Site Event/Activity record ESF21534 - Desk Based Assessment - Land at Old High Road, Yoxford

An archaeological desk-based assessment was conducted for Hopkins Homes Limited ahead of development of land off Old High Road, Yoxford in Suffolk. The site lies in an area which was previously part of the parkland of, Grove Park, a large hall. The park was in existence by 1783 as it is depicted on Hodskinsons map of the same year. It is likely that it came into existence at around the same time as the hall, which is supposed to be of 16th-century date, with a major rebuild in the 1770s by Eleazar Davy. The form of the park appears not to have changed greatly for centuries; in the 1970s the land was claimed for arable use, and subdivided at that point. Grove Park still has some parkland associated with it, although this is now confined to the north-eastern side of the hall. The area still contains mature trees which were clearly planted as part of the parkland, and they appear to respect a former footpath, which bisected the site, running diagonally from the south-east corner of the Hall, down to the south-east corner of the development area. This footpath is visible as a cropmark on modern aerial mapping of the site. Activity of prehistoric, Roman and Saxon date within the study area is scarce, although the village is in a prime location for settlement and occupation of many periods. Its location in the Yox valley, running down to the River Yox, to the north of the village would appear to be ideal for settlement, although there is little evidence at present for this. A Roman brooch was found in a field to the north of the site, and medieval and post-medieval metalwork was also found there. The proposed development site lies reasonably close to the church and the likely historic core of the village, and therefore it is possible that activity of medieval date may be recovered from the area. The most impact on the site has been made in the post-medieval period.