Site Event/Activity record ESF22778 - Evaluation, A probable prehistoric field system at Solar Farm, Thetford Road, Fakenham Magna

PROJECT DETAILS Evidence for activity relating to an agricultural landscape associated with residual worked flints and possibly contemporary Early Iron Age pottery (although this is uncertain) was found. In addition there were scatters of worked flints indicating that the area was (probably seasonally) utilised in the Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods. A small assemblage of mostly Earlier Neolithic flints including some burnt were residual within probable Early Iron Age features in two trenches in the south-west corner of Field 2. Elsewhere across the site was a sparse scatter of unstratified flints dating from the Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age periods. Ditches (some large) of probable Early Iron Age date and perhaps enclosing fields or paddocks, were found in the south-western corner of Field 2. These fields or paddocks were generally rectangular and estimated to have been up to 50m in length and between c.13m to 18m wide. No structures were found, although given the presence of a small assemblage of Early Iron Age pottery, domestic occupation is likely to have been located somewhere in the vicinity; probably beyond the confines of the development area to the south or west. A single abraded Roman pottery sherd may indicate manuring of the fields during the Roman period. Both Fields appear to have continued in use for agriculture until the present day. Project status: Complete Yes, Validated Yes Previous/Future Work: Previous No, Future No Associated Identifiers: Planning Application No. SE/12/1069/FUL NMR No. 1590988 Project Type: Field evaluation Development Type: Service infrastructure (e.g. sewage works, reservoir, pumping station, etc.) Methods and Techniques: ''''Sample Trenches'''' Position in the Planning Process: Not known / Not recorded Reason for Investigation: Direction from Local Planning Authority - PPS Monument Type(s)/Period(s): DITCHES Early Iron Age, DITCHES Post Medieval , GULLY Uncertain, PIT Early Iron Age, FIELD SYSTEM Early Iron Age Artefact Type(s)/Period(s): FLINT Late Prehistoric, POT Early Iron Age, BONE Late Prehistoric PROJECT LOCATION Area 22.00 Hectares Grid Reference: TL90007495 Point PROJECT CREATOR(S) Brief originator: Rachel Monk Design originator: Aileen Connor Director/Manager: Aileen Connor Supervisor: Robert Atkins DIGITAL ARCHIVE Recipient: OA East ID: FKM051 Contents: 'Environmental', 'Worked stone/lithics', 'Animal Bones', 'Ceramics' Media: 'Database', 'Images raster / digital photography', 'Images vector', 'Text' PAPER ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County Stores ID: FKM051 Contents: 'Ceramics', 'Environmental', 'Worked stone/lithics' Media: 'Context sheet', 'Correspondence', 'Photograph', 'Plan', 'Report', 'Section', 'Survey ' PHYSICAL ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County Stores ID: FKM051 Contents: 'Animal Bones', 'Ceramics', 'Environmental', 'Worked stone/lithics' BIBLIOGRAPHY Publication Type: Grey literature (unpublished document/manuscript) Title: A probable Prehistoric field system at Solar Farm, Thetford Road, Fakenham Magna, Suffolk Author(s)/Editor(s): Atkins, R. Other Bibliographic Details: OA East Report no. 1521 Date: 2013 Issuer/Publisher: OA East Place of Issue or Publication: Bar Hill Description: A4 Bound report URL: http://library.thehumanjourney.net/1272/