Land at Riverton Road, Puriton, Somerset. Archaeological Excavation.

A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between August and October 2017 at Land off Riverton Road, Puriton, Somerset. In compliance with an approved WSI, two excavation areas (Area 1 and Area 2), a total of c.0.68h was excavated across the development area. The majority of the features dated to the Middle to Late Iron Age though this broad period has been subdivided into four phases of activity. The main focus of activity throughout the later prehistoric period appears to have been towards the north-west corner of Area 1 and was dominated by two ditched enclosures, probably exploited for settlement purposes. Approximately north/south aligned ditches at the east of Area 1 probably represented elements of an extensive field system contemporary with the enclosures. A number of linear features in Area 2 may also have represented contemporary elements of the field system, though the ditches in this area were rather more irregular and may have represented differential activity. The Roman period was represented by two parallel ditches, a probable cremation pit, a scatter of isolated pits and a ditch, along with recutting of at least one of the ditches within the Iron Age enclosure complex. A number of clearly post-Roman features were identified across Areas 1 and 2, which produced finds assemblages suggesting all of the features were broadly contemporary, however these have been divided into earlier, approximately north/south aligned plough furrows and later, broadly east/west aligned boundary ditches.