Monument record CSM 027 - The Driftway (Rom)

Evaluation in 2006 revealed evidence for prehistoric, Roman and post-medieval use of the site. Roman activity was represented by a series of parallel ditches, perhaps indicating expansion or contraction of fields or other boundaries. Between the laying down of the prehistoric and Roman features a thick deposit of hillwash had accumulated within the south-western corner of the site, due to soil-creep possibly associated with deforestation or ploughing in the later prehistoric period (S1). Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2006 (S3).

2008: monitoring revealed up to eight separate ditches, all on a north-north-west to south-south-east alignment, were identified. One of the ditches contained Roman pottery and all are parallel to other ditches identified during the evaluation and dated to the Roman period. Considerable quantities of fired clay or burnt daub were recovered from one of the ditches and small amounts of fired clay were found in some of the other ditches and from a large pit of at least 1m depth, possibly indicating settlement or industrial activity in the vicinity (S2).