Lincoln University A prehistoric site

Archaeologists at the University of Lincoln's Brayford Pool campus have discovered the earliest evidence of human activity within the city boundaries dating back to around 4,500-6,500BC. The University of Lincolns Brayford Campus is situated west of Lincolns city centre on former railway sidings south of the Brayford Pool. The pool lies at the junction of the Foss Dyke canal and a bend in the River Witham. An active railway line crosses the campus, dividing the site into two areas. Land to the north was developed in the late 1990s, with land to the south cleared. Further buildings have been constructed there, including the Science block and the School of Architecture. There has been a programme of change of use and refurbishment of older buildings on the site. eg the new library (Harcros warehouse) and the Engine Shed. The proposals to extend west of the engine shed for the new Performing Arts Building and Students Union meant that an existing delph pond constructed to control water levels on the site would need to be replaced. The new pond is situated south of the School of Architecture and is 110m long and 37m wide at ground level and 3.50m deep. (See picture) It was hoped that excavation of the pond would provide an opportunity to test the existing environmental model, based on analysis of borehole data collected before 1994, and to refine it. This work by James Rackham had identified an area of sandy high ground, underlying a blanket of peat, in the angle formed by the Witham and the Brayford Pool, with high potential for Roman and prehistoric occupation. In 2003 over fifty Roman pottery sherds were found during construction of the School of Architecture Building. Thick peat deposits from the same site had radiocarbon dates of 50 BC to AD 100 (uppermost deposit) and 1200-940BC (lowest deposit). It was thought that further evidence for Iron Age and /or Roman occupation would be found in the area of the new pond, just to the south. Experience gained during evaluation work along the route of the Lincoln Eastern bypass suggested that there was also potential for much earlier use of the site beneath the peat. It was on the advice of James Rackham that provision was made for sieving of the sand sealed by the peat to look for worked flints.

In the event only a handful of Roman pottery sherds was found with no evidence for occupation. This is probably because the area investigated would have been too wet in the Roman period. It is well documented that in the later Bronze Age (around 1200 BC) water levels in the area began to rise, resulting in the development of reed peats. A thick peat horizon (at about 1.85m below ground level) was found during the pond excavations. At the University pond site large oak tree trunks were found preserved in the peat. Analysis of the tree rings by Sheffield University has revealed that they were probably from a single stand of trees, which were engulfed by the peat, which was forming as a result of the rising water levels. Their last year of growth was 966 BC and it is thought that perhaps a storm may have been the reason for their collapse. Beneath the peat was an in situ prehistoric land surface. A total of 785 pieces of struck or modified flint were retrieved including 14 microliths and three

end scrapers. A large proportion of the assemblage had traits indicative of Mesolithic to early Neolithic industries, the most diagnostic elements suggesting that nearly all of this material was created during the late Mesolithic. Two oblique arrowheads of late Neolithic date were also recovered. Most of the pieces have very fresh edges and have not been rolled or otherwise displaced from their original depositional context; the few damaged pieces are consistent with micro-chipping occurring at the time of knapping, etc. The balance of evidence suggests that this is essentially a single period late Mesolithic site. Comparable dated assemblages provide an indication that this collection could fall within a date range of 5500 3200 BC (c. 6400 4000 BC). The only obvious intrusive elements are two late Neolithic to early Bronze Age arrowheads. The recovery of worked flint and chert not only signifies the presence of prehistoric

people, but also provides evidence for the tasks and processes that they performed at this location. Ethnographic evidence has suggested that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers lived in highly mobile social groups that followed a seasonal cycle of movement around a particular territory (e.g. Binford 1980, 1983). Consequently, evident variations in the numbers and types of stone tools recovered from archaeological sites have resulted in the creation of a model that segregates Mesolithic sites into a variety of small task-specific camps, together with much larger base camps that were occupied during the winter. The collection from the Brayford Campus site is broadly comparable with the range of lithic material deposited at a hunting camp rather than a long-term base camp. The excavations were carried out by Lindsey Archaeological Services by Matt Jordan in May 2006 and the final report is in preparation Naomi Field and Jim Rylatt October 2006

Excavations at St Katherine's Priory (Medieval & Prehistoric site!)

Excavations at 21-25 St Catherines, Lincoln, within the former precinct of the Gilbertine Priory of St Katherine, directed by Mick McDaid of Lindsey Archaeological Services, have revealed both medieval and prehistoric remains. St Katherines Priory, incorporating the earlier St Sepulchres Hospital, was founded by Bishop Chesney in 1147 and occupied land, over 20ha in extent, south of Sincil Dyke to a point beyond the foot of Cross OCliff Rd and west to the banks of the River Witham. After the Dissolution in 1536 the Priory lands were granted to the Duke of Suffolk (brother-in-law of Henry VIII) who sold them to Vincent and Thomas Grantham in 1540. A substantial residence was then built on the site known as St Katherines Hall. The priory church foundations were dug up in 1734 and the Hall was demolished later on in the 18th century. The precise location and layout of buildings within the precinct is not known but human burials and a stone coffin were found in a sewage trench dug in 1920 along St Catherines Road and further remains found in 1993 during building works at Strut House, 35 St Catherines. Some large dressed stones were uncovered in British Gas service trenches Colegrave Street, in 1991 and in the same year further stonework was also found in St Catherines Rd. Architectural fragments have been found in many gardens in the St Catherines area and some stones were incorporated into the St Catherines Hotel, 21 St Catherines, now demolished. Excavation in advance of redevelopment of the site for flats revealed part of the gatehouse belonging to the 16th century hall, close to the modern road. At the south end of the site were 12 burials including women and children, presumably from the hospital rather than the priory. The burials had been disturbed by the construction of Victorian cellars beneath nos 25 and 23 St Catherines. There was no evidence for human remains further north on the site.

This cellar also clipped the corner of a large stone, which had probably supported a cistern connected to three runs of glazed ceramic water pipes. This is thought to be the remains of a conduit which may be the one mentioned in a licence granted in 1306 to the Canons of St Katherines allowing them permission to channel water from a spring on South Common directly to their house. The pipes vary in length from 0.5m 0.60m and taper in diameter from 9080mm. There are flanged male and female

in a fabric more akin to pottery, rather than tile. Potters were usually responsible for the production of glazed products such as fancy floor tiles, roof finials and glazed water pipes (Jane Young pers. comm.) Preliminary examination suggests a provisional date of around the 14th century for their manufacture, which fits well with the likely date of construction for the conduit. To the north of the gatehouse and the conduit was a post-medieval limekiln, partially disturbed by Victorian drains. It was probably constructed to process the smaller pieces of stone robbed from the site. Excavation of the medieval and post-medieval horizons failed to locate any buildings other than the gatehouse but given the huge size of the precinct this is not entirely surprising. The medieval remains were dug into a thick deposit of orange wind-blown sand. Removal of this layer revealed a View of stone slab cistern base for conduit and stone black sandy layer capped drain in foreground. Large scale 2m.

containing charcoal, probably a former soil horizon, sealing a thick deposit of silvery sand. Sieving of these deposits has produced large numbers of late Mesolithic/early Neolithic worked flint. At the time of writing excavation of the Mesolithic material is not complete and full analysis of the finds is awaited. The discovery in 2006 of two late Mesolithic sites close Excavation of prehistoric land surface with 16th century to the banks of the River gatehouse to the rear. View looking south. Witham highlights the importance of the river and its resources to the ends, which fit tightly together. The pipes communities living near its banks over were sealed in clay, resting within a stonemany thousands of years. lined trench and capped with stone slabs. Naomi Field, October 2006 Much of the surrounding stone had been robbed in antiquity. The pipes are unlike any others found in the city and are made