The 'East of Sutton' Survey

Aims of the survey

The Field Group of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is entering its sixth year of an extensive archaeological survey in which we are aiming to locate and record archaeological features in the area east of Sutton Coldfield (the only remaining area of substantial non-recreational open space within the Birmingham City boundary).

Objectives

The products of the survey will be as follows:

1. Records in the form of annotated maps, plans and other drawings, record forms, photographs and artefacts.
2. Information on sites and finds such that it can be easily be incorporated in the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) - Birmingham's archaeological database.
3. An archive report.
4. A report to be published in the Society's Transactions.

The area is bounded on the north and east by the Birmingham City boundary, and on the south and west by the built-up areas of Hill, Roughley, Whitehouse Common, Falcon Lodge, Walmley and Minworth. Current land use is predominantly agricultural, both arable and pasture. There are also small areas of woodland and a golf course. This amounts to a total area of approximately 16 square kilometres which can be divided into three sectors:

1. Kingsbury Road to Lindridge Road (c. 8 square kilometres)
2. Lindridge Road to Tamworth Road (c. 3 square kilometres)
3. Tamworth Road to Lichfield Road (c. 5 square kilometres)

Prior to this survey, there were several SMR entries for this area. The structural evidence consists of cropmarks and earthworks of uncertain date, a possible Roman or earlier field system, medieval moated sites, and post-medieval buildings. This is augmented by the artefactual evidence, which includes prehistoric flint and Roman and medieval pottery, and documentary and cartographic evidence, including field names.

An estate at Wiggins Hill, in the south-east corner of the area, is mentioned in Domesday Book. Only one tenant, Bruning, is listed in the entry, implying the existence of a single farmstead. Assarting is recorded in the 13th century in named areas which can be identified with 19th century field names in the area between Peddimore Hall and Ox Leys Road, and there were open field strips around Wiggins Hill. Much of the northern part of the area, and the area south-west of Langley Hall, was uncultivated heathland until its enclosure for agriculture in the early 19th century.

Previous archaeological work

The dates and scope of previous work are listed below. It has included earthwork recording, selective fieldwalking, aerial photograph inspection, and two small excavations.

Location	Date	By	Scope of work
Wiggins Hill	1969	J. Bond	Earthwork survey
Route of the A38	1972	Various	Aerial photography, earthwork survey, fieldwalking, excavation (Walmley Ash)
Littleworth End	1974	G. Deeley	Excavation
Peddimore Hall	1977	D. Spolton	Earthwork Survey
Langley Hall, Hermitage Farm	1977	M. Hodder	Earthwork survey
Hillwood Common, Peddimore Hall, Langley Hall, Over Green, Wiggins Hill	1980-1981	M. Hodder	Earthwork survey, fieldwalking, aerial photograph assessment
BNRR route	1993	Oxford AU	Fieldwalking (crematorium), aerial photograph assessment
Peddimore	1988	B.U.F.A.U.	Excavation

Methods of Survey

The following fieldwork methods are being employed:

1. Fieldwalking on arable land
2. Searches of stream banks and other exposures
3. Earthwork survey
4. Building recording

A survey using these methods is a more appropriate activity for an archaeological society than excavation.

In addition, documentary research is carried out, including searches of aerial photographs and documentary and early map sources. The fieldwork is undertaken by the Field Group of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society, and the Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group is involved in the documentary research.

In December of each year, an interim report is written, summarising the main achievements and findings of the previous year's work. These are distributed to Society members, Field Group volunteers and local landowners.

Mike Hodder & Terry Jones