July’s talk was by Richard O’Neil of Wessex Archaeology, the company contracted in 2015 to provide archaeological and heritage services over the whole of the onshore cable-trench corridor for Orsted’s Hornsea 1 windfarm project. This 40m-wide corridor runs from North Cotes to North Killingholme and geophysical surveillance was carried out first in order to identify sites of interest, then field work of those sites with post excavation work a final stage for identification and archiving. All post-excavation work on Hornsea One cable trench is due to end in 2022.
We learned that throughout the excavation, only 10 coins and 1 complete human skeleton – an aged female – was found in what can only be assumed an isolated burial. More pleasing finds however was the amount of Roman activity evidenced by jewellery, ditches and a rare tiled kitchen flue – but as the fire chamber of this last was assumed to be off-site (ie beyond the 40m corridor’s edge) and therefore not accessible to the field archaeologists it proved to be a frustrating find!
Richard went on to describe more in depth, each site starting with that at North Cotes, the most southerly end of the excavation. Here, it was medieval salt production which predominated with brine collection and evaporation pits much in evidence and abandoned by 4th Century when salt production had obviously ended. 16th century field boundaries showed that agriculture then became the predominant activity.
The most exciting site proved to be Laceby Beck because no-one had any idea that such a rich archaeological site was there. Findings included Neolithic and bronze age pottery and from the Anglo-Saxon period, clear evidence of a settlement with agricultural enclosures, weaving paraphernalia and a rare find – a highly decorated bone comb and broach.
Whereas the Keelby Road, Stallingborough site showed no iron-age artefacts at all, only Roman activity in the form of stock enclosures and field systems for crop production.
On Immingham Road, Habrough, findings proved settlement at a much later date: a 12th century moated enclosure, metal working waste (but no actual metal workings) and a nested vessel (pottery).
The largest site excavated was at East Halton and required a huge amount of activity from archaeologists focusing on a very unusual parish boundary in the form of a substantial ditch protecting the parish. It isn’t currently clear why such obvious effort in its making was necessary!
The most northerly site at North Killingholme findings were from the Iron-age, Roman food activity and pottery. Still ongoing, but due to end very soon, is excavating and recording the area around the WWII airfield .
It was a most interesting to hear of the detailed and often pains-taking work carried out (in all weathers!) and that a part of Lincolnshire familiar to us, has hidden in its depths, such a long history of settlement and commerce. Richard himself had got used to the area having travelled from his home in Sheffield to these parts for a few years now – and he was thanked for making this journey again to talk to us.