Lovedean Substation, Lovedean, Hampshire. Archaeological Post-excavation Report. (OASIS ID: cotswold2-282044)

An archaeological strip, map and sample excavation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in April 2014 at Lovedean Substation, Lovedean, Hampshire. Two areas (Areas 1 and 2) were machine stripped, part of one of which (Area 2.1) was to be used for spoil storage. This was followed in July 2014 by a watching brief during the digging of a water-pipe trench, approximately 200m in length, located to the north of the archaeologically stripped areas. Excavation within Area 1 revealed two isolated Bronze Age cremation pits, each of which contained a barrel or bucket urn considered to belong to the Deverel-Rimbury tradition of the Middle Bronze Age, both of which were heavily truncated by later ploughing. Each contained cremated bone, albeit in small quantities. A single adult was identified from one urn while the material from the other was too small to allow any diagnosis of age or sex. Excavation within Area 2.1 revealed two further pits, one of which contained a similar Middle Bronze Age urn, but no human remains and the second produced no finds. Again, both pits were truncated. A linear feature, 4m in length, was located immediately to the south-west of the two pits. It contained two flint flakes, and the function is uncertain. The cremation burials and other pits are typical features associated with Middle Bronze Age funerary activity. These were all located upon the lower slopes of the site. During the watching brief, a single ditch or pit was revealed on the higher ground at the northern end of the site. It contained Middle to Late Bronze Age, Late Prehistoric and Romano-British pottery, which may be indicative of nearby settlement activity.