Monkseaton, South West Farm, ditch

Evaluation trenching on the site of South West Farm (by Archaeological Services Durham University) in 2006 recorded a manmade ditch, huge in proportions, some 2m wide. Broken quernstones of late Iron Age/Romano-British date had been deposited in the terminus of the ditch. There were two fragments of disk querns (one 40cm in diameter, 11cm thick at eye, hourglass shaped, eye 4cm wide at ends and 3cm wide at centre; the other was approx 51 cm, flat top and bottom, curved outer wall, 10.5cm thick at rim/eye, 9.5cm just outside rim, 7cm at start of curve of outer wall, eye diameter 10cm). The third fragment was of a beehive quern upper stone. Part of hopper, lip and outer wall extant, no part of feed-pipe. Groove, 35mm extant, 5mm wide and 3mm deep on part of outer wall. Evidence of secondary use for unknown purpose. The ditch probably forms part of an enclosure. Evaluation report forthcoming. Need C14 date from ditch fill.