Monument record WGM 014 - Undated features, Former Ellough Airfield, Worlingham, Suffolk

An archaeological evaluation comprising a surface collection survey (fieldwalking) followed by the excavation of nineteen trial trenches was undertaken on land off Copland Way, Worlingham, Suffolk. The proposed development area lies adjacent to Ellough Airfield Industrial Estate on the outskirts of the town of Beccles. A limited number of undated archaeological features were identified. A small boundary ditch of probable medieval or earlier date and three small pits containing charcoal and burnt flint were recorded. The pits were possibly of prehistoric date. The proposed development area was intersected by two phases of substantial linear drains of 20th century date. Both of these phases were put in place in 1942-44 during the construction of Ellough Airfield. At least parts of the earlier phase of drains were still 'live' draining the extant northwest-to-southeast aligned concrete airfield runway (S1).
Following an archaeological evaluation by surface collection survey (fieldwalking) and trial trenching a further phase of archaeological mitigation and recording was undertaken on land off Copland Way (Ellough Airfield Industrial Estate), Worlingham, Suffolk. During the evaluation three small undated archaeological features and a boundary ditch of probable medieval date were found. The small pits all contained charcoal and burnt flint and were interpreted as possibly being of prehistoric date. This interpretation led to a radiocarbon 14 date being obtained from charcoal recovered from one of the pits. This indicted that the pits were of late Bronze Age date. Two further areas were stripped of topsoil and archaeologically investigated. A further three small pits with charcoal-rich fills were found (S2).