Summary of the work completed using the Grant received from the Roman Society/Roman Research Trust in the 2015 season
Oursite at Manor Farm, Broughton near Malton is the site of a probable Romano-British farmstead/industrial site, contemporary with the Roman Town and Fort at Malton.
The site comprises a rectangular structure with stone foundations, overlying evidence of earlier post built structures, the earliest phase is industrial consisting of up to 15 kilns or fire pits of previouslyunknown function. Radio carbon dating of charcoal from three of the kilns confirmed that activity in the earliest phases of the site represents the transition from the Iron Age to the Roman period.
The pottery assemblage from the whole site spans the period from AD40-AD420.Early indications from the ceramic building material and pottery appear to show evidence of a nearby high status site. Thereis a lack of high status rural Roman buildings in this part of North Yorkshire, and our research into some similar rural sites of this period in the area has shown that Broughton is one of a small number of sites so far discovered where Roman building styles had been adopted. Therefore, we felt it was important to find evidence of how the site had developed over time, and set out several research questions.
Environmental assessment of the soil samples taken at the end of the 2013 season from the kilns and other features on the site have been funded by a grant from the Roman Society and Roman Research Trust.This work fulfils one of the aims and objectives required to answer two of the original research questions set out for the investigation. These were a) to establish theform and function of the site, including industrial, agricultural or craft activity and b) to find evidence of the contemporary Romano-British landscape in the immediate surroundings of the site.
The environmental assessment has been successful in identifying different types of charcoal from wood fuel, some industrial residues, cereal grain and some evidence of the structures of the kilns/fire pits. From this evidence it has been possible to suggest different activities that were taking place on site and some indications of where these were taking place.
For example Oak was the primary fuel found as charcoal remains, it was suggested in the Environmental Sample Analysis Report that this would be used when a very high temperature was required, such as for industrial activity. Two distinct areas had the most evidence for this. In one of these there was evidence for industrial activity, probably in the form of smithing although this kiln also had evidence for the processing of cereal grain, showing the kiln was used for multiple-purposes.
The evidence for processing cereal grain in the form of drying and cooking was found in several areas on the site, where there were also the remains of heather and rhizomes, indicating the use of peat as fuel when lower temperatures were required for these purposes. One fire pit had evidence of Alder and Hazel which would also have produced a lower heat, this fire pit along with possibly three others had evidence for cooking and/or cereal processing only.
The cereal grains found in the samples are evidence of the agricultural landscape. These were Wheat, Spelt Wheat, Barley, Oats and Broad Beans. This is suggested in the report to be broadly concurrent with a Late Iron Age or Roman date, fitting in well with other dating evidence on the site. With the addition of the presence of broad beans, showing evidence of some diversification of agriculture.
Further evidence of the nature of the surrounding landscape can be found from the types of the wood species being used for fuel from the charcoal found within the kilns and fire pits. The presence of Heather and Rhizomes indicate that peat moorland was nearby, this is approximately 14 miles distant, and it is possible that in Roman times there was a closer source of peat.Other wood species growing nearby were Cherry, Oak, Hazel, Alder and some unidentified Coniferous species, although the majority of wood in use for fuel was Oak and Hazel.
Another interesting result of the environmental processing was the large amount of fired clay fragments present which may be evidence for the structure of the kilns. For example some pieces had wood impressions with some possible edge pieces, and some fragments showed finger impressions. All the larger fragments showed oxidised and reduced surfaces suggesting they were subject to high temperatures, therefore these fragments were likely to form the wattle and daub structure of the kilns/fire pits.
One of the most important results of the work was the identification of large amounts of hammer scale. This material has been sent for assessment separately and is awaiting final results; however initial findings show clear evidence for secondary smithing. Both hammerscale and spheroidal hammerscale is present which is evidence of several levels of process and skill, thespheroidal hammerscale being evidence of forge welding.
Therefore the funding from the Roman Society/Roman Research trust has enabled an important aspect of our research to be fulfilled. Domestic, agricultural as well as craft/industrial activities have been identified and there is the potential to suggest zones of activity across the site.
The types of wood charcoal used for fuel and the seeds within the samples are evidence for a landscape exploited for agriculture but with sources of peat and mixed woodland nearby. The types of seeds present on site have shown that crops were being grown nearby and being brought onto the site for processing.
The soil samples were taken from either deep or burnt deposits, the majority of these were from the early phases on the site dating from the late Iron Age through to the 1st -2nd Century AD. Thereforeresults of this work have helped us to interpret the nature of the occupation, particularly in the earliest phase of the site in the transition from the Early Iron Age and into the early Roman Period, and are of great interest both locally and regionally.
In the 2nd – 3rd century AD a rectangular building with stone foundations was built on the site and pottery of a slightly higher status than was usual for a rural site of this date, was being used. The hard core and post packing for this phase of the site included high status Ceramic Building Material re-used from a building with a hypocaust and tiled roof.
The data from the Environmental samples will add to the information gathered from the other specialist reports to provide a fuller interpretation of how this site developed over time.
Financial Statement
Invoice from WYAS - £1490 + VAT = £1788
Grant from Roman Society/Roman Research Trust = £1548
Donations from members of The Friends of Active Archaeology = £240
The additional donations were to cover the cost of specialists’ assessment of some of the findings worth attention such as the fired clay, clinker, charcoal etc