An excavation of the site was organised following the discovery by the landowner of a deposit of burnt daub 30cm below the ground surface. A large quantity of daub was found, including a compacted layer and "obvious ‘wall like’ features". Features on top of the compacted daub included post holes, post pads and beam slots, perhaps indicating that a timber-framed building was contructed on the compacted remains of an earlier wattle-and-daub structure. As well as daub, the excavation found large quantities of blast furnace slag and brick fragments, possibly dating to the 16th or 17th centuries, in a scatter in topsoil and modern backfill layers. (1, 2)

Structural features indicated by the archaeology included a timber ‘planking’ wall and a series of upright posts, and the reports suggest the possibility of an early medieval date. (1, 3)

"Though no conclusive dating evidence has been found associated with the construction of the structures, it is clear more than one phase of building work has taken place. The basic nature of the
material used (wattle & daub) would strongly suggest a medieval date or earlier." (3)

In 2019, a small extension was made to the previous trench A, and a collapsed, curved wall identified underneath the earlier straight features. The report suggests that this could represent an Iron Age round house that was replaced by more Roman-style buildings. Meanwhile, a find decribed as a Tudor glazed tankard and carbonised wood described as from a possible lathe-turned bowl were also found in 2019, although the report does not say exactly where. (5)

<1> WKD Archaeology, 2016, Archaeological Review - WKDArchaeology - ‘Excavation Of A Series Of Wattle & Daub Structures’ (Unpublished document). SKE52254.

<2> WKD Archaeology, 2018, 1 Forge Farm Cottage - FFC17: Season One Review - 2017 (Unpublished document). SKE52262.

<3> WKD Archaeology, 2018, Site Appraisal – 1 Forge Farm Cottage, Southborough: ‘Evaluation Of A Series Of Wattle & Daub Structures Within The Southborough Valley’ (Unpublished document). SKE52270.

<4> WKD Archaeology, 2019, End Of Season Review 2019: 1 Forge Farm Cottage (FFC19), Southborough - A Series Of Wattle & Daub Structures Of Possible Iron Age Origin (Unpublished document). SKE52290.

<5> WKD Archaeology, 2019, End Of Season Review 2019: 1 Forge Farm Cottage (FFC19), Southborough - A Series Of Wattle & Daub Structures Of Possible Iron Age Origin (Unpublished document). SKE52290.