Monument record GFD 044 - Land North of Lion Road, Glemsford

2011: An archaeological evaluation revealed a Roman pit, a small undated gully, and a post medieval to modern pit. A significant quantity of unstratified Roman pottery was identified in most of the trenches and some Late Bronze Age to Early Iron age pottery was recovered from one trench (S1).

2013: An archaeological excavation revealed a structured settlement of the site during the Roman period with a layout of small spaces bounded by narrow ditches, with occasional post holes and an alignment of pits. A linear open space appears through the site that may indicate the line of a trackway. The large Roman finds assemblage included pottery, brooch and building materials. The building material yielded flue tiles and tufa stone, which almost certainly indicate the presence of a high status, villa-type building in the vicinity. The site also produced imported and regional fine wares which further support the sites high status. It appears that this site represents what may be a small part of a much larger settlement with a high status element at its heart. A cluster of small pits containing Early Iron Age pottery and residual and unstratified pottery of this date suggests some earlier occupation of the site. Several post medieval boundary ditches and a pair of tenter-frames used for stretching out of drying cloth were also identified. This is the first feature of its type excavated in Suffolk (S2).