Monument record STU 068 - Part of a circular wooden enclosure of possible 16th to 19th century date at Holbrook Bay, Stutton

The remains of a sub circular wooden enclosure of unknown date and function are visible as a structure on aerial photographs, centred on TM 16573407, 40m from the seabank, in the inter-tidal zone in Holbrook Bay, Stutton. The sub circular enclosure is defined by wooden posts which are protruding through the estuarine mud and is around 10m in diameter. The north-western side of the enclosure is not visible. It is possible that two linear rows of posts run through the circle but this may just be a coincidental arrangement of inter-tidal debris and therefore they have not been mapped. (S1-S4)

2006/2007: Site was visited as part of a targeted inter-tidal survey. The feature is part of a series of timber structures on the high tide line in Holbrook bay (See STU 038, STU 050, STU 079 and STU 080). These features were roughly circular or semi-circular in plan and constructed of round, upright timbers. The individual timbers had an average diameter of c.90mm and the structures measured between 5m and 11m in diameter, with an average gap between posts of c.800mm. Evidence of wattle or other kinds of walling were not found, nor was there evidence for charring, cut marks or other modifications of the roundwood timbers used. A sample was taken for radiocarbon dating. The results returned a date range of 16th to 19th century date. Radiocarbon dating carried out on STU 050 and STU 079 points to these features dating between the 16th and 19th centuries (S5).

Same as STU 050

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2007 (S6).