across the estate (ASE, 2008) Romano-British pottery, along with Mesolithic/Neolithic flakes and blades, was also discovered during the 1990 s on the north side of the B 2114 at Keepers Cottage on the Nymans estate (no 9 on Image 2), and further fieldwork should additionally be carried out in this area. (ASE, 2008).

9 However, no evidence of Romano British activity was observed or collected during this field collection. Image 8: Retouched flint blade from Transept 5 Image Source: Horsham District Archaeology Group Reference list ASE (2008) Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey, Nymans, Handcross, West Sussex. ASE Project no 3006, Report number December B.G.S. (2015) British Geological Survey, O.S. (2015) Ordnance Survey,

10 TRANCEPT ONE CERAMIC POTTERY 19 th Century Porcelain/ 19 th /20 th century Whiteware/ Stoneware/ Transfer printed whiteware/ 18 th Century Creamware/ burntunidentifiable (g) CBM& Unglazed Red earthen ware pot Red e/ware Tile frag (g) IRON (g) GLASS (g) SLAG (g) COAL (g) SLATE (g) FLINT (g) OTHER (SPECIFY) 30.3 Aluminu m fragment 3.8 Modern 19 th Early 20 th Century bottle base No examples struck or retouched th /20 th century broken furniture caster fragment TOTAL TWO 19 th /20 th century Porcelain/ Whiteware/ Transfer printed whiteware/ Stoneware/ 19 th Century Creamware Red e/ware frags & building material 86.0 Modern 21.1 Unknown origin 2.2 No examples struck or retouched Possible fossilized seashell 6.0 TOTAL THREE 19 th Century Porcelain/ 19 th century Whiteware/ 19 th-20th Century Whiteware/ Yelloware TOTAL FOUR 19 th /20 th century Stoneware/ Whiteware/ x Pot rim CBM Pot sherds CBM Modern x x 22.0 No examples struck or retouched Modern x x 39.0 Welsh x struck flakes (1 Broken), 1x blade/1x Modern plastic items Modern plastic items (g)

11 Transfer printed whiteware/ Yelloware/ Chinese Porcelain/ 18 th Century Pearlware/ Burntunidentifiable TOTAL FIVE 19 th /20 th CBM 1.5 century stoneware/ Stonewar 4.0 whiteware/ e Drain Transfer 27.7 Fragment printed 32.2 whiteware/ 18 th century Creamware/ 15.0 Porcelain/ 19 th /20 th 1.0 century 34.0 Sussex Pottery/ 19 th century 4.1 unglazed Earthenware Scraper with possible edge retouch 19 th -20 th Century Salt Glazed Land Drain Collar Modern x 27.0 Welsh x broken Modern plastic 4.0 blade, items possible 19 th -20 th Century 4.2 evidence of Leg of an English retouch. Porcelain Figurine. Bone TOTAL GRAND TOTAL Table 1: HHF 15 Finds Quantification table

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