Monument record LCS 150 - Medieval Settlement at Sizewell, Leiston
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Summary
Location
Grid reference | Centred TM 647 262 (214m by 121m) |
---|---|
Map sheet | TM62NW |
Civil Parish | LEISTON, SUFFOLK COASTAL, SUFFOLK |
Map
Type and Period (10)
- PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- INDUSTRIAL BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- WELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- PALAEOCHANNEL (Later Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
- CISTERN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FLOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- OVEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- POST HOLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- WATERCRAFT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Full Description
2014: An open area excavation of 3,700sqm was completed at Sizewell, the once burgeoning medieval market town which has been reduced to a fishing hamlet by erosion and inundations by the sea. The archaeological features represented the pinnacle of the settlement's westerly expansion, which peaked at the turn of the 14th century, and attested to a period of 'industrial' activity centred on a freshwater marsh. The site produced evidence of workshop-type buildings, ovens, timber-lined wells and sunken water-tanks together with a large assemblage of finds. The cut-off in the archaeological record occurs during the first half of the 14th century; this is abrupt and coincides closely with what is historically the start of Sizewell's decline. The finds assemblages reflected beach hinterland location and included fishing equipment (hooks, weights, and possible net fragments) along with the bones of both freshwater and marine fish species. Of particular pertinence to this coastal milieu was the discovery of sections of planking from a small inshore boat; 6-9m long. The boat's timbers were sourced from Ireland and were from trees felled between AD1241 and AD1266. In addition to the archaeological evidence, there is an unusually complete set of medieval land records which date back to the period, and include the area, sampled by the excavations and which indicate that the land to the west of the town was divided into a high proportion of small copyholds. The site, together with the neighbouring excavations (LCS148), has provided a relatively large sample across several medieval plots (S1).
Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2008 (S2).
Sources/Archives (2)
Finds (44)
- FSF38577: STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38578: BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38579: STRAP END (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38580: STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38581: KEY (LOCKING) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38582: WHETSTONE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38583: BALANCE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38584: LINEN SMOOTHER (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38586: FERRULE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38587: KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38589: METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38591: FISH HOOK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38592: NAIL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38594: COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38596: BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF38599: BOWL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38601: ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38603: CERAMIC (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF38604: CERAMIC (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
- FSF38605: LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
- FSF38606: ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38607: CERAMIC (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38609: BOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF38610: ROOF TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- FSF47047: POTTERY THETFORD (Late Saxon - 850 AD to 1065 AD)
- FSF47048: POTTERY EARLY MEDIEVAL (IPS: Early Medieval to 13th century - 1001 AD to 1299 AD)
- FSF47049: POTTERY IPSWICH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF47050: POTTERY CONTINENTAL IMPORT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF47051: POTTERY HOLLESLEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF47052: JUG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF47053: POTTERY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF47054: FIRED CLAY (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
- FSF47055: FIRED CLAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF47056: CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF47057: BURNT FLINT (Unknown date)
- FSF47058: QUERN (Unknown date)
- FSF47059: CLENCH NAIL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF47060: PEG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF47061: THIMBLE (17th century to 18th century - 1600 AD to 1799 AD)
- FSF47062: BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF47063: KEYHOLE FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF47064: MOUNT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF47065: NEEDLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF47066: TEXTILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Record last edited
Aug 8 2024 12:54PM