Monument record LYM 034 - Layham Quarry

A watching brief was undertaken during topsoil and subsoil strip in advance of gravel extraction between 1996 and 2006, demonstrating that this landscape had been used from the Neolithic to the present day. The earliest feature identified was a single Beaker pit, with evidence for more intensive activity in the Later Bronze Age comprising a series of pits containing pottery and loomweights. A series of ditches were located in the northern part of the site, interpreted as a Romano-British field system, although no direct dating evidence was recovered. Finally a post-medieval field system was also established across the site, which was backfilled in the mid-late 20th century (S1).
A further watching brief in 2007 recorded further boundary ditches, relating to the infilled post-medieval field system (S2).

Desk based assessment was undertaken, collating HER data, historic maps and aerial photographs for the site and surrounding area for a proposed extensions to the south (S3).

Monitoring of topsoil stripping for part of the new extension revealed seven possible pit-like features, undated, and a linear feature containing pottery of probable Iron Age date. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 1999 (S4).