Monument record BRK 104 - Gallows Hill, Roman (Rom)

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Summary

Evaluation confirmed a Roman date for two parallel cropmarks, thought to be the flanking ditches of a trackway/road. Roman finds were confined to the area of the trackway.

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 1057 5358 (606m by 915m)
Map sheet TM15SW
Civil Parish BARKING, MID SUFFOLK, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

1990: DBA, fieldwalking, metal detecting and geophysical surveys - see (S3).
Rom or Early Saxon finger ring and Flavian coin metal detected in 1990 (S1).
Evaluation confirmed that the parallel cropmarks are of Roman date, and are likely to represent the flanking ditches of a road/trackway servicing the settlement of Combretuvium to the NE. Roman finds were largely confined to the ditches and area of the road/trackway (BRK 004) (S2)

2013: Excavation recorded Prehistoric to Post medieval features. A Roman trackway, flanked by diches, orientated northwest/southeast was a continuation of that found during the excavation of phase 2. The southern flanking ditch contained Roman pottery as well as saxon and medieval finds. A hoard of 36 copper alloy Follis coins dating from the reign of Diocletion (AD284-305) to Constantine 1, The Great (AD307-337) was recovered from a Ditch together with Roman pottery. From the upper fill Early Saxon and medieval pottery were recovered suggesting that the ditches remained open and the track continued in use for some time after the Roman period (S4).

2018: Archaeological investigations have been carried out on the site since 1990 when an initial phase of aerial photo assessment fieldwalking, metal-detecting and geophysical survey was undertaken. More recently the aerial photographic survey was updated and a full trial trench evaluation has been conducted . Excavation has revealed multi-period occupation of this small part of the Gipping valley. The data recovered during excavation provides the basis for a detailed study of the way that this riverine landscape was utilised over a prolonged period. The earliest evidence for human occupation of the area consisted of possible Mesolithic struck flint mainly present as residual or unstratified material. More significant evidence of human utilisation of this landscape occurred in the early Neolithic, in the form of a small group of cut features. A small number of late Neolithic and early Bronze Age features attest to continued occupation of this landscape, albeit on a possibly seasonal or episodic basis. Only a single feature of Iron Age date was identified during excavation. Evidence for Roman activity was limited to features which indicated that the site formed part of the undeveloped, possibly agricultural, hinterland of the Roman settlement of Combretovium. Evidence from Excavation Phases 1 and 2 appeared to consist of activity at the periphery of the Roman settlement. Extensive dispersed Anglo-Saxon activity was recorded with eight SFBs, complemented by a further 4 recorded during the previous excavation phases, several associated features and an unusual figure-of-eight ditch arrangement. Several undated posthole structures may be associated with this activity. Subsequently, there appeared to be a decline in activity at this location in the Saxo-Norman and medieval periods (S5).

See Preh, Sax, Med for further details.

Sources/Archives (8)

  • <S1> Unpublished document: Suffolk County Council Archaeologcial Service. Various. Hedges J W, Symonds J & Wait G A (Tempvs Reparatum) Consultancy Report, Aug 1990, ill.
  • <S2> Unpublished document: Boulter, S.. 2002. A Record of an Archaeological Evaluation of Land at Gallows Hill, Barking, Suffolk.
  • <S3> Unpublished document: Symonds, J.. 1990. An Archaeological Assessment of land at Gallows Hill South, Gipping Valley, Barking.
  • <S3> Unpublished document: Symonds, J.. 1989. Archaeological Consultancy Report- Part of Gripping Valley, Barking, Mid-Suffolk.
  • <S3> Unpublished document: Roseff, R.. 1992. Landscape History of Gallows Hill, Gipping Valley, Suffolk.
  • <S3> Unpublished document: Hedghes, J. W.. 1992. Proof of Evidence regarding the Archaeological Resource of Gallows Hill South, Gipping Valley, Suffolk.
  • <S4> Unpublished document: Adams, M. and Barlow, G.. 2013. An Archaeological Excavation Interim Report, Gallows Hill, Gipping Valley, Suffolk (Phase 3).
  • <S5> Unpublished document: Newton, A, S.. 2023. Post Excavation Assessment - Gallows Hill, Gipping Valley Suffolk.

Finds (4)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (5)

Record last edited

Sep 13 2023 2:33PM

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