Site Event/Activity record ESF19455 - Excavation, Former Smyth Works, Peasenhall

As a result of a trial trench evaluation carried out earlier in 2004 a small open area excavation was carried out in advance of redevelopment. The area of excavation was c. 40m long by 20m wide and parallel to the street frontage in an area where the evaluation identified features interpreted as medieval boundary ditches. Although some truncation was evident the preservation of medieval deposits was unusually good given its central street-frontage location. Numerous high medieval (13th to 14th century) features were revealed, including boundary ditches, hearths, clay floors and a rubbish midden. Overall the site yielded very rare evidence of medieval domestic occupation in a village location. A small number of later features were recorded, indicating some continuity of occupation through the Late medieval/Transitional period into the post-medieval period right up to the establishment of the Smyth works.