Monument record COG 029 - Roman, Saxon and Post Medieval features on Land adjacent to Carsons Drive, Great Cornard

2007: Ariel photographic assessment identified traces of ridge and furrow, a scatter of possible pits which may or may not be natural andrecent field boundaries and a possible spring. Photographs indicate geological disturbance in the form of patterned ground resulting from periglacial action which may mask the appearance of archaeological features (S2).

2009: Evaluation of 79 linear trenches were excavated across the development area. A small number of archaeological features were encountered including 4 pits, a large hollow possibly forming the remnant of a prehistoric pond barrow, post-medieval boundary features and debris associated with post-medieval tile production. Although there is some evidence to suggest that the highest areas of the undulating site had suffered erosion of the land surface due to ploughing, most of the site was under sufficient topsoil and or subsoil coverage to prevent significant medieval or later plough damage (S1).

2017: Excavation encountered considerable evidence of Romano-British activity, dating between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, most probably peripheral to a settlement of some kind. The suspected pond barrow in the northern site area was found to be a natural hollow, although formed a focus of Romano-British and subsequent activity. Layers within this hollow - including a possible plough soil - yielded material spanning the 1st to 8th centuries AD. Anglo-Saxon evidence was largely confined to this area of the site, although pits of possible Romano-British or Anglo-Saxon date were present a short distance to the south. One of these yielded a notable concentration of iron slag, furnace lining and charcoal. Other finds of note include a clay spindle whorl from a early Romano-British Ditch. The results of the excavation have also been subject to post-excavation assessment. In keeping with earlier findings from the site and surrounding area, the project principally encountered evidence of Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon activity. The Romano-British site was most probably peripheral to a settlement of some description, while Anglo-Saxon features included a pit containing a large assemblage of iron slag and furnace material associated with local industry at this time. Charcoal from this feature was dominated by ash with lesser quantities of oak and other species; a sample of roundwood charcoal returned a calibrated radiocarbon date of 406-544 calAD at 95.4% confidence (S3)

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2017(S4).