Monument record BNH 002 - Barnham Number 1 pit (BA)

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Summary

BA decorated sherd, and possibly further BA finds, recovered by Basil Brown during visit to working pit.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 885 799 (463m by 548m)
Map sheet TL87NE
Civil Parish BARNHAM, ST EDMUNDSBURY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

The site lies in the loop of the Little Ouse river on Barnham Heath. The pit was operated by Messrs Allen Newport Limited and Basil Brown first heard of finds from (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) in January 1946. He visited the pit whilst work was in process and all the Pal artefacts came from this pit at a depth of 16 to 20 feet when a chalk layer was uncovered and the excavator did not go any deeper. Most of the artefacts came from the S and SE faces of the pit while they were being excavated and watched by Brown but many others were retrieved from the conveyor belt by workmen, but as the faces were being continually destroyed grid reference locations cannot be given. The pit was closed in 1948 and re-opened in 1952-1953 and extended N to the river covering the area centred at TL 884 802 although there is no record of any Pal material coming from this new area. The enlarging of the pit in 1952 also covered the area at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s), Barnham BNH 018, where Basil Brown found IA and Rom hut sites and pottery from 1946-1948.
During the original excavations the small tumulus excavated by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) in 1913 (BNH 016) was pushed into the pit which must have extended at least to the edge of it and possibly beyond. The extent of the 1948 workings cannot be defined as Basil Brown's map and information held by SAU is not specific (S1).
A bucket urn sherd decorated with rows of finger-tip decoration was found in a patch of black earth by a labourer in 1948 at a place designated "Cooking Hole" though it is not clear exactly what this means, ie place name or description of find site as a type of hearth. This has been given an approximate grid reference in the pit area but possibly may have come from near the small tumulus at BNH 016 dug by v in 1913 where BA artefacts were also found (S2).
In his records Basil Brown sketches a piece of ? BA decorated pottery found December 1948 but gives no other details. Also sketched is a scraper found 2 feet below surface and described as "Black flint found in centre of BA hearth" (S4).
Also Neo & Pal.

Sources/Archives (5)

  • <S1> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Brown B, map 1, card index 26, 28; VIII, 122-128, 132; X, 109, 120-122, 125, 127, 128; LXVII, 84; LX.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Basil Brown archive: volume.
  • <S2> Index: Ipswich Museum. IPSMG card. IPSMG, card 1948-74, 1948.
  • <S3> (No record type): SAU, Martin E A, SMR card,.
  • <S4> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Brown B, VIII, 127, 128.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Apr 19 2023 10:56AM

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