English: Eighteen fragments of a Middle or Late Bronze Age copper alloy cauldron, consisting of at least two cast staples and one or two ring handles. Recovered in two groups (items 1 - 10 and 11 - 16) with NGRs recorded for each find spot, but association between NGR and individual objects not retained except for nos. 1, 15 and 16. All the fragments are highly corroded.

Handle 1: Three re-fitting fragments of cast copper alloy ring (two fragments from group 11 - 14, one fragment from group 2 - 10). The section varies from circular (9mm diameter) to oval (12 x 11 mm). Original external diameter 120 - 130mm. This handle is less corroded than the other fragments, with one break very recent, the other breaks not recent but not as corroded as the surface of the ring strongly suggesting they occurred post-deposition.

Handle 2: Four re-fitting fragments of cast copper alloy ring (two fragments from group 2 - 10 and two fragments from group 11 - 14). Circular to oval section varying from 10 - 13mm diameter. None of the breaks are recent but the differing levels of corrosion suggest they occurred post-deposition and at different times. Original diameter 120 - 130mm.

The two refitting sections together would form a complete ring of circa 120 - 130mm diameter. However, the broken ends do not appear to refit and ring 2 has a slightly thicker section. Therefore, until or unless additional fragments are discovered it seems more likely that two incomplete ring handles are represented.

Handle 3: Two re-fitting fragments from an incomplete copper alloy cauldron handle. The section varies from circular (9mm diameter) to oval (13.8 x 12.4mm). The larger handle fragment is 73.1mm long and terminates in an old break at either end. The smaller fragment re-fits to one end and is 17.4mm long, also terminating in a worn break. The break between the two re-fitting fragments appears to be more recent than the breaks at either end. Those at either end of the handle are considerably worn, suggesting that they occured post-deposition.

Staple 1: Four re-fitting fragments, consisting of item 1 and three fragments from group 2 - 10, together representing an almost complete staple. Two curved oval-sectioned bars (15 x 18mm) conjoined at both ends and forming a loop to hold a freely rotating ring handle. One terminal is extremely corroded and damaged with a right-angled indentation retaining a small patch of silver / grey patina where it would originally have joined the vessel wall / rim The other terminal is more complete and retains patches of a silver / grey coloured patina (probably from a high white-metal content) and is cast on to a fragment of s-curved sheet metal vessel wall or rim, on the other side of which is a hard, black, sooted deposit. External diameter of staple 65mm.Width (across both loops) 47mm. Surviving width of terminal 48mm.

Staple 2: Five non-joining fragments presumably representing a second staple; nos. 15 (curved bar), 16 (terminal) and two pieces of curved bar and one terminal fragment from group 2 -10.

The three fragments of curved, oval-sectioned bar (13 - 15mm) are highly corroded and the condition of the breaks make it impossible to refit them. Two of them retain a curved indentation from attachment to the vessel wall / rim at one end. Their size and shape is comparable with the more complete staple.

Item no. 16 is a corroded and broken fragment of staple terminal, with one right-angled face with rounded angle completely covered in silver / grey patination with a clear casting seam and traces of a black sooty deposit which would originally have been attached to the vessel wall / rim. Maximum surviving dimensions 46 x 24 x 20mm. A second, smaller fragment (surviving dimensions 30 x 20mm) with a convexly curved face with grey patination is probably part of a staple terminal.

Middle or Late Bronze Age.

Three additional fragments discovered 25/05/14.

17. Fragment, probably from the rim of a cauldron consisting of a rolled or folded internal sheet with an external sheet folded around the outside. Part of the space between the sheets and within the tube formed by the inner sheet is filled with a fairly hard, black deposit, possibly clay or a carbonised substance. The fold forms the rim of the vessel although this surviving fragment is straight, but none of the original edge of the sheets survive. The rolled internal sheet it presumably to strengthen the rim. The surface is mostly blackened and corroded with ancient irregular breaks. There are two small points of corrosion on one face which probably explain the 'rivet pins' described at the time of discovery, as there is no evidence for rivets. Surviving length 49mm. Surviving height 12.5mm. Maximum surviving thickness 6.5mm. 6.0g.

18 and 19. Two highly corroded fragments of refitting copper alloy ring handle forming a quarter of the original ring, with a sub-circular or oval section circa 14.5mm in diameter. The original external diameter (reconstructed) of the handle is circa 120mm. Weight 77g. The breaks are ancient but perhaps less corroded than the surface of the ring.

Fragments 18 and 19 appear to join each other (although the breaks are very corroded) but as they were examined separately it has not been possible to say if they join any of the fragments discovered previously.