Find Spot record BNH 069 - Proposed Borrow Pit, North Farm, Barnham, (Prehistoric).

2012: Evaluation, see main record, BNH 069.

Four pieces of flint were recovered. From the spoilheap for Trench 24 there is a blade-like flake, 41mm long by up to 19mm wide, in grey opaque flint, which has been struck from a small blade core. From the fill (4204) of a natural hollow [4203] in Trench 42 there is a small pointed bladelet (SF1), 27mm long by up to 9m wide, in light translucent grey flint, which has also come from a small core producing blades. From the topsoil in Trench 62 there is a small irregular flake, 22mm long by up to 16mm wide, in dark grey translucent flint. All three of these pieces exhibit random edge damage. From the fill (6907) of a hollow or very large tree throw [6903], there is a larger heavily patinated flint, 50mm long by 34mm wide, with extensive later edge damage.

Two of the recovered pieces come from small blade cores, suggesting a late Mesolithic or Early Neolithic date, (S1).

2012: Geological investigation, due to proximity to important Palaeolithic sites (BNH 002, 013).

A series of nine (9) test pits were excavated across the site of a proposed borrow pit at North Farm, Barnham, Suffolk to assess whether any of the geological deposits present within the application site contained or had the potential to contain Palaeolithic archaeological remains. Recorded sediments for the test pits comprise in situ and reworked glaciofluvial sand and gravel, Chalky Lowestoff Till, colluvial sediment and probable palaeosols. Sediments containing in situ and reworked archaeological materials similar to those recorded at the Lower Palaeolithic archaeological sites of East Farm, Barnham, and Brickyard Pit, Elveden, were not found within the area of the site. In addition, no artefacts were recovered from any of the test pits. These results indicate that deposits containing or having the potential to contain Palaeolithic artefacts and other materials are not present within the application area. Sand and gravel extraction will therefore have no impact on Palaeolithic heritage assets.

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2013 (S3)