Monument record OUL 040 - Wattle-lined Middle Saxon Pits Suffolk Wildlife Trust Centre (HW) EVAL EXC

2019: Excavation was undertaken across an area of Middle Saxon water-logged deposits which were initially identified through evaluation trenching. This revealed four waterlogged wattle-lined pits of this date. Two of the pits were simple in structure being of uniform shape, either square or oval. The other two were interlinked tear-drop shaped features both wattle-lined. Nearby was a wood lined ‘well’ three sides of which were formed by an hollowed out oak. The fourth side was made up mainly of branch wood held in place by a number of stakes. Worked wood artefacts from the site included an almost complete hand shovel. Wood working technology exhibited both from the artefacts and wattlework is typical for the Anglo-Saxon period. Environmental data reflects the marginal location of the site with both wetland and dryland species of plants being represented. A few stratigraphically later ditches and pits were recorded; these are probably late medieval or post-medieval in date. One pig burial with pelt intact was also excavated, although the bone size indicates that this was a post-medieval animal. The site was located on the marginal land as the base of a slope. Natural was recorded at 1.20mOD long the upslope (southern) side of the site, while the revealed features were located on lower land where the underlying natural was recorded at 0.35mOD. Further analysis will interrogate the environmental data and the worked wood assemblage with one of the main objectives being to identify function of the revealed Saxon features (S2). Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2019 (S1).