Watching Brief: Pevensey

Address of Site: 1 Kingshouse, Pevensey High Street, BN24 5JR 

Name of Owner of site: Mr Marc Towle OS

Grid Ref: TQ64879 04949 Date: 29th March 2017 

Excavation conducted by: Steve Corbett, Eva Corbett, Bob Williams, Buffy Bennett and Malcolm Marston Weather: Overcast with short periods of rain. 

Summary: An archaeological excavation was carried out at the above address, prior to the construction of an extension on the rear of the property. The site is situated close to Pevensey Castle. The foundation trench was adjacent to the existing patio and was excavated by hand to a depth 0.5 metres and 0.5 metres wide over a length of 4 metres. The trench section recorded a debris/hardcore layer below the patio. Below this was a black silty top soil (contexts 001, 002, 003 & 004). This layer contained a mixture of modern pottery animal bone (butchered?), glass, CBM, burnt wood, shell, flint and slate. Average layer depth of 170mm. The next layer, (contexts 005, 006, 007 & 008), was very similar to the first layer. Slightly darker in colour and contained small pebbles 10 to 20mm in diameter. Finds were very similar to the first layer with the addition of fragments of clay pipe. Average layer depth of 130mm. The next layer, (contexts 009, 010, 011& 012), was a brown smooth clay loam. This layer also contained small pebbles. Finds included bone, slate, glass, pottery and coal. This layer sat on top of the natural clay. Average depth of 200mm. No archaeological features or deposits were observed. 

Date: 30th March 2017 Prepared by Steve Corbett ENHAS