MEM23705 - Possible medieval rectangular enclosure at Bradymoor (Monument)

A rectangular enclosure can be seen on lidar data at SS 8093 3660 and has been tentatively dated to the medieval period. It lies on a moderately steep south facing hillside and is covered with ridge and furrow thought to date to the late medieval period. The enclosure was subject to resistivity and magnetometry survey in June 2013. The large ditched rectangular enclosure was well defined by the earth resistance survey, with a series of internal features visible. A ditch was noted on the northern, eastern and southern sides of the site but the western was not defineable in the data; it was not clear if there had never been a ditch on this side or if it had been disturbed at a later date. The interior of the enclosure contained various features, interpreted as several building platforms but some of these may also represent mining or quarry pits. Further features to the west of the enclosure were thought to represent further building platforms but there were also other undefined features of a possible archaeological nature. The magnetometry data also clearly identified the ditch of the enclosure and partly defined the enclosure. Within the enclosure was a large positive anomaly with a negative halo, thought to represent an in situ heating event or a deposit containing burnt material. Neither survey defined the western or southern form of the enclosure clearly, suggesting it may never have had a complete circuit or that it has been truncated by later activity. There is close correlation between the resistance anomalies and areas of topographic variation visible on the lidar hillshade within the interior of the enclosure. [1]