Monument record COK 122 - Medieval and post Medieval features at Land to the West of Plough and Fleece Inn, Great Green, Cockfield

2019: An archaeological evaluation revealed evidence of medieval and post medieval activity.
The predominant recorded features were ditches which were broadly co-axial of medieval and post medieval date. There was a concentration of medieval features in trench 5 at the southern end of the site comprising two ditches and a pit. The finds from these features likely reflect the dispersion of domestic debris in a peripheral area beyond the core of the village. The ditches appear to represent a system of small fields or enclosures, likely of agricultural function and located to the immediate north-west of the 'Great Green' at the corner of the village. Pits found in trench 4 possibly represent quarry pits. (S1)

An archaeological evaluation discovered several ditches. They were broadly co-axial but their dating evidence was varied. One ditch contained a 19th–20th century pottery sherd and a second ditch contained numerous sherds of late 16th–18th century pottery. The pottery included a range of locally produced coarse ware, as well as glazed and stamp-decorated jugs made at Hedingham, which are common in the region. Two medieval ditches and a pit were found in the southern part of the site. Associated with the medieval pottery were small quantities of daub, cattle bone and carbonised barley grains. The material likely reflects the dispersion of domestic debris in a peripheral area beyond the core of the village.

Excavation continued, following on from the excavation carried out in 2017 and following the results of the magnetometry survey. The area excavated was a trench 9x5m over what appeared to be ditch lines, some set quite close together running north to south, there being five all together. The pottery dated the ditches from the 7th to the 9th centuries, with a piece of Ipswich ware and c. forty pieces of Thetford ware. Other sherds dated to the 14th century making a total of 70 collected overall; this did include very abraded pieces of prehistoric pottery from the cleaning surface. The function of these small narrow ditches is yet to be ascertained.

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2019(S2)