Monument record ADB 261 - OUTLINE RECORD: Grainstore Field, west of Chapel Field (ADLHS) FW

The Aldeburgh and District Local History Society (ADLHS) have previously conducted fieldwork at Chapel Barn Farm, Aldeburgh, in Chapel Field (ADB 223), which contains the marginal remains of St Mary, Hazlewood, one of two Aldeburgh churches listed in the Domesday Book (see PSIAH 2016, 2017 & 2019). In February 2019, archaeological fieldwalking and metal detecting were carried out on Grainstore Field, 5ha of arable land on the western edge of Chapel Field. The Field produced little of archaeological interest when compared to results from the adjacent Chapel Field. Of 68 small pottery sherds collected, 46 (68%) were post-medieval, and widely spread – possibly from muckspreading. The number of worked flints was similarly small, indicative of very low prehistoric activity. Metal detecting yielded a total of twenty small finds, of which most were of the modern era. However, of greater interest were a Nuremberg rose and orb jetton and a half-groat of James I. Our interim conclusion is that Grainstore field is not worth further archaeological work. It is hoped that further work will be carried out on Chapel Field in 2020 (S1).