Monument record BTM 038 - 21, Mildenhall Road, Barton Mills (SCCAS) MON

Summary of investigations

• A hand-dug hole, c. 30cm square was excavated into the front of the site, east of the original driveway at the junction between the grass and the new building. This showed >55cm of a mid brown silty loam with frequent, evenly distributed chalk flecks (up to 3mm) which was not bottomed. There was no indication of modern or archaeological intrusion.
• A second hole was dug at the back of the plot into the truncated area. This showed a continuation of the fairly homogeneous mid brown silt seen in the section at the back of the site. A single small piece of 1st-2nd century Roman pottery was recovered. This was c.25cm deep and failed to locate any natural.
• At the machined level in the southeast corner of the plot some dark brown-black silt patches were investigated, but these proved to be laminations in the soil, possibly the result of the recent work, but equally possibly an indication of earlier soil redeposition.
• No finds were made from the spoil heaps.

This suggests a significant depth of overlying brown silt-loam over much of the site and there was no indication that archaeological features have been disturbed. The landowner reported that peat could be found underlying the brown soil and overlying chalk over the lower flat part of the site (depths not established). This is probably true, given the topographical appearance of the site which looks as if it lies in the flood plain of the River. The west side of the site is probably in tact and the gently sloping profile looks natural. In the southeast truncated corner the soil removed all appears to be redeposited and natural was not seen.

The landowner reported a filled in pond at the road edge and this may be where the cremations came from, however it is not known which deposit they were recovered from.