Site Event/Activity record ESF21841 - Excavation, Land adjoining the Former Smoke House Inn, Beck Row

Archaeological excavation of 1.3ha of former farmland at Beck Row has identified extensive evidence of multi-period activity. The site is part of an area of known Iron Age and Roman enclosures and domestic and agricultural activity, which extends north into MNL 502 and west into MNL 618, where evaluation and recent excavation has identified particularly dense Roman occupation deposits. A low-level scatter of early prehistoric material was identified amidst elements of the surviving natural topography of dunes and hollows. The first real phase of occupation on the site appears to have been in the Early Iron Age with the main phase of activity being a continuous span of occupation throughout the Roman period, peaking in the 2nd-3rd centuries before declining in the3rd/4th centuries. This corresponds to the evidence seen previously in MNL 502 and there was a continuity of features and phasing across both sites. An initial area of activity, originating in the Late Iron Age/early Roman period, was subsequently defined by a substantial ditched boundary to the south, which appeared to continue in use through to the 3rd century. Three possible structures lay immediately to the north of this boundary. This boundary was superceded by a distinct phase of reorganisation to the layout of activity, being cut by an extension of the enclosure seen to surround the second granary/maltings structure at MNL 502. A substantial pit cluster lay partially across/adjacent to a possible entrance to this enclosure and may be contemporary. The identification of a southern boundary on the MNL 598 site suggests that it lies on the edge or periphery of a settlement or rural farmstead, which perhaps has its focus to the west. The finds assemblage indicates that the deposits are related to rural occupation and agricultural activity, although there was no indication of any buildings comparable to the granary buildings at MNL 502. Project status: Complete Yes, Validated Yes Previous/Future Work: Previous Yes, Future No Associated Identifiers: Sitecode MNL 598 HER event no. MNL 598 Sitecode MNL 608 Related HER No. MNL 618 Related HER No. MNL 502 HER event no. MNL 608 NMR No. 1532730 Project Type: Recording project Investigation Type: '''''Open-area excavation''''' Reason for Investigation: Direction from Local Planning Authority - PPG16 Current Land use: Vacant Land 2 - Vacant land not previously developed Monument Type(s)/Period(s): PIT Late Iron Age , DITCH Roman, DITCH Late Iron Age , POST-BUILT STRUCTURE Roman, PIT Roman Artefact Type(s)/Period(s): TOILET ARTICLE Roman, BOW BROOCH Roman, COIN Late Iron Age , COIN Roman, COIN Medieval , WORKED FLINT Late Prehistoric, ANIMAL BONE Late Prehistoric, ANIMAL BONE Roman, HUMAN REMAINS Early Bronze Age , QUERN Roman, TILE Roman, POTTERY Roman, POTTERY Early Iron Age, FINGER RING Roman PROJECT LOCATION Area 1.30 Hectares Grid Reference: TL68997799 Point Height 4.00 - 5.00 metres PROJECT CREATOR(S) Brief originator: Local Authority Archaeologist and/or Planning Authority/advisory body Design originator: Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Field Team Director/Manager: Jo Caruth Supervisor: John Craven DIGITAL ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County SMR Contents: 'Animal Bones', 'Ceramics', 'Environmental', 'Human Bones', 'Metal', 'Worked stone/lithics' Media: 'Database', 'GIS', 'Images raster / digital photography', 'Text' PAPER ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County SMR Contents: 'Animal Bones', 'Ceramics', 'Environmental', 'Human Bones', 'Metal', 'Worked stone/lithics' Media: 'Context sheet', 'Drawing', 'Map', 'Photograph', 'Plan', 'Section' PHYSICAL ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County SMR Contents: 'Animal Bones', 'Ceramics', 'Environmental', 'Human Bones', 'Metal', 'Worked stone/lithics' BIBLIOGRAPHY Publication Type: Grey literature (unpublished document/manuscript) Title: Land adjoining the Former Smoke House Inn, Beck Row, Mildenhall. MNL 598 and MNL 608. Author(s)/Editor(s): Craven, J. A. Other Bibliographic Details: SCCAS Report No. 2011/190 Date: 2012 Issuer/Publisher: SCCAS Place of Issue or Publication: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Description: SCCAS Excavation assessment report.