| Abstract: |
In December 2020 and January 2021, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation of land on the south side of Framlingham Road, Laxfield, Suffolk. A total of thirty-nine trenches were excavated across the development area. Heavy rain in the first week of January flooded twelve of these, so additional trenches of varying lengths were excavated adjacent to known archaeological features. Trench 2 intersected a deposit of fire cracked flint that was mixed within the plough soil. An undated trough and a large pit, interpreted as a well, that also contained quantities of fire cracked flint, were identified within the trench. These features are typically associated with Bronze Age burnt mounds. A probable Middle Bronze Age field system extends over the central, higher part of the site, in Trenches 11, 19 to 21, 23 to 28 and 32. Features and/or artefacts dated to the Middle Iron Age were identified within Trench 5 and 11 and Medieval finds or features were identified in Trenches 1, 5, 27 and 32. Two post medieval field boundaries were identified across five trenches (Trenches 9, 21, 22 and 14 and 30) and a modern ditch was identified within Trench 6. Thirty-four NNW-SSE orientated undated ditches, typically equally spaced apart and displaying similar profiles and fill types were identified in thirteen trenches to the south and east of the site and most likely relate to medieval or post-medieval drainage. (Trenches 13, 18, 19, 22, 26, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39). |
