Monument record RDL 002 - Phase A Land to the east of Kings Warren, Red Lodge

Evaluation of the southern part of the development area identified a few tentative prehistoric features and recovered mostly-residual worked flint attesting to land use activity of Mesolithic to Early Bronze Age date. The presence of the ring ditch was confirmed, although no diagnostic dating evidence was recovered from its lower fills though later Roman pottery dated its upper fills. Roman pits, ditches and some possible postholes were also found across the evaluated area and particularly in the vicinity of the ring-ditch (S1).

Following on from the Phase A evaluation a c.2ha excavation area was investigated within the south of the site. These investigations revealed a low incidence of isolated Early Neolithic pits and postholes, and residual artefacts in later features. The full extent of the 45m-diamter ring-ditch was exposed and Optically-Stimulated Luminescence dating of its lower fills established an Early Bronze Age date for its original construction. Although no evidence for an earthwork mound or bank, or associated burials was recorded, it is likely that this was the remains of barrow. Other than a few outlying pit, this probably finery monument stood in apparent isolation. A low density of Iron Age pits in the Phase B evaluation area attest to a continued low intensity land use, though the recovery of part of an Iron Age ceramic vessel from the ring-ditch attests to it surviving in the landscape as a remnant earthwork.

The majority of excavated remains were of Roman date. A rectilinear enclosure (previously detected by the geophysical survey) was imposed around the ring-ditch remains during the earlier Roman period. The prehistoric ring-ditch was recut and became infilled during the Late Roman period. A small rectangular structure, with painted plaster walls and tile roof, was built immediately to the east of the ring-ditch. Identified as a probable religious shrine, placed 'head and hoof' deposits of pig remains were found in association. Further structured animal bone deposits , pits containing probably votive deposition of artefacts, and layers containing shrine debris and votive material were present elsewhere within the enclosure. Less-obviously associated with their perceived religious function of this site were the further remains of a possible well, a tile-lined flue-like structure and an adult inhumation, the later seemingly opportunistically interred in the rectangular enclosure, close to its entrance. No use of the recut ring-ditch was discerned. The rural shrine site was abandoned by the end of the Roman period after which there was no evidence for land use prior to the modern period (S2).

A moderate assemblage of worked flints, mostly undiagnostic and with a broad date range, demonstrates activity in the vicinity of the site during the Mesolithic to Early Bronze Age periods. The prehistoric flints mostly occurred as residual finds in later deposits. A small amount of probable earlier Iron Age pottery, also residual, provides further evidence for prehistoric activity in the area. The evaluation revealed significant evidence for occupation in the Roman period. Roman pottery, ranging in date from the 1st- to 4th century AD, was recovered from fills of a ring ditch associated with a suspected Bronze Age barrow FRK 008. This suggests either that the monument was constructed in the Roman period or that a prehistoric barrow was re-used at that time. Roman features, notably pits and ditches and some possible postholes, were found throughout the site but were concentrated in central and eastern areas, suggesting a settlement in the vicinity of the ring ditch/barrow. Fragments of roof tile from several of these features suggest that there was one or more substantial buildings nearby, although no in situ building remains were found. A north-south ditch in the western part of the site produced 3rd-century Roman pottery and a coin of AD 275-285. This was probably part of an extensive, rectilinear ditch suggested by the geophysical survey, forming a large enclosure associated with the Roman settlement (S3).

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2016 (S4)

The area excavation revealed a low incidence of isolated Early Neolithic pits and postholes, and residual artefacts in later features. The full extent of the 45m-diameter ring-ditch was exposed and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating of its lower fills established an Early Bronze Age date for its original construction. Although no evidence for an earthwork mound or bank, or for associated burials, was recorded, it is likely that this ring-ditch was the remains of a barrow. Other than a few outlying pits, this probable funerary monument stood in apparent isolation. A low density of Iron Age pits in the Phase B evaluation area attest to a continued low intensity land use, though the recovery of part of an Iron Age ceramic vessel from the ring-ditch attests to it surviving in the landscape as a remnant earthwork that was perhaps utilised, or at least visited at this significantly later date. The majority of excavated remains were of Roman date and are considered to be those of a rural religious complex. A rectilinear temenos enclosure was constructed around the barrow ring-ditch remains during the earlier Roman period. The prehistoric ring-ditch was partially recut and a small rectangular structure, with painted plaster walls and tile roof, was built immediately to the east of it. Identified as a probable religious shrine, placed ‘head and hoof’ deposits of pig remains were found in close association. Further structured animal bone deposits, pits containing probable votive deposition of artefacts, and layers containing both shrine debris and votive material were present elsewhere within the enclosure. Less-obviously associated with the perceived religious function of this site were the further remains of a possible well, and a tile-lined flue-like structure. Despite conspicuous activity within the enclosure, no use of the recut ring-ditch interior / mound was discerned. The recut ring-ditch became infilled and the rural shrine site was abandoned by the end of the Roman period, after which there is no evidence for land use activity until the medieval period. Medieval activity was limited to a single inhumation burial inserted into the upper fills of the Roman enclosure ditch. It is posited that this relates to the recorded gallows on the site, though, as only a single inhumation was recovered, it cannot be confirmed as the grave of an execution victim (S5).