Excavation of Bronze Age Ring Ditches at Wasperton

Description of this historic site

Ring ditches, which were visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs, were excavated in advance of gravel extraction. They were dated to the Bronze Age. Flint flakes and tools were recovered. The site is to the south west of Wasperton.

Can you help?

Please upload a photograph of this historic site.

Notes about this historic site

1 Excavations undertaken between 1980 and 1985 in advance of gravel extraction. Two ring ditches were examined in Field 3. The first was in the NW corner of the field and consisted of a circular slot approx 10m in diameter. The slot was 0.5m wide and 0.2m deep; its circuit was broken by three narrow causeways placed at regular intervals. Within the circle were two oval pits. Both showed evidence for posts. No finds were made. SE of the above was a second ring ditch with a large (up to 5m wide) ditch with an internal diameter of 25m. Its mean depth was 1.6m. This was certainly a barrow ditch, though no mound survived. The Roman field system skirted the mound. The mound was probably thrown down in the Medieval period. Many flint flakes, some flint tools and a fragment of polished stone axe were found in the fill. A few fragments of pottery and a minute quantity of cremated bone were found.
2 AP.
3 SAM description.
4 Confirmed as Bronze Age.