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In 1990 the site of a Romano-British cemetery was discovered by Mr. S. Castle in Maskell’s Quarry west of Harlington (TL 030300). The site was located in an area of known Iron Age and Romano- British activity and was threatened by the ongoing expansion of the quarry. A three stage evaluation and rescue excavation was carried out by the Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service (BCAS) with the assistance of the owners of the quarry, the operators and Bedfordshire County Council.
Maskell’s Quarry is located to the west of the village of Harlington, Bedfordshire between the Great Northern Railway line and the eastern slope of Sheepwalk Hill. The site occupies a sand hill above the gravel terrace east of the Flit Valley, between higher areas of decalcified boulder clays at Harlington and Sheepwalk Hill. In landscape terms the site is one of a series of prominent sites including the promontory enclosure, Sharpenhoe Clappers, on the Greensand Ridge. A survey of the Bedfordshire County Heritage Environment Record shows that the area has, since the 19th century, produced a variety of archaeological material. These finds include Anglo-Saxon burials and cremations with associated grave goods which were found above the concrete floor of a substantial Roman building on Sheepwalk Hill. In addition to the possible villa on the south facing slope of Sheepwalk Hill, a Roman settlement, including the remains of a kiln, has been found less than a mile to the east at Toddington.
Quarrying rights were initially granted to Mr. Maskell in 1959 when no provision was made to protect the archaeological resource. Subsequently, with the advance of the quarried area, several episodes of work have been undertaken.
The first archaeological assessment (H91) by BCAS took place in 1991 following the discovery by Steven Castle, a local resident, of a cremation urn exposed by quarrying. During the assessment a further five cremations were recovered.
In April 1992 an evaluation (H92) commissioned by J. Murphy & Sons Ltd was undertaken by Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service in order to estimate the possible extent of the cemetery and any associated settlement. Following the evaluation the area of interest was isolated from quarry activities to protect the archaeological resource. A watching brief was maintained (H94), but severe weather meant the ‘island’ became increasingly susceptible to erosion and slippage and, as a mitigation measure, the ‘island’ became unsustainable. An application was made to the owners, Murphys, and to English Heritage in 1994 to fund rescue excavation (H95): both were refused. In-house funding was found by BCAS and excavation began in October 1995 to recover the remaining archaeology before its destruction by erosion.
The site archive comprises the following datasets: fieldwork records; ceramic artefacts; bulk and non-ceramic artefacts; environmental samples. Of this archive only a small proportion is proposed for further study (described below). The remaining parts will be formally archived and transferred to Luton Museum. The archive is currently located in St Mary’s Church Archaeology Centre Bedford.
The status of the data sets from Maskell’s Quarry varies. The site has been assigned a project code H154 and a summary entered in BCAS project database.
Fieldwork data: The fieldwork archive comprises context sheets, site drawing records and photographic records. Context sheets have been checked and ordered in an archive along with plans and section drawings. Photographs are filed in numerical sequence with index sheets in the site archive.
Pottery and other ceramics: The analysis of pottery and ceramics has been limited. All pottery has been washed, marked, bagged and boxed by context. Individual vessels from cremation cuts have been stored separately but only simple name identification has taken place, with labels such as pot, fired clay and daub rather than specific wares and vessel form. In some cases the separation of the pots into individual vessels has not taken place. Twelve of the more obviously complete vessels have been illustrated.
Registered finds: The treatment of the registered finds has varied. There are no marked flints and only limited identification has been undertaken. X-radiography has taken place on finds such as iron nails, a brooch and a coin and these are accompanied by a laboratory report consisting of a full identification and notes on the state of preservation. The copper alloy objects have been conserved with a full statement of procedure.
Soil samples: The soil samples have been assessed but all of the samples await analysis.
Human bone: The human bone has been analysed and a draft report submitted (March 1998).
The site archive has been scanned and assessed. The significant material comprises eight cremation burials which include ceramics, cremated bone and registered finds. Soil samples, ceramics and registered finds from the cremations remain to be analysed. The remaining material from a Roman period enclosure system plays no further part in this assessment. Unstratified material found on the spoil heap by Stephen Castle is still largely in his possession, although some has been transferred to Luton Museum. The lack of context limits the significance of this evidence and it will not be considered further.
Excavation methodology
Each cremation pit was half sectioned vertically and drawn at a scale of 1:5. The remaining half was then excavated and drawn at both 1:5 and 1:10. Soil from every cremation pit was sampled and wet sieved for bone, pottery and other finds. Preservation on the site was generally good with features surviving below the colluvial deposits. Many of the cremation vessels were broken, either due to plough damage or pressure from quarry plant, but they remain reconstructable, either physically or on paper.
The small amount of material allowed assessment to be carried out by rapid scan. Specific areas, such as human bone were examined by specialists and the results brought together at a project meeting of all contributors.
The archaeological evidence from Harlington with potential for further analysis comprises the remains of eight cremation groups and a limited area of structural remains related to a now destroyed settlement. Although the area of excavation was limited, sufficient was observed of the surrounding area to establish that the Romano-British cemetery was fully excavated. The cluster of cremations was surrounded by an area of featureless natural deposits, suggesting the entire cemetery site was identified. The site therefore joins a growing body of small late Iron Age and Romano-British cremation cemeteries recognised in the county (Simco 1984, Dawson & Slowikowski 1987, Pollard 1994).
The artefacts from the site include ceramics and registered finds. The recovery of Claudio-Neronian samian ware alongside local wares may provide evidence for high status burials, whilst registered finds were limited.
The human bone evidence from this site is too small to form the basis of demographic study, but has provided information on pathology, age and sex which is relevant to the status of the site.
The macrobotanical evidence, although small in quantity, is considered worth analysing because it offers the possibility of increasing our knowledge of the local environment (weed seeds) and may contribute to understanding aspects of the burial ritual at Harlington.
The material recovered from the cremation cemetery at Harlington has the potential to contribute to:
The evidence from Harlington cemetery also addresses one of the objectives raised in Exploring Our Past (English Heritage 1991), Processes of change: Briton into Roman (c200BC-AD200)
This section outlines the tasks necessary to complete analysis of the Harlington material.
The identification of fabric types is required before the pottery can be recorded. Fabric types new to the Bedfordshire Ceramic Type Series (CTS) will be incorporated into the county-wide database, according to the recommendations made by Fulford and Huddleston (1991:52) and the research frameworks for the county. The CTS comprises sample sherds and additional computerised data including fabric and form descriptions, decoration, distribution and date. Levels of recording will be those described by Fulford and Huddleston (1991:44). The pottery will be quantified and recorded by sherd count and weight, with complete vessels recorded by individual vessel. Attributes will be recorded and coded by fabric and form, including manufacture, decoration, abrasion, evidence of use. The samian ware will be catalogued by Brenda Dickinson.
Research into comparative ceramic material will be undertaken from published sources and from the Bedfordshire CTS. The primary purpose of this comparative research will be to add to the data which will define the limits of the distribution of major fabric types, as well as determining the distribution of the fabric types occurring more rarely on the site. This will contribute to a broader understanding of the ceramic pattern at different dates within the region.
The ceramics report will proceed once all research data have been gathered. The technical report will consist of the presentation of ceramic data by fabric type, including descriptions of fabric and form together with a discussion of source and date. Specialist reports will be integrated into the text.
Time has been allocated to the writing of the ceramics section of the integrated synthesis. The integrated synthesis will consist of the interpretation and discussion of the recorded data. It will seek to address the aims and objectives presented here, and will be an integration of all aspects of the site, structural, artefactual and ecofactual.
The preparation of the archive consists of the sorting and systematic ordering of the paper and computer record and ensuring the copies are made using stable materials. Final publication drawing numbers will be added to the illustrated pottery. Illustrated pottery will be boxed separately by publication number. Any pottery originally laid aside for illustration but not chosen for the final publication will be replaced into its context bag. Lists of box contents will be prepared in readiness for accessioning by the recipient museum.
Analysis based on identification of plant macrofossils will take two days and will be undertaken by R Scaife.
Each object within a simple name category which has been identified as possessing the potential to contribute to the aims and objectives of the project will be assigned a full name identification and, where applicable, a date range. The information will be established by an examination of an object, noting:
Distribution plots of the artefactual assemblage will be undertaken once the grouping of cremations has been confirmed. This is essential in order to identify patterns or concentrations of artefacts of specific date, period or function which may be associated with the cremations. A draft catalogue and technical text will be prepared based on cremation groups.
The artefacts discussion will be integrated with the complementary evidence provided by structural, ceramic, and environmental evidence. This will be achieved through discussion amongst all the relevant specialists.
An integrated draft report addressing the aims and objectives of the project will be prepared. Final paste-up of illustrations will proceed at the same time. Time has also been allocated for writing of captions and checking of the paste-ups. Ensuring adequate cross-referencing, editing and proof-reading of this integrated text is essential.
The preparation of the paper and material artefacts record will form the final phase of the project and will include:
The site archive (both documents and material) will be transferred to the Luton Museum on the completion of the project.
Dawson, M. and Slowikowski, A. 1987 A Romano-British cemetery at Warren Farm, Deepdale, Sandy Bedfordshire Archaeology 18: 25-33
English Heritage 1991 Exploring Our Past
Fulford, M. G. and Huddleston, K. 1991 The current state of Romano-British Pottery studies: A review for English Heritage English Heritage Occasional Papers No1
Pollard, J. 1994 A Belgic and early British Burial from Toddington Bedfordshire Archaeology 19: 103-106
Simco, A. 1984 Survey of Bedfordshire: the Roman period Bedfordshire County Council
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