Monument record ARW 064 - Late Saxon and Medieval buildings and settlement evidence, Land North of The Street, Arwarton

A number of features of archaeological interest were recorded during the work. Towards the rear of the site there was a boundary ditch and re-cut dating to the early 1st century AD. The rest of the trench was taken up by two phases of a timber building dating to the 11th or 12th century, and associated rubbish or cess pits in use perhaps until the late medieval period. Finds from the prehistoric, Roman, medieval and post-medieval periods were collected during the evaluation (S1).

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2000 (S3).

Subsequent excavation identified ditches and a pit of Bronze Age or later Iron Age date. A line of post-holes crossed the site on an alignment at odds with every other phase. This was of uncertain date, producing finds of possible prehistoric or Early Anglo-Saxon to late Saxon date. Building activity at the front of the plot was begun probably in the Late Saxon period, represented by structural slots and post-lines. These too were poorly dated by finds, producing possible prehistoric and Early Anglo-Saxon pottery. More substantial buildings were constructed along the street front in the early medieval period, including a timber building containing a hearth. The rear of the site was divided by N-S aligned boundary ditches at this time. Later in the medieval period habitation at the street front probably continued, with some additions to the existing buildings. The rear of the site was further divided by the addition of E-W aligned boundary ditches. A well and an associated timber building were set back from the street. In the post-medieval period many of the property boundary ditches stayed in use, however the buildings within the excavation area appear to have gone out of use. A probable cess pit infilled at this time suggests that habitation was ongoing through the post-medieval period even if the buildings were located elsewhere (S2).

An evaluation and excavation in 2010 revealed three intercutting ditches and a pit of uncertain date, but possibly dating to the Bronze Age or, more likely, the later Iron Age. A line of post-holes of uncertain date (producing pottery of possible prehistoric or Saxon date) crossed the site on an alignment at odds with every other phase. Building activity, represented by structural slots and post-lines at the front of the plot, probably began in the Late Saxon period. Two small sherds of Middle Saxon Ipswich ware found within the site are interpreted as residual finds in a later feature. Their presence suggests that there was continual occupation within close proximity to the site, even if definite observable activity was not present within the site itself.
More substantial buildings were constructed along the street front in the early medieval period, including a timber building containing a hearth. The rear of the site was divided by N–S aligned boundary ditches at this time. Later in the medieval period habitation at the street front probably continued, with some additions to the existing buildings. The rear of the site was further divided by the addition of E–W aligned boundary ditches. A well and an associated timber building were set back from the street. In the post-medieval period many of the property boundary ditches stayed in use, however the buildings within the excavation area appear to have gone out of use. A probable cess pit infilled at this time suggests that habitation was ongoing through the post-medieval period even if the buildings were located elsewhere. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2011 (S4).