Culver Archaeological Project (CAP) excavations

The Culver Archaeological Project excavations are under the direction of Rob Wallace in association with the University of Sussex and the Mid Sussex Field Archaeology Team (MSFAT). The excavations form part of a wider project covering the archaeology surrounding Barcombe Roman Villa (CAP). This large scale project aims to place the villa in the wider landscape and thus approach an understanding of its occupational setting.

The Work So Far

In the local area excavations by Rob Wallace and Rhw Mitcheson revealed sections of a previously unidentified Roman Road in Court House Field and Pond Field. The excavations in Pond Field exposed two post-holes running parallel to the road, suggesting some form of road-side settlement, also in 2007 various pits where found (Roman in date) adjacent to the road, and it is possible that we might have an industrial site and thus it is hoped that this season's excavations will shed further light on this question of settlement.

To date, field-walking has been undertaken in Big Stack Field, Pond Field, Barn Field and Culver Mead itself. Field-walking undertaken in 2005 by Rob Wallace and UCL student volunteers in Culver Mead produced a large quantity of Roman ceramic building material and pottery dating from the Roman period through Post-Medieval. Finds from Big Stack field included a significant quantity of worked Mesolithic Flint, indicating a prehistoric settlement.

In 2006 seven evaluation trenches were opened in Culvermead Field. Five out of the seven trenches revealed Roman archaeology including: foundations of a Roman road, a possible collapsed building, a metalled surface and three wooden timbers 5ft each and found in waterlogged conditions. Recent C14 testing provided a date for the timbers of 250/425 AD +/- 80 years. It has been suggested that the wooden timbers formed part of a wood-lined well, or potentially part of a larger building associated with industrial activity on the site. This gives the project a virtually unique opportunity in Sussex: waterlogged timbers in this area are very rare; the potential environmental evidence retrieved from this feature could give us insight which would not normally be available on the more common dry sites.

In 2008 two evaluation trenches were opened and the Roman road was exposed, also a large geophysical survey was carried out in Court House Field, and the results were very good indeed. It appears that the Roman road has an S-bend in it which is avoiding something of earlier date.

Also in 2008 we carried out a geophysical survey in The Crink, which has revealed a large rectangular feature just beneath the possible route of the GreenSand Way.

2009 Season: The primary focus of the excavations at Pond Field is aimed at indentifying the nature of the possible settlement and its size within the study area. This will be approached through opening an open excavation approx 20m x 40m. Also we will be opening a 40m x 40m over the S-bend in the Roman road, to study its structure and to ascertain why they diverted the road and what it is that they have gone around. We will also be opening a 20m x 20m across the rectangular feature in The Crink, to ascertain what the feature is and hopefully a section of the Green Sand Way.

Health and Safety Information

Please see Risk Assessment for details, this is a required element of any archaeological project - please make sure you read this. The health and safety questionnaire must be filled in and returned to Rob before you start digging.

Accommodation will be camping at Culver Farm, please ensure you bring a tent and other necessary equipment. A cookhouse will be providing, Toilet and Showers are a short walk from the site.