Manor Cottage,
Southwick Street, Southwick
Introduction
Manor Cottage is a building of medieval origin, with
post-medieval additions situated on the eastern side of Southwick
Street, Southwick, West Sussex, and is currently the local museum
(NGR TQ 24427 05365). The element of the building closest to Southwick
Street consists of a late 16th or early 17th century extension
to the main structure. Part of this addition was demolished in
the 1970s. Planning permission is to be sought for the rebuilding
of the demolished element of the post-medieval extension.
The Southwick (Sussex) Society wished to instigate an archaeological
investigation of the affected area prior to the commencement of
the building works. Following consultation between representatives
of interested parties (including John Mills, Archaeological Officer,
West Sussex County Council), it was agreed that the excavation
would be undertaken by members of the Society under the supervision
of Simon Stevens, Senior Archaeologist, Archaeology South-East.
It was agreed that the Society would fund examination and analysis
of all artefacts and the completion of a report on the project.
The Excavation
The main excavation work was undertaken over the three
days of the August Bank Holiday week-end 2005 (27th – 30th August)
by an enthusiastic group of up to 30 volunteers. An area measuring
5m by 5m situated between the existing building and Southwick
Street was manually stripped and investigated. This involved the
removal of part of the brick, tile and concrete floor, some of
which had apparently been relaid after the 1970s demolition, as
well as flowerbeds and part of the lawned front garden.
There had clearly been extensive truncation associated with the
demolition of the building and subsequent landscaping. The flint
and chalk/clunch footings for the known elements of the demolished
building were encountered just below the modern ground surface.
No buried floor surfaces had survived the demolition and no other
archaeological features were encountered.
Manual excavation and extensive sieving of all of the overburden
at the site produced an interesting range of artefacts, which
were washed on-site as part of the project and will eventually
be deposited in the museum.
The Finds
The earliest artefacts encountered at the site were three
flint flakes probably dating from the Late Bronze Age, but the
majority of artefacts were considerably later in date. An assemblage
of over 200 sherds of pottery spanning the 13th to the 20th centuries
was recovered, although only 10% of the assemblage pre-dated the
middle of the 16th century, with most of the material dated to
the 19th century. A single fragment of late medieval roof tile
was found, but again the majority of the material was 19th century
in date. Other datable post-medieval artefacts included clay pipe,
glass, metalwork and children’s toys. Undated artefacts included
animal bone from cattle, sheep, pig and fowl and a substantial
assemblage of oyster shells.
One of the most interesting (and perhaps representative) groups
of artefacts was the coins. The earliest consists of a copper
alloy Spanish coin of late 16th- to 17th- century date. The piece,
which has a castle emblem on the obverse and the lion of Leon
on the reverse is heavily worn and the legend has been clipped
off (possibly to convert the piece into a token or weight) but
is similar to coins of Philip II (1598-1621). The other coins
consist of an 1861 ½ penny of Victoria, a 1929 ½
penny of George V, a 1945 three pence of George VI and a 1976
one pence of Elizabeth II.
Conclusions
Analysis of the excavated material is nearing completion
and a report will be produced in due course. It is hoped that
further excavations can be carried out at the site in the future,
developing the relationship between the Society and Archaeology
South-East still further. The project allowed a distinctly ‘local’
group to become directly and physically involved in archaeology,
and the feedback from individuals and the Society as a whole was
unreservedly positive
From a personal point of view it was a hugely enjoyable week-end.
The level of enthusiasm of the volunteers was enormously infectious,
and watching a group of mostly ‘first timers’ gaining in confidence
(and knowledge) by the second was extremely satisfying. There
was also a constant stream of interested/bemused passers-by.
As a post-script, another positive element of such ‘outreach’
archaeology was highlighted when a local man produced a box containing
an almost complete Romano-British greyware jar of 1st or 2nd century
AD date discovered within a mile of the site. He donated it (and
other items) to the Society for display in the museum, and after
enquiries the findspot was confirmed. Information of the find
(and a hitherto unknown site) can now be sent to the West Sussex
County Council Sites and Monuments Record.
Project Officer: Simon Stevens
Client: Southwick Society
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