Prehistoric Landscape Development and Romano-British Farming near Rossington, South Yorkshire

Abstract

In 2016–2017 Wessex Archaeology undertook excavations between Rossington and Doncaster in South Yorkshire prior to the development of a strategic rail freight interchange. The earliest evidence related to peat formation within two different parts of the site, with a pair of sequences radiocarbon dated to between the Mesolithic period and the Bronze Age. Pollen preserved within the peat provides evidence for woodland development over this period, with no clear signs of any contemporary human impacts on the palynological record. The majority of the archaeological evidence relates to the Romano-British period, when the site contained settlement/farming enclosures and fields used for grazing and cultivation. Archeologically detectable activity was focussed on the enclosures; a stone-built ‘T’-shaped crop-dryer reveals malt production was undertaken in one. The animal bone is relatively informative when compared to regional norms and this evidence, which is accompanied by the results of the analysis of organic residues within the pottery assemblage, suggests a husbandry strategy focussed on cattle carcase products, with some dairying. Charcoal evidence and charred/waterlogged plant remains reveal further information on the agricultural economy of the site including aspects such as crops grown, fuel use and the local environment. The finds assemblage from the site is also relatively rich for the area; such a reasonable degree of integration with the economy of the wider Roman province may have been facilitated by the close proximity of a villa at Stancil.