|
Information
|
|
|
 |
|
The Project
|
|
|
|
|
People
|
|
|
|
|
Techniques
|
|
|
|
|
Poulton Timeline See
how the site has developed over the past 10,000 years ! Click
on the timeline below, or scroll down the page. 
|
8,000-4,500
BC |
Mesolithic
|
Hunter-Gatherers
(Nomads)
|
|
 Introduction of small, 'microlithic',
tools and weapons for hunting and fishing.
Small groups, 1-2 families, exploiting natural resources, inland and
coastal, on a seasonal basis.
Poulton: 'microlithic' flints. Nomads
exploiting the River Dee and nearby lake for wildfowl, fish etc.
Other Cheshire Sites: Aldford, Alderley Edge,
Tatton Mere, Carden
Park, the Bache (Chester), Beeston Castle, Greasby,
New Brighton, Hoylake (North Wirral).
6,500 BC Britain
separates from mainland Europe.
|
|
|
|
Return to Timeline
|
|
4,500-3,000
BC
|
Early Neolithic
|
First Farmers
|
|
 First
'settlements'. Clearing of woodIand for grazing and cultivation.
Long distance trading, introduction of polished flint tools, first pottery.
Monuments:
Henges, Long Barrows (burial mounds). Inhumation burials. Avebury.
Stonehenge (pre-stones).
Poulton: Timber Circle ('wood henge')
c.3,500 BC.
Other Cheshire Sites:
Bridestones
(Congleton).
|
|
Return to Timeline
|
|
2,300-1,800
BC
|
Early Bronze Age
|
|
|
 Small farming settlements; groups of extended
families.
Society becoming more organised; groups joining together to form larger
tribal entities. Earliest roundhouses (c. 2,000 BC).
New metal technology ; Copper (Alderley
Edge,
Great Orme) and Gold.
Increased trade links with the continent. 'Beaker' pottery vessels.
Small Stone Circles, Round Barrows.
Cremation burials.
Poulton: Cemetery group of barrows.
Cremations. Coarse Pottery.
Other Cheshire Sites:
The Seven Lows (Delamere), Withington Hall (Goosetry), Butley Cairn, Jodrell
Bank, Church Lawton (Alsager),
Birtles Hall (Over Alderley).
|
|
|
|
Return to Timeline
|
|
1,500-750 BC
|
Middle-Late Bronze Age
|
|
|
c.1,100 BC Major climatic
deterioration. Wetter climate. Agriculture becomes increasingly
livestock-based. Roundhouses increasingly common. Introduction
of horses.
Religion and ceremony based on water sites;
rivers, lakes, etc.
Poulton: Ring-Ditch
ceremonially 'closed'. Ritual deposits in SE entrance-way.
|
|
|
|
Return to Timeline
|
|
750-150 BC
|
Early Iron Age
|
|
|
 Iron
tools (particularly from 200-300 BC). Society still essentially Late Bronze
Age.
Hillforts. Settlements increasingly
'enclosed' by a ditch and bank, sometimes with a superimposed
palisade. Granaries and storage pits.
Poulton: No evidence,
to date.
|
|
|
|
Return to Timeline
|
|
150 BC-AD 43
|
Late Iron Age
|
|
|
Hillforts largely abandoned. Rapid increase
in trade and exchange with the continent.
Exports of metals, hides, slaves and grain. Agriculture thriving; a
'surplus' economy.
Poulton: several sherds
of pottery.
|
|
|
|
Return to Timeline
|
|
AD 43-410
|
Roman Period
|
|
|
 Poulton: mass of artefactual
evidence. Building materials (stamped roof-tiles), window and goblet
glass, pottery (Samian, Black Burnished and Holt Wares), cosmetic items,
coins, brooches.
Tantalisingly hints as to presence of a structure
but, as yet, no positive identification as to its location.
Villa? Villa + Temple? Temple?
Other Cheshire Sites
(rural): Eaton-by-Tarporley, Crewe by Fandon, Tatton Park.
|
|
|
|
Return to Timeline
|
|
AD 1000-1147/53
|
Medieval
|
|
|
 Poulton: Mentioned in
Domesday Book (1086). Chapel's earliest phase (single-cell building)
may prove to be of Anglo-Saxon origin i.e. pre-dating foundation of
Cistercian Abbey (1147-53). Saxon Ware pottery, dating to 10thC.
|
|
