Monument record LMD 192 - Long Melford Primary School

2011: An archaeological evaluation was carried out immediately to the west of the existing school buildings off Cordell Road in the centre of Long Melford. Two trenches were excavated, all of which revealed evidence of later Iron Age/early Roman occupation on the site in the form of ditches, pits, a structural feature and a buried mixed soil layer. Redeposited earlier Iron Age pottery and later prehistoric flint were also recovered as well as Roman pottery dating to the 2nd century or later. The levels of preservation varied, mainly due to modern truncation by a pond in Trench 1, although there were still substantial levels of surviving features and other deposits (S1).
2012: Excavation identified Small quantities of residual Mesolithic to Early Bronze Age flint were recovered from the site, with further redeposited Iron Age struck flint and pottery present within later feature fills. The main phase of occupation dates from the later Iron Age-Roman transition into the 2nd century AD. This consisted of a small number of pits, aligned ditches and postholes, which produced early Roman pottery, animal bone, CBM, metal working debris and a possibly associated crucible, burnt flint, lava quern, fired clay and iron nails. The more unusual features on site were a cremation burial and three grave cuts, containing the remains of four individuals, dating from the late 1st to late 2nd centuries. The cremation contained an adult with an urn and three vessels. The latest grave produced two samian dishes and a flagon and also contained a skull fragment of a child alongside the adult female buried therein. Another of the graves, for an adult man produced a single jar and the presence of nails formed clear evidence for a coffin. These two inhumations were also buried within rectangular cuts, far larger than required for a coffin. The final grave only contained the partial remains of an adult (S2, S3).

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2012 (S4).

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2011 (S5).