Site Event/Activity record ESF20803 - Desk-Based Assessment - Land adjacent to the Former Melton Church, Calder Road, Melton Park, Melton

In July 2010, Archaeological Solutions Limited (AS) carried out an archaeological desk-based impact assessment of land adjacent to the former Melton Park Church, Calder Road, Melton Park, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk (NGR TM 2822 5172). It is proposed to construct two new dwellings in the eastern part of the former church grounds. The assessment site is located on the western side of the River Deben in the dispersed illage of Melton. The village may have its origins in the Saxon period centred on an early church and river crossing, but this theory is tentative and supported by sparse Saxon finds. The history of the assessment site is dominated by the Melton House of Industry (the orkhouse) founded in 1765, which was bought in 1827 and converted into St. Audry's Hospital (Suffolk County Lunatic Asylum). The northern half of the assessment site, on which the footprint of the proposed development will impact, formerly contained a burial ground serving these institutions since at least the early 19th century and it continued in use until the early 20th century. A site inspection and GPR survey observed 28 extant gravestones in the vicinity, and ground disturbance that may be related to unmarked graves in the undeveloped ground close to the gravestones. A church was constructed in the outh-east corner of the assessment site between 1904 and 1924, and this building is to be retained. Project status: Complete Yes, Validated Yes Previous/Future Work: Previous No, Future Not known Associated Identifiers: Contracting Unit No. P3998 Project Type: Desk based assessment Development Type: Housing estate Methods and Techniques: Aerial Photography - interpretation, Documentary Search Reason for Investigation: Planning condition Current Land use: Other 4 - Churchyard Monument Type(s)/Period(s): NONE None Artefact Type(s)/Period(s): NONE None PROJECT LOCATION Area 10000.00 Square metres Grid Reference: TM28225172 Point Height 32.00 - 35.00 metres PROJECT CREATOR(S) Organisation: Archaeological Solutions Ltd Brief originator: SCC AS Conservation Team Design originator: Jon Murray Director/Manager: Jon Murray Supervisor: Archaeological Solutions DIGITAL ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County Archaeological Store Contents: none Media: Images raster / digital photography, Survey PAPER ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County Archaeological Store Contents: none Media: Map, Photograph, Plan, Report BIBLIOGRAPHY Publication Type: Grey literature (unpublished document/manuscript) Title: Land adjacent to the Former Melton Church, Calder Road, Melton Park, Melton, Woodbridge, suffolk. An Archaeological Desk Based Impact Assessment. Author(s)/Editor(s): Andrew Peachey Other Bibliographic Details: AS Report No. 3595 Date: 2010 Issuer/Publisher: Archaeological Solutions Ltd Place of Issue or Publication: Hertford Description: A4 rInbound Document