Monument record HCH 001 - Fiveways; Bridge Farm (Rom)

Large settlement: buildings, pottery kilns etc.
Initially finds and features identified in pipe trench (1964) and subsequent trial holes excavated by M J Campen (S6). Finds and features from small excavations 1960s-1972 & geophysical survey 1972 (S2), large area excavation 1973- 1974 (area destroyed by bypass). Finds C1-C4. Coins, brooches etc, figurines, pottery including fine wares. Pottery kilns, ironworking, possible pewter manufacture, buildings (mostly insubstantial), road etc. Details in (S7).
Excavation: Romano-British industrial site of low order covering an areaof about 90 acres centred at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s)(the approximate area of the site has been delineated on the OS 6 inch sheet). Iron Age finds were thought to be residual. The area centred (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) is under plough and there are no surface traces. Donkey Field is centred (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s): A Romano-British well was found by T Blagg in Field 3 and partly excavated during 1973 and 1974. The shallow well was lined with oak boards and contained C1 pottery sherds, leather offcuts, a metal bucket handle, wood shavings and various organic matter. It had been relined more than once. Recovered material will be deposited at Ipswich or York Museum. (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s):
1976: a silver coin and silver minim of the Iceni, Rom metalwork and circa 300 Rom coins were found in redeposited topsoil removed from the surface of a field at Hacheston for construction of the Wickham Market bpass. Now in Ipswich Museum, Acc No 1976-94.
Two further small Rom bronzes, dating to c.325 and 355 were found in a topsoil dump at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) adjacent to roundabout at Hacheston Bridge, found by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s), who retains possession.
Metal detecting (2000) in 'Field 4' produced many Roman coins, beads, cosmetic mortar, brooches, bracelet. Details in (S3). 'Field 5' also produced coins & brooches, details in (S4).
2 March 2003: (East Coast Searchers) rally - various Rom finds including Polden Hill related type brooch, Colchester type and Colchester derivative brooches, bronze sprue fragment, bronze bell, 19 bronze and 1 silver C3/C4 coins. Details in (S5).
Aug-Sept 2005: Metal detecting rally on site. List of finds in backlog.
Also IA, Sax, Med.

1994-Archaeological desk based assessment was undertaken for the A12 Wickham Market to Saxmundham improvement. The assessment highlighted the large and import Roman site around the Fiveways junction at the southern end of the proposed road improvement, Aswell as five small prehistoric sites, four small medieval sites and four cropmark sites of unknown date close or on the proposed route. In addition the major historic park at Little Glenham and Benhall Lodge Park are noted as landscapes of regional and local importance (S8).