Monument record GED 037 - Post Medieval oyster beds.

Two oyster beds of Post-Medieval date are visible on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards as earthworks in the saltmarsh of Butley River, located below The Cliff in Gedgrave parish, centred on circa TM39714866 (S1). The larger of the two pits is circa 9 x 5m in size, and is marked as an oyster pit on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of circa 1904 (S2). The second, smaller pit measures about 7 x 3m and appears to be roughly in the same location as structure marked on the first and second edition Ordnance Survey maps of circa 1884 and circa 1904 and may have been a covered oyster processing site (S3). It seems likely that the larger pit and structure were associated, and that the larger oyster pit at least was constructed in the Post-Medieval period. Both pits are visible on aerial photographs up to 1955 when they appear to be somewhat silted up (S4). A single oyster pit is visible here on 1965 photography and is still marked on the current base map in this location, but it appears to be a recut feature (S5). It is possible that these pits are associated with similar pits visible on the opposite bank of the Butley River in Boyton parish (see BUT 039).