Information for record number MWA4491:
Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age settlement, Tibbets Close, Alcester

Summary Several hearths of Prehistoric date were found during an excavation and may represent the site of a settlement. Various Prehistoric finds were also recovered. The site was located in the area of Tibbets Close, Alcester.
What Is It?  
Type: Settlement, Hearth, Findspot
Period: Early Iron Age - Iron Age (1000 BC - 401 BC)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Alcester
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 09 57
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 In the layer beneath the toe of the Roman rampart a number of hearths were uncovered. Two of these consisted of small pits cutting the pre-rampart turf line, and these contained a mass of burnt material, a quern stone and a quantity of coarse hand-made pottery, tentatively dated to the late Bronze Age - Early Iron Age.
2 Report on earlier phase of works at this site, which recorded pits and postholes presumably belonging to this phase of activity, sealed by the clay rampart (see MWA479).
 
Sources
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Roman Alcester: Southern Extramural Area 1964-1966 Excavations (Part 1)
Author/originator: Mahany, C. (ed.)
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 1
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMANS vol. 9
Author/originator: Mahany, C M
Date: 1966
Page Number: 2
Volume/Sheet: 9
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source WMANS West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet, a publication that was produced each year, this later became West Midlands Archaeology. The West Midlands Arcaheological News Sheet contains reports about archaeological work that was carried out in the West Midlands region in the previous year. It includes information about sites dating from the Prehistoric to the Post Medieval periods. It was produced the Department of Extramural Studies at Birmingham University. Copies are held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Prehistoric About 500,000 BC to 42 AD

The Prehistoric period covers all the periods from the Palaeolithic to the end of the Iron Age.
This is a time when people did not write anything down so there is no documentary evidence for archaeologists to look at. Instead, the archaeologists look at the material culture belonging to the people and the places where they lived for clues about their way of life.

The Prehistoric period is divided into the Early Prehistoric and Later Prehistoric.
The Early Prehistoric period covers the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods.
The Later Prehistoric period covers Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age times.
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period Bronze Age About 2500 BC to 700 BC

The Bronze Age comes after the Neolithic period and before the Iron Age.

The day to day life of people in the Bronze Age probably changed little from how their ancestors had lived during the Neolithic period. They still lived in farmsteads, growing crops and rearing animals.

During the Bronze Age people discovered how to use bronze, an alloy of tin and copper (hence the name that has given to this era). They used it to make their tools and other objects, although they continued to use flint and a range of organic materials as well. A range of bronze axes, palstaves and spears has been found in Warwickshire.
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period Iron Age About 800 BC to 43 AD

The Iron Age comes after the Bronze Age and before the Roman period. It is a time when people developed the skills and knowledge to work and use iron, hence the name ‘Iron Age’ which is given to this period. Iron is a much tougher and more durable metal than bronze but it also requires more skill to make objects from it. People continued to use bronze during this period.
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period Roman About 43 AD to 409 AD (the 1st century AD to the 5th century AD)

The Roman period comes after the Iron Age and before the Saxon period.

The Roman period in Britain began in 43 AD when a Roman commander called Aulus Plautius invaded the south coast, near Kent. There were a series of skirmishes with the native Britons, who were defeated. In the months that followed, more Roman troops arrived and slowly moved westwards and northwards.
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monument LAYER * An archaeological unit of soil in a horizontal plane which may seal features or be cut through by other features. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument SETTLEMENT * A small concentration of dwellings. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument FINDSPOT * The approximate location at which stray finds of artefacts were found. Index with object name. back
monument RAMPART * A protective earthen mound, often the main defence of a fortification. back
monument PIT * A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known. back
monument HEARTH * The slab or place on which a fire is made. back
monument WORKS * Usually a complex of buildings for the processing of raw materials. Use specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record