Monument record WPT 061 - Medieval features at Land on east side of Green Road, Woolpit (AS) EVL (AS) EXC

2019: The evaluation revealed medieval ditches and pits in the western part of the site, close to Green Road. The features contained medieval pottery, daub, animal bone, iron fragments and a fragment of a millstone. The finds appear to represent features and domestic debris within an area on the edge of the village core. A post-medieval ditch in the southern part of the site correlates with a field boundary depicted on historic Ordnance Survey maps dating from the late 19th to mid 20th centuries, but had been removed by the mid 1970s. (S1)

An archaeological excavation revealed that there was continual occupation on the site from at least the 11th or 12th century. Four distinct phases of activity have been identified predominantly dating to the medieval, post-medieval and early-modern periods. Two principal phases of activity were evident, between the 11th and 14th centuries (Phase 1) and the 16th and 18th centuries (Phase 3). The earliest phase of activity on the site encompassed a co-axial ditch system, numerous pits and a rectilinear post-built structure with associated gullies. The presence of archaeological remains dating to the 11th–14th century is not unexpected as numerous pottery and metalwork findspots have been recorded in close proximity to the site. It is not clear whether the structure had a domestic or agricultural function, however, given the number of Phase 1 field enclosures identified during the excavation, an agricultural function is probable. High medieval to late medieval (Phase 2) features were less common. A series of 14th–16th century pits were located in close proximity to each other to the north of the Phase 1 post-built structure. The function of the pits is unclear, although it is possible that the features functioned as refuse pits or related to small-scale agricultural process. Activity within the excavation area increased on the site between the 16th and 18th centuries (Phase 3), during a period of development within Woolpit as a whole. Numerous refuse and extraction pits were excavated during this period and the co-axial system of ditches established during Phase 1 was redeveloped and augmented. The consolidation or bedding layer of a possible postmill was also identified. A limited phase of post-medieval to modern (Phase 4) features was also revealed, with only four features being assigned to this period.
Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2019 (S2).