Monument record FML 021 - The Mere

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Summary

`The Mere', W of Framlingham Castle (FML 001).

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 284 638 (391m by 581m) Centred on
Map sheet TM26SE
Civil Parish FRAMLINGHAM, SUFFOLK COASTAL, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

`The Mere', W of Framlingham Castle (FML 001). Probably deliberately created as joint quarry for material for castle earthwork defences and as fishpond and added security on western side of castle, in C12? (S1). Original extent of natural and artificial meres unknown.

Silt removal phases 1 & 11 monitored 1998/1999. Minimal damage to known archaeology, five timbers were retrieved from the silt, and lines of in situ posts/stumps were recorded (partially recorded previously by RCHME), as was a relatively large fragment of pierced wooden board. Core samples contradicted the traditional interpretation that the mere was a manually excavated medieval feature, indicating that it was natural feature dating to the Bronze Age or earlier. The medieval earthworks were the result of management of an existing natural resource (S2).
For similar artificial mere, see EYE 029.

January-February 2002: Geophysical, cartographic and earthworks survey (mainly of castle - FML 001) by English Heritage (S3).

2007: Three living oak trees at the Mere west of Framlingham Castle (FML 021) were cored in an attempt to estimate their ages. Although superficially similar in size, the three trees varied in estimated age from approximately 174 to 321 years old, showing the influence of competition between trees affecting overall growth rates. One tree may be sufficiently old that it could be considered to have been planted in the late 17th century or early 18th century as suggested in documentary evidence. (S4)

Sources/Archives (4)

  • <S1> (No record type): Scarfe N, The Suffolk Landscape, 1972, 152.
  • <S2> Unpublished document: Boulter, S.. 1999. Record of Archaeological Monitoring: Framlingham Mere, Phase 1 and 2 Silt removal.
  • <S3> Unpublished document: English Heritage. Brown M, EH Survey Report 24/2002, 2002, ill.
  • <S4> Unpublished document: Bridge, M.. 2008. Tree-Ring Analysis of Living Oaks: Framlingham Castle, Framlingham.

Finds (1)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (4)

Record last edited

Dec 13 2022 3:30PM

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