A prehistoric scheduled monument is on the site, known from aerial photography and which is listed as a scheduled monument. It was believed that the map accompanying the scheduling was incorrect and we were asked to investigate and see what – if any – additional information we could provide that might help to accurately geolocate the monument. Current interpretation of the site is focussed on the accidental find of a broken funerary vase from the Bronze Age (associated with ‘Beaker’ pottery or the Bell-Beaker People), although the initial scheduling suggested a ‘hengiform monument’. This attribution was due to the series of circular crop marks noted from aerial photography and which led to the listing of the site. The beaker is available to see at the National Memorial Arboretum.
The linked report shows our results, which were excellent and which provided some surprising outcomes, and contains some discussion on how the monument relates to its surrounding landscape.
https://www.thetrentvalley.org.uk/previous-work/nma-prehistory/
Dr Mark Knight
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
www.thetrentvalley.org.uk
www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk
