Kingsmead Quarry, Horton

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Ongoing excavations at Kingsmead Quarry, Horton, Berkshire (begun in 2003), have revealed a vast and complex archaeological landscape, identifying an extensive history of development from Late Glacial (12,000 BC) to the post-medieval period.

Early Neolithic house, Horton

Lying within the archaeologically rich landscape of the Middle Thames Valley, the excavations have revealed a wealth of information surrounding the continued and extensive inhabitation of the valley.

Early Bronze Age penannular ditch

Complete globular urnImportant Neolithic evidence, including a rare Early Neolithic building, a cluster of Early Neolithic pits, and a scatter of Late Neolithic Grooved Ware pits were located on the site. A large Early Bronze Age penannular ring ditch, likely to belong to a barrow or a henge, contained quantities of pottery, including Collared Urn. The Middle Bronze Age saw a major reorganisation of the landscape, marked by the large-scale sub-division of the land by boundaries and rectilinear enclosures. Two farmsteads were identified; both featuring associated roundhouses, waterholes, pits and postholes. Each farmstead contained evidence for cultural and economic activities, including the deposition of animal burials, Bucket and Globular Urn pottery, and the placed deposition of significant metalwork. A decorative pin of ‘Picardy’ type showing incised linear motif decoration and a quoit-headed pin were both associated with the Ornament Horizon of North-West Europe. Evidence for the Iron Age period was limited, with examples of settlement and agricultural activity, whilst a substantial Romano-British farmstead, originating shortly after the conquest, showed signs of a major re-organisation of the landscape. The agricultural enclosure system included pits, postholes and waterholes, and artefactual evidence suggests a prolonged period of use. Scant evidence of Saxon and medieval activity was recorded, and fragmentary evidence of post-medieval involvement on the site may suggest contemporary activity with the medieval Horton Manor. A number of palaeochannels were also recorded within and to the edges of archaeological areas and ranged in both date and size.

Excavation of a Romano-British shoe

Further phases of excavation at Horton are set to continue for a number of years.

Related information

• Find out about the Neolithic house discovered at Kingsmead Quarry (News, June 2008).