Monument record SBN 099 - OUTLINE RECORD: Early Holocene deposits at Scotland Hall Farm, Scotland Street, Stoke-By-Nayland

2014: Trial trench evaluation covering the area of a proposed pond adjacent to the River Box. Background research suggested potential for pre-historic and later activity associated with settlement and exploitation of the natural environment along the River Box valley. The results revealed a well preserved sequence of early Holocene deposits spanning the changing nature of the landscape and local environment during the transition from the middle Mesolithic to early Neolithic periods. These conclusions relied upon comparison models rather than the C14 dating results, which were anomalous and contrary to the a priori sequence of deposition. Similar problems have been encounter is other river flood plain sites I Suffolk (Howard, 2009). No archaeological features were encountered, however the environmental analysis offered a rare and valuable opportunity to examine the changes in vegetation and landscape in Suffolk during the early temperate phase of the Holocene in this part of Suffolk. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2014 (S1).

Full report to follow.