Acknowledgements

These excavations could not have taken place without the permission of the landowners, the Birmingham Sand and Gravel Company Ltd of Brierley Hill (Staffs), thanks being due especially to G.W. Taylor (Managing Director) and J.S. Goff (Quarry Manager) not only for permission but also for their co-operation and interest. G.E. Whiteman-Haywood of Brant Farm provided many facilities for the excavation, and his generosity and forbearance over a long period of time are gratefully acknowledged.

Funding for the 1972-73 seasons (and part of the 1977 season) came from the Department of the Environment (DoE), the 1972-73 excavations being sponsored by the Avon-Severn Valleys Research Project, the unfailing kindness and consideration shown by G.S. Taylor (Hon. Secretary) and A.A. Round (Hon. Treasurer) being gratefully acknowledged. The 1977 excavations were mainly funded by the Manpower Services Commission, an effective workforce being recruited with the assistance of the Hereford and Worcester County Careers Service (especially the Kidderminster Careers Office).

Thanks are extended to the staff of the excavations which included: Jayne Woodhouse, Assistant Director in 1972-73; Gillian Varndell, Susan Harrison, Fiona I'Anson, Simon Hillson, Caroline Sturdy, Julian Pinfold and Steven Dockrill (supervisors); Carol Keepax, Susan Harrison, Alison Locker and Arabelle Bates (environmental assistants), and Arabelle Bates (finds assistant, 1977). Thanks are due also to the many volunteers, too numerous to mention individually, working for varying periods of time in 1972-73. In 1977 a locally recruited workforce coped with unfamiliar and sometimes uncongenial work on site, and we acknowledge their valuable contribution. During three seasons of excavation many other people made contributions of varying kinds, and in the initial post-excavation stage, including illustrators Kathy Laws, Cliff Denham, Lindsay Macdonald, and Julie Lovett. For the off-site conservation of finds, a debt of gratitude is also owed to Glynis Edwards and Jacqueline Watson of the DoE Ancient Monuments Laboratory. It is impossible to name everyone, but we hope that all who participated or assisted in any way will accept our thanks.

Ian Walker gave valuable practical assistance with equipment and earthmoving machinery; his unfailing interest in, and discussion of, the site were much appreciated. Similarly appreciated were the visits and critical interest of a number of archaeologists; most particularly the late Dr Graham Webster, the late Philip Barker and Brian Davison.

Acknowledgement is also due to the County Council of Hereford and Worcester who, throughout, provided equipment, assistance and administrative facilities. In particular the assistance of G.L. Shearer (then Keeper of the County Museum), C.J. Bond (County Archaeological Officer in 1972 and 1973 seasons), J.P. Roberts (County Archaeological Officer in 1977 season), A. Hammond (County Treasurer's Department), and W. Thomson and V. Jones (County Surveyors) is gratefully acknowledged.

2007-8 post-excavation

During the final publication effort many assisted including the following: Angie Bolton (Portable Antiquities Scheme), Victoria Bryant (WHEAS HER), Mike Glyde (rectification of air photograph; WHEAS), Maggi Noke (WHEAS), and Helen Rees (later Iron Age pottery). Carolyn Hunt (WHEAS) with her customary efficiency carried out the bulk of the illustration until prevented by a broken arm, when Laura Templeton (WHEAS) deftly stepped into the breach. Derek Hurst (WHEAS) managed the programme of final analysis and reporting, and especially thanks Alan Hunt and Peter Davenport for providing every possible assistance in carrying through this task to its ultimate conclusion.

Thanks are also very much owed to the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) as administered through English Heritage (especially Kath Buxton and Helen Keeley), which made possible the final analysis of the surviving archive and the production of the site report. Thanks are also extended to the anonymous referee appointed by English Heritage.

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