Monument record RKN 004 - Broom Hills (Sax)

Broom Hills is a multi period site excavated by Basil Brown over a 4 year period, 1964-1968, when he had retired from IPSMG. 109 sherds of pagan Saxon pottery, C5-C6 are in archive store together with 15 rim sherds, 2 stamped sherds, 2 bossed sherds and 6 horizontally banded neck sherds. No bronze or iron artefacts in store. Basil Brown at first designated this pagan Sax pottery as IA and referred to the site as an IA settlement site but later admits he was mistaken and that the site is to be recorded as Sax. The site was originally revealed during ploughing pre 1964 when black patches appeared on the field and Brown collected pottery sherds. Burnt red sand was found beneath the black soil and many burnt bones and sherds of pottery led Basil to suppose he'd found a cremation site but the bones proved to be animal. However, a human clavicle and part of a human skull were found and submitted to Prof Frere for analysis during the excavation, period not known. Possible floors of chalk or lime compound were excavated showing impressions of floor timbers and the "large patch" now became 4 or possibly 5 separate floors and hearths. Finds included a bracelet of twisted bronze wire (called a torque by BB), bronze bucket handle, bronze strap end, green pottery beads, iron knife and bone spindle whorl. Basil Brown thought he had located the site of a pagan Saxon manor house imposed upon a Neo causewayed camp (S1)(S2). During May 1968 at Broom Hills he suffered an "attack", became ill, never excavated again and the site was abandoned.
West S E, 1988 comments. During many visits to Broom Hills excavation, it appeared to me that the chalk floors may possibly have been a natural outcrop and that the "timber impressions" were, in fact, plough lines. The sunken area shown on B Brown's site plan 13c may have been early Saxon sunken featured buildings and the same plan also shows one or possibly two Saxon post hole buildings (S3).
1988: Fragments of ESax brooches found metal detecting at approximately (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) - the latter is of lead and unfinished - ?either an unfinished low quality brooch or an unfinished `former' for casting in bronze (S4).
Also Mes, Neo, Rom, Un.