Monument record SUP 048 - Medieval activity at Stowupland School, Church Road

2020: An archaeological evaluation revealed evidence of medieval activity represented by several ditches and a pit. The features were present only in trenches 5 and 6 in Area 3 of the evaluation. The features liekly date primarily to the 12th-14th centuries although one sherd of hand-made pottery of either late prehistoric or Saxon date was found in the lower fill of one ditch. The presence of fired clay fragments along with the pottery types and animal bone suggests occupation activities taking place in the immediate vicinity. There was no evidence for the existence of the moat described in SUP 002 suggested to be within the site, which might instead be located to the south of trench 4. The medieval features could relate to activity within the area confined by the possible moat or could be associated with medieval properties that fronted Thorney Green to the southwest or Church Road to the southeast. (S1)

2020: An archaeological excavation revealed medieval activity consisting of a single field system comprised of eight ditches and two gullies. The features observed formed part of a wider pattern of field boundaries on a broad northeast to southwest or northwest to southeast alignment. The field system appeared to be aligned with the medieval Thorney green edge to the southwest and an assumed medieval or earlier route to the southeast at Church Road. Pottery recovered from the features indicated a date of 12th to 14th century with single sherds of Prehistoric, Roman and Anglo-Saxon was recovered. The features located in the southwest corner of the site corner of the site contained deposits of charcoal -rich domestic waste and larger quantities of ceramic finds indicating localised deposits of likely hearth or midden material. No settlement evidence was identified with the domestic waste and finds assemblage indicated possible occupation in the near vicinity from road or green-side settlement. (S2). Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2020 (S3).

Archaeological evaluation was undertaken in advance of the proposed development of a sixth form centre. Six trenches were excavated in three separate areas. No archaeological features were revealed in two areas but ditches and a pit, all of a probable medieval date, were recorded in the third area. The nature of the finds and the feature fills suggest domestic occupation in the immediate vicinity. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2019 (S4)