Excavations at Rossington Grange Farm, South Yorkshire^*

* With contributions by: D. Alldritt, I.P. Brooks, H.E.M. Cool, J. Cruse, G. Drinkall, G. Gaunt, K.F. Hartley, M. Holst, G. McDonnell, P. Mills, G. Monteil, J. Richardson, I.M. Rowlandson, B. Sitch and B. Vyner.

Abstract

Archaeological investigations to the south of Rossington Grange Farm saw the excavation of two Early Bronze Age ring barrows, one containing two cremations, each within a collared urn. A different area, of limited earlier prehistoric activity, became the site of a later Iron Age and Roman enclosure complex, which developed in an incremental way around a large primary enclosure. The development of the enclosure complex was to some extent dictated by the creation of a surrounding field system, established in the late first and early second centuries AD. By the late Roman period, activity within the enclosure complex was focused on a series of small sub-enclosures, seemingly associated with small-scale pottery production and crop processing.

Keywords:

• prehistoric
• Bronze Age
• burials
• Iron Age
• Roman
• pottery

Acknowledgements

Archaeological Services WYAS was commissioned by Brian Tinnion of RecyCoal Limited, who funded all phases of the work. The Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society is grateful to the additional financial contribution made by West Yorkshire Joint Services to facilitate the publication of this article here. The authors acknowledge the contributions of their former colleagues at Archaeological Services WYAS who were involved in both the excavation and post-excavation programmes, particularly Alistair Webb, who managed the project, and Jon Prudhoe who has produced the illustrations. The photographs are by Phil Weston and the report has been prepared for publication by Ian Roberts, who is indebted to Mary Fraser of Northern Archaeological Associates for the information she provided about the Goldthorpe barrow. The project was monitored by Andrew Lines of South Yorkshire Archaeology Service. It is anticipated that the archive will be deposited at Doncaster Museum. The archive contains a comprehensive illustrated report on the Roman pottery, which unfortunately cannot be accommodated here.

Notes

* With contributions by: D. Alldritt, I.P. Brooks, H.E.M. Cool, J. Cruse, G. Drinkall, G. Gaunt, K.F. Hartley, M. Holst, G. McDonnell, P. Mills, G. Monteil, J. Richardson, I.M. Rowlandson, B. Sitch and B. Vyner.