Day 12 - Sunday 1st August 2010

Work has continued in trench B. When the gravel patch that we found yesterday was uncovered it doo look like the bed of at west to east running stream. However, when we excavated the deposit we found that it looked like water laid gravel but that it contained numerous large flints some 20 cm across. This would imply a very high water speed which does not seem likely so close to the spring head. There we a few finds including a piece of clay pipe stem of probable 17^th century date. The finds were had sharp breaks and not look like they had been tumbled in a gravel filled stream. We can’t be absolutely certain but it seems likely that the gravel had been quarried off site and brought to Honeywood as either to raise the original ground level or fill an old pond or water course. This type of gravel is widespread locally as it was washed off the Downs in the last Ice Age. This filling probably took place in the late 17^th century but this also waits confirmation. We still don’t know what was filled.

We also finished recording in trench A and this has now been largely backfilled.

We won’t be doing any work next weekend and will aim to complete the excavation the following one.

John Phillips