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No.53 - October 2002 | Contex HOME THE PREHISTORIC
LANDSCAPE OF HEATHROW Some archaeological sites have more appealing names than others, but the Perry Oaks Sludge Works sounds an unpromising address. In fact this former sewage plant was required for the expansion of Heathrow Airport and thus fell within the remit of Framework Archaeology, a unit specially created to work on BAA sites. It was actually in a key position in an area of west London that had seen numerous archaeological investigations dating back almost 60 years, John Lewis of Framework Archaeology told members at our June meeting. The site was excavated in 1998-9, with over 60 diggers and covered an area of 21 hectares; thus it was one of the most extensive excavations done in this country. The aim was to go beyond the mere recording of finds and features to give a coherent picture of how the landscape was used through prehistoric times and into the Roman period and what could be inferred about the society that lived there. John Lewis’s favourite feature on the site was part of the ‘Stanwell Cursus’, a 3 mile long earthwork clearly visible on a 1943 Air Ministry survey of the then Hounslow Heath, standing up to 1.ft high. Although initially interpreted as a Roman road, this is actually a Neolithic monument, of c. 2000BC, generally believed to be a relatively elevated ritual processional way, defined by two ditches. John believed that it linked spiritually significant locations, while walkers along it could be seen against the skyline. To John this suggested a society that had leaders of a certain status, but which did not exclude others from observing their ceremonies. Finds from the Neolithic period indicate free ranging activity across the area and a clearing of the landscape that led by the Middle Bronze Age to its division into large linear blocks by banks and ditches, in a field system that extended all over the 25 sq. km of Hounslow Heath This suggested that pasturalism was the predominate way of life, with the first settlements appearing around 1500BC. Interestingly this landscape division respected the Cursus and some settlements were on earlier ‘ring-ditches’ suggesting that the Bronze Age inhabitants were descendants of the Cursus builders and still remembered their significant sites. Because of the nature of the site, brick earth over a Thames gravel terrace, most of the excavated features were ditches and holes of various sorts, some of which yielded interesting finds that probably had a ritual significance. For example one Bronze Age water hole contained a wooden ‘beater’, a socketed axe haft and a Cornish Neolithic axe that was an ancient object long before it was deposited. Environmental evidence suggested that the population kept cattle and sheep, grew emmer, smelt, barley and flax and made use of hedgerow plants such as blackthorn (sloes) and hazel. As time progressed the major divisions in the landscape developed into customary trackways and the small scattered settlements were replaced by a larger, more centrally placed one around 1000BC, This was a time of an increasing use of metal and probably the development of a somewhat more hierarchical society. Precise mapping of the Iron Age landscape is difficult because many divisions may have been by banks that have now disappeared. However the picture is one of evolution, with further subdivision of fields within the old boundaries. By 400BC a large Iron Age settlement had developed, part of which was enclosed. It included an exceptionally large round house, with two entrances. It could be a Headman’s house or a shrine or temple. Some complete pottery vessels were found deposited in water holes, but generally Iron Age finds were scanty. Unfortunately the settlement area much affected by modern use of the site making interpretation difficult. The end of the Iron Age and the beginning of the Roman period saw no drastic changes to the area, but during the 2nd-3rd Centuries the field system was totally reorganised on a different alignment that paid no heed to the ancient divisions. The new alignment did however appear to be at right-angles to a Roman road found nearby. To John Lewis this suggested outside ownership, with the land being bought and sold by surveyor’s measurement, without regard to traditional boundaries. The habit of making ritual deposits in water-holes however was not forgotten, as a quarter of an early Christian lead font being found carefully folded up in one. There is little hope of having much idea of prehistoric life in central London, which is why the excavations around Heathrow are important. From what at first sight appeared to be a bewildering mass of ditches, pits and post-holes John Lewis developed for us a picture of a steadily evolving, stable and relatively equitable society, unlike that elsewhere in southern England. Our understanding of this process was greatly aided by a sophisticated slide presentation. We look forward to the publication of this major site, that we are promised will be on CD Rom.
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