Piper’s Way, Swindon, Wiltshire

Two phases of activity were revealed, the earlier relating to the late Iron Age-early
Roman and the second to the early medieval periods. In the first period an area of
settlement was identified in the south-west sector (Area 2/3) of the site defined by
ditches and areas of possible quarrying. Contemporary field boundary ditches had
been identified in the evaluation trenches across the southern part of the development
and part of the field system was exposed in the excavation of area 1 in the south-east
sector. Following a long period of abandonment the settlement site was re-occupied
probably in the late 11th or early 12th century in the form of a small farmstead
defined by a rectangular ditched enclosure with associated ditched paddocks or fields
to the north and east. This settlement lasted until possibly the 13th century, after
which time the site reverted to agricultural land.