[This is one of six reports covering past Antiquarian Society lectures for which the Consoc newsletter had no space at the time. We caught up in Newsletter 141. —Ed.]

A talk by Robert Croft

Development pressures have caused a large amount of archaeological investigation to be undertaken in Somerset, enabling better interpretation of the evolution of landscape and settlement in various parts of the county, Robert Croft told the Antiquarian Society.

      Research at Lyng and Athelney, lost “islands” of Somerset, was revealing aspects of the prehistoric landscape, before rivers were diverted in the mediaeval era. Lyng, one of three Saxon burghs in the central wetlands, possibly had a planned urban layout. Test pits have produced large amounts of Saxo-Norman pottery. Defensive lines around Athelney island were based on Iron Age works, and at Aller, which must have been an important Saxon location, trial digs had found numerous features from the Bronze and Iron Ages. At Greylake, analysis of human bones found in the 1920s showed them to be from 8,000 BC, and the associated non-cave finds are unique in Britain.

      Proposed construction work at Hinkley Point has required archaeological work over a considerable area, including geophysical surveys and several hundred sampling trenches, as well as re-interpretation of surviving features such as Wick Barrow and Pixies Mound.

      Investigations in advance of the quarry extension at Ham Mill produced evidence of Mesolithic activity at the bottom of the Iron Age rampart, and at Bridgwater the slipping of the West Quay retaining wall had enabled study of the fill around the castle foundations.

      Other work was taking place at Fairfield (at Stogursey in west Somerset) to examine the landscape development and sites of the garden towers, and also at Bruton Abbey. At Castle House, Taunton, extensive alterations had enabled the dating of the roof to 1483.

      In the Glastonbury area the Avalon Marshes Landscape Partnership, covering an area 12 miles across from Westhay to Baltonsborough, and 6 miles from north to south, will examine wildlife and cultural heritage, including historic features, and involve many aspects of archaeological research, Mr Croft said.

      Audience members were keen to hear results of ongoing work at the Butleigh villa. This will be the basis of a future lecture, they hoped.   [2012 Oct 19]