Monument record HNY 032 - Cropmarks of droveways, field systems and enclosures at Cowfen Lane

Cropmarks of droveways, field systems and enclosures (S1).
Main E-W track / droveway leading to valley, with linking trackway to SE. Appears to be associated with field boundaries to the east. These partially overlain by darker field boundaries. Also a trapezoidal/sub-rectangular enclosure, circa 35 by 17m, with entrance to NW, possibly within a larger 60 by 35m sub-rectangular enclosure. A second fainter rectangular enclosure of 35m by 25m occurs further to the NW. Cropmarks appear to extend to field to SE.
Note further enclosures to the SW (see HNY 010).
Note finds of palstave (HNY 026), worked flints and Roman pottery from same area (see Portable Antiquities Scheme database entries).

2010: Partly investigated by Mel Birch and other members of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology & History. A series of trenches dug in a field (HNY 032) to test cropmarks seen on an aerial photograph showed the presence of enclosures, pits and trackways with late Iron Age and early Roman pottery and other artefacts. The cropmarks continued into the adjoining field (HNY 033) which showed a parallel row of post-holes and produced 3rd-century pottery and coins from fieldwalking (S2, S3).

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2010 (S2).

A series of trenches dug in a field to test cropmarks seen on an aerial photograph confirmed these were of enclosures ditches of a large and small enclosure and a large pit within the small enclosure. Both enclosures had rounded corners with the southern large one havening an entrance which was confirmed. This comprised compacted small stone on a hoggin bed. Within the large enclosure ditches of 1st century and Iron Age date as well as similar dated brooches were recovered. Two possible postholes were also identified two different ditch sections. Within the smaller encloser a large pit was exposed with a depth of 160 to 190cm. A scatter of timbers, still with bark covering the bottom. This pit was only partly excavated with its full diameter being uncertain. Pottery recovered showed a range of Iron Age, 1st Century Transitional and 1st Century Roman. A possible Early Iron Age brooch was also recovered. The excavations identified a possible date for the site was or pre and post Roman conquest, with possibly earlier origins (S3).