Susan M. Youngs

Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1985

Since the first volume appeared in 1957 Medieval Archaeology has included annual reports from the Medieval Village Research Group (previously the Deserted Medieval Village Research Group). This year the practice has been extended, other specialist groups with interests in the medieval period being invited to submit reports for inclusion. As a result we are able in addition to publish reports from the C.B.A. Historic Buildings Committee, the newly-formed Finds Research Group A.D. 700-1700, the Medieval Pottery Research Group, and the Vernacular Architecture Group, and trust that, with the co-operation of all concerned, we shall be able to continue, and perhaps extend, this practice in future years. Thanks are as usual due to all who have provided reports on recent work. In addition to individual contributions, interim published reports, and annual reports of archaeological trusts the following were consulted: Scottish Group C.B.A., Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1984; London Archaeologist; Universities of Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeological Reports fir 1985. The report on the work of the C.B.A. Historic Buildings Committee is abstracted with permission from that to appear in the C.B.A.s own Annual Report. Once again readers arc reminded that much of the usefulness of this survey depends upon completeness; each year the compilers become aware of sites for which no report is received, in spite of the circulation of reminders. It is very helpful ifsummaries are submitted in time and in suitable form for publication. Reports on work during 1986, for inclusion in the next volume, should be submitted by the end of March 1987, and should be addressed as follows:

Archaeology, History, and the Isle of Wight in the Middle Saxon Period

CONTRARY to earlier beliefs, recent metal-detector finds from a number of sites in the Isle of Wight now attest to the continued wealth and economic importance of the island after its conquest by Caedwalla in 686. This is particularly revealed in the area around Carisbrooke, which, it is argued, survived as a major central place throughout the Anglo-Saxon period. The evidence from scattered excavations and finds is brought together, assessed, and set into the wider context of 7th-and 8th-century political and economic developments in the Solent area.

Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1986

This year it has again proved possible to include summaries of the work of specialist groups active in the field of medieval archaeology in Britain, and thanks are due to those secretaries or organizers who provided reports though not always without considerable prompting from us, the compilers! Thanks also go to all who have provided reports on recent excavations and survey work. In addition to individual contributions, published interim reports and annual reports ofarchaeological trusts and other bodies the following were consulted: C.B.A. Regional Group 8, West Midlands Archaeology, 29 (1986); Scottish Group C.B.A., Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1986; London Archaeologist; Universities of Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeological Reports.for 1986. Reports on work during 1987, for inclusion in the next volume, should be submitted by the end of March 1988. It is helpful if summaries are provided in good time without further reminders and to suitable length and style for publication; although the compilers will if unavoidable abstract from longer reports, considerable delay was caused this year by the increasing number of contributors sending in multi-page reports which demanded considerable time, effort and ruthlessness before they could be reduced to reasonable length. Reports for inclusion in the next volume should be addressed as follows:

Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1982

As our title indicates, excavation reports from Ireland are included among this years entries. In the past, although occasional reports on Irish discoveries have appeared, there has been no consistency or regularity in their inclusion. The annual Excavations Bulletin published by the Association ofYoung Irish Archaeologists ceased to appear after the untimely death ofits editor, Tom Delancy, in 1979; even though that, or a similar survey, may be revived, the continuing absence of regular reports on work on medieval Ireland in our own annual survey has been noticeable. The current compilers (J. C. and S. M. Y.) and the Editors were therefore very pleased to receive Terry Barrys offer to gather reports from Ireland for inclusion, and are glad to welcome Dr Barry to the team. It is intended that this will be a regular feature. Apart from the inclusion ofIreland (which will be found in our alphabetical sequence between England and Scotland) the format remains the same as that introduced last year. All sites, whether preor post-Conquest, have been arranged in a single topographical sequence, each with an index number by which it is cited in the indexes which precede the summaries. Separate indexes arc printed of pre-Conquest and post-Conquest finds. In the case of Ireland, as with Scotland and other areas not directly affected by the conquest of ro66, an equivalent division in the late t r th century has been made for purposes of comparison. As usual, thanks are due to all those who provided reports on recent work. In addition to individual contributions and reports forwarded by the D.o.E. in England, the following publications were consulted: the Scottish Group C.B.A., Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1982, Lincolnshire History and Archaeology and Universities of Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeological Reportsfor 1982. Summaries of work during 1983, for inclusion in the next volume, should be submitted by the end of March 1984, and should be addressed as follows:

A late Saxon inscribed pendant from Norfolk

The inscribed lead piece illustrated in pl. V was an isolated metal-detector find from near Weasenham All Saints, a village in north Norfolk (NGR: TF 848221; Sites and Monuments no. 34651). It was brought to our attention in April 1998 by staff at the Castle Museum, Norwich, and obligingly left by the owner in the British Museum for a considerable time to facilitate its study. It was subsequently acquired by the Castle Museum (acquisition number NWHCM: 2000.3) where Alan West, Curator, arranged for investigation by radiography. All this reflects the considerable difficulties in reading the lettering and interpreting the ornament on this small piece.

Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1983

The format remains that of the previous year; all sites whether preor post-Conquest have been arranged in a single topographical sequence. Each site has a number by which it is cited in the indexes which precede the summaries; separate indexes are given for pre-Conquest and post-Conquest material. In the case of Ireland, as with Scotland and other areas not directly affected by the Conquest of ro66 an equivalent division in the late r r th century has been made for purposes of comparison. As usual, thanks are due to all those who provided reports on recent work. In addition to individual contributions and some reports forwarded by the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, the following publications were consulted: The Scottish Group C.B.A., Discovery and Excavation in Scotland /983, Excavations in Essex /983, Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, 19, C.B.A. Group 9, West Midlands Archaeology, 26 and Universities of Newcastle upon Tyne and Durham, Archaeological Reportsfor /983. Summaries of work during 1984 for inclusion in the next volume should be submitted by the end of March 1985 and should be addressed as follows:

The Limpsfield Grange disc

In March 1992 a diminutive decorated disc was submitted for comment to the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities, British Museum. The owner had found it by using a metal detector in an arable field south of the M25 motorway at Limpsfield Grange in the parish of Limpsfield near Oxted, Surrey (NGR TQ 4053). The disc appeared to be an isolated find and a Coroners Inquest was not held. The piece was subsequendy sent for auction and acquired by the British Museum acting in cooperation with Guildford Museum. There is no Anglo-Saxon material recorded from the immediate area.