Monument record HAD 160 - Bronze Age ring ditches, a square Iron Age enclosure, and an extensive Roman enclosure, Land at Aldham Mill Hill, Hadleigh

1998: Aerial Photographic Assessment identified and mapped ring ditches probably marking bronze age burials, a small square enclosure possibly indicating the site of an iron age enclosure, and two large conjoined rectilinear enclosures likely of Roman date, possibly related to a villa. (S4)

February 2018: Geophysical survey identified, as expected, two clear and large Bronze Age funerary monuments with multiple encircling ditches and internal features in the southern part of the site. A third Bronze Age funerary monument, also expected from cropmark evidence, was less obvious and a smaller cropmark, to the north has not been detected. North of these funerary monuments is a large Roman era enclosure has been found and is likely to have included a contemporary farming settlement, although this has neot been seen the the survey results. There is possible, though ambiguous, evidence for Iron Age or later funerary activity, including a small square enclosure. A number of linear ditch fills and a possible track or similar structure might indicate the former presence of former field systems lost prior to the 1880s Ordmace Survey mapping (S1)

Archaeological evaluation identified a single small pit towards the north-east of the site, tentatively identified as of Mesolithic or Neolithic date. The presence of three of the known Scheduled ring-ditches was confirmed, with the fourth proving to be a linear ditch of unknown date. The nature of their form was clarified, with one being demonstrated to comprise a double ring. Whilst only one ring-ditch contained pottery of broadly Late Bronze Age to Early/Middle Iron Age date, the three ring-ditches are considered to be broadly Bronze Age in date, probably being associated with further barrow remains previously excavated to the south-east of the site.

To the north-west, the small square-shaped enclosure anomaly was located and determined to be of Early Iron Age date. It is tentatively interpreted as a possible funerary monuments.
The presence of the extensive Roman enclosure across the north of the site was confirmed, along with an apparent trackway running up, and into its southern entrance. Pits and ditches probably relating to the occupation or use of the enclosure were recorded in its interior. A further extensive ditch running across the enclosure suggests that this Roman period land use activity is multi-phased; the recorded remains appear to be of later Roman date.

Evidence of post-Roman land use activity was sparse and limited to a single post-medieval ditch (S2).

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2018. (S3)