Archaeology Excavations And Research

Darlington Faverdale The Excavation

More information about Faverdale the site will be forthcoming.

In, June to July 2003 the other part of the site was investigated and found to be of no archaeological value. Only ridge and furrow where located on the site along with a boundary ditch of post medieval dating to the 12th and 15th century.

In July 2004, an archaeological survey was carried on Faverdale 36 hectares site for the building of the new Argos warehouse. It has been thought that the archaeologists may be able to locate the deserted medieval settlement of Wessoe.  And had to investigate the site before further development of the land took place. A routine valuation trenches where dug and finds of Iron Age pottery (rare in the north east) and roman pottery of very high status. Darlington Borough Council, John Buxton, said, "The site is significant in determining the history of Darlington, but the finds that are there are not such that they would be monuments that should be protected. "The Argos development is particularly important and crucial to Darlington, so we have to make sure that is delivered." The settlement is thought to link the Iron Age with Roman occupation and is described as "very significant". My own personal view 'Yes significant the site was and should have at least been saved for further investigation work to be carried out. But like money played a huge part for the council, and Argos might have took their bat and ball way with them, if the local council did not bow down to Argos every move'. 'What they seem to forget its part of the towns history and heritage that has now gone for good. I did forget to mention that if it has no money in then trash it'. The site did not warrant protection what? read on mate!

They are a number of Roman forts in the region, but Darlington has never been identified as one. A team of 30 archaeologists hired to investigate the site, to find out what the site was all about, before the team was hired an aerial photograph was taken and reveal at least eight round houses and field ditches of Romano British period. The main water came from a natural spring that may have fed the pond. At least two ponds were located but the archaeologist to gain vital artefacts and environmental evidence half excavated only one. As the investigation team looked further into the site it soon became very clear that it was a Romano British site of some size, and included high status pottery of this period and also ridge and furrow of medieval date indicating that the site was used from Late Iron Age right the way through to the 21 century as farmland. The round house did not provide any postholes. However, the outline of the buildings could be seen due to the rainwater that over the years cause a ring ditch of the Iron Age house.

Only, one whole pot came out of the whole excavation dated from the Roman period First century. We located brooches, bone pins, coins, iron nails, lead, and window glass of roman period and a Roman base of a bottle also ring that was twisted. One of the best finds was a hobnail shoe located in what seems to be a pond that was still intact after nearly 3000 years under ground. And preserved by water log conditions. But the major find was yet to come. A well that someone was working on had a number of large boulders that were removed and the archaeologist soon found the well had wattle that was still in situ, and also snails attached to the wood and frozen in time.

A Road dating to Roman period lead from the big enclosure and may have connected Piercebridge near Darlington a major Roman fort to Sedgefield about two miles up from Darlington. The road may have only been a minor one but it had all the hallmarks of Roman construction. Trowels and too 3 weeks to complete it uncovered the road. Also, a nice bathhouse and signs of burning dating to the Roman period. You would only get a bathhouse either next to a villa or even a fort. The evidence for occupation inside the enclosure is none existent. This may have been ploughed away over time or rub out completely

From the landscape, as some of the bathhouse has shown signs that stone had been removed and may have been used elsewhere. We will never know nor should we guest at what the enclosure may have been for, and only when all the results are in then we can build up a much fuller picture of the site in some detail. Another very interesting artefact was a four-foot long log still in position with tools marks. Further

The whole pot used for domestic prepose was discovered when excavation the site although. Click on the picture of the pot to show you the full details. The pot is known as black burnished ware and was hand made. It was bonfire fired. Most of these discoveries are found Poole, and Dorset and hardly any is known is the north east of England.

Excavations of the site uncover further postholes and ditches it was a building of some sort and also quite some size, in the small enclosure. More finds came about thanks to two local metal detectors, as they scan the land and found more brooches and iron nails, which we have missed, so easily done.

As the investigation team looked further into the site it soon became very clear that it was a Romano British site of some size, and included high status pottery and ridge and furrow of medieval date indicating, that the site was used from Late Iron Age right the way through to the 21 century as farmland. The round house did not provide any postholes only where the rainwater caused a ring ditch hence the name and yet the ditches proved to be rich in artefacts. We located brooches, bone pins, coins, iron nails, flints, lead, and window glass also a ring that was twisted and a Roman base of a bottle

Picture showing what the glass bottle looked like the base was only found but this dates mainly from the time of the conquest and continued in use into the third century. The bottle is known as a square bottle, no need for any more explanation on this.

We also found a number of mortaria fragments here is what one looks like and was mainly used for graining up grain for flour. Also discovered was samian mortaria used in the same way dating from the first century Ad to second century Ad no earlier. The mortaria were large strong bowls with a flange for easy gripping, and spout; they were used for the preparation of food. Grit could be added to the inside to roughen and strengthen it. Also discovered were amphorae used to store liquid

A hobnail shoe located in what seems to be a pond that was still intact after nearly 3000 years under ground preserved by water log conditions.   A well that someone was working on had a number of large boulders that had to be removed. The archaeologist soon found the well had wattle that was still in situ along with what looked like snails that had stuck to the wattle and frozen in time. The wattle may have been of beech wood, and we will have to see what the lab informs us about this along with the date that the trees were harvested to make such a nice construction.

A very interesting artefact was a four-foot long log still in situ, and had tools marks on the log. Further excavations of the area uncover further postholes and ditches. And thought to be a building of some sort and also quite some size in the small enclosure. More finds came about thanks to two local metal detectors as they scan the land and found more brooches and iron nails that we have missed.

Six skeletons in poor condition along with two stone lined coffins facing north may have been pre-historic. The bone preservation on the site was poor due to the soil condition. And some bones we could get out whole due to the moist conditions of the soil. Soil sample were also collected on the site and provided us with clues to the environmental evidence of the landscape in which the Romano British people where living. The ditches seem to have also been re cut and dating to the Iron Age and Roman Period. I uncovered a dog or a badger, which was a great Surprise.

A large pot although badly broken it was suggested that it might have been placed on the side of the ditch as ritual to protect ditch from harm as a few have been located in the area by the end only a good 35% of the site was excavated. It has been estimated that it could take three years to fully complete the site of this size were the contractors and Darlington council and Argos wrong in destroying Darlington heritage of known Romano British site?

It would be quite wrong to take a guess what Faverdale site may have been. One theory is very clear is that Faverdale was used as a farm by the Iron Age people who grew crops and harvested the land and stored food stuff, in holes and were sealed by a lining of clay. The enclosures may have housed some bigger size ring ditches used by a local chief, which cared for the village at this time. About seven hundred metres away was another Iron Age settlement that was discovered by geophysical survey. And indicated a series of late prehistoric or Romano British features with a poor level of survival including a small enclosure.

The enclosure ditch was noted during this work and found to be badly eroded No artefacts apart from modern ones were found. So did these people have contact with Faverdale? No doubt they did.

Four large boulders were located in a ditch this seems to have been common on this site mainly to slow down the rainwater and to stop other ditches from eroding away.  The Romans came, and may have burned some of the Iron Age buildings down as daub was found in on ditch a large amount still in very good preservation and showed signs of burning. The Romans set about building a road most of the stones seems to have come from the River Tees or quarried elsewhere. Then they built a small bathhouse about twelve feet in length. We should also think that the Romans may have worked along side the Iron Age people at Faverdale and not worked against them why should they? When the Romans had hired hands that could work the land and used the Iron Age population at Faverdale as slaves.  As you can see, the wealth of information from one excavations can provide clues to how the people lived and bring the past back to life.

Who said that finds processing was easy and not boring job? The whole processing took five weeks of no stop washing from 8 to 4 each day and even more finds were being brought into be process

Final out come of the big pot I found

. 

The picture below show what the ring ditches may have looked like

You can see what is water in the ditch that drained the land at Faverdale along with two small roundhouses within the enclosure of their own property.

These resources are maintained by and © Webmaster of these pages No part of any of this text or pictures must be copied without consent All Rights Reserved. All information published on this site is corrected and was working when the site was launched by its owners