Monument record SEY 038 - Multi phased occupation, Site 16, Flixton Quarry

2017: A programme of monitoring and open area excavation was carried out. Neolithic and Bronze age activity was represented by a low density of features, primarily pits, as well as three cremation burials and two possible inhumation graves scattered across the investigated area. One of the possible inhumation graves contained the bottom half of a Beaker pot, however, the human remains have not survived. Two moderate concentrations of Iron Age features were recorded close to the site’s northern edge; these predominantly consisted of small pits with no discernible buildings present. The presence of metalworking waste concentrated in a cluster of pit-like features associated with Iron Age pottery suggested that there was metalworking in the vicinity at that time. The archaeology of the site this year has been dominated by a series of successive medieval ditched enclosures associated with up to eleven substantial posthole buildings and a metalled trackway. Two of the larger buildings had postholes up to one metre square and similarly deep, which appeared to represent aisled barns (Fig. 12). There was only limited evidence for an external wall, although in the largest building which measured 6m wide and 20m long, part of the base of a possible clay wall survived. The associated artefactual evidence included pottery, which suggested that the buildings were predominantly used in the 12th to 14th centuries, while the presence of a significant amount of lava quern may hint at their function. While relatively high status is inferred by the size of the structures, the associated finds do not reflect this. One interpretation is that the site represents a working agricultural unit forming part of a wider managed estate. Post-medieval features included ditched field boundaries and regular-shaped pits containing articulated animal skeletons. A second inhumation burial is, as yet, undated. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2017 (S4). Full report to follow.

2018: Report to follow. Summary below.
Archaeological excavations at Flixton Park quarry continued throughout 2018. Chronologically, the earliest activity was represented by a low density of Neolithic and Bronze Age pits, generally scattered but with occasional discrete clusters. A concentration of Iron Age pits in the NE of the site adjacent to a large deposit of heat-altered flints was close to a concentration of Iron Age activity excavated in 2017. Three undated, but most likely prehistoric, cremation burials were excavated including one located central to four post-holes, which suggested some kind of grave marker or possibly a mausoleum-like structure. Ten inhumation burials were also recorded. Generally, these were arranged in pairs, aligned NE to SW and probably represented pre-Christian, most likely Roman, burials. The graves did not contain any artefacts and very little bone survived in the acidic soil, although staining interpreted as possible planks or a coffin was identified in one of the graves. The S extent of medieval activity on the site was identified, with the metalled surface excavated in 2017 shown to predate the ditches enclosing the buildings. Post-medieval features included ditched field boundaries and regular-shaped pits which contained articulated animal skeletons.

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2018. (S1)

Archaeological trail trench evaluation revealed multi phase occupation and activity from the Early Bronze Age to Post medieval period. The Earliest period was represented by an Early Neolithic pit, with further evidence from residual finds dating from the Early Neolithic, Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. The second phase of activity was represented by three pits of Iron Age date, with further prehistoric features consisting of three pits, a ditch and a hearth but containing little datable material.

The next period dated to the Roman period was located towards the southern end of the site and represented by two ditches, two pits and unstratified finds including pottery, and metal small finds of a coin and brooch.

The next phase of the site was dated to the medieval period and represented by multiple ditches, pits and post holes along side pottery, animal bones. These were predominantly located towards the northern end of the site. The Post Medieval features comprised of a single ditch and artefactual evidence in pottery and small metal finds of a buckle and two coins of Charles I (S2).

This year marked the end of this phase of excavation at Flixton Quarry. The most significant work was focused on the very southern end of the site where an in situ deposit of over 300 pieces of worked flint was uncovered, including long blades which have been dated by their technology to the Upper Palaeolithic (or possibly the early Mesolithic). This unusual discovery necessitated the hand-excavation and sieving of an 800sq m area, which identified a sequence of deposits within a naturally formed hollow at the base of a small slope. The in situ flint deposit was recovered from a fine, white windblown sand at the base of this sequence. A fairly large assemblage of similarly dated worked flint, including a number of smaller blades and microliths, was recovered from a dark and artefact rich buried soil layer higher in the stratigraphic sequence. This also produced a large assemblage of both Neolithic and Bronze Age pottery, as well as a large number of later prehistoric flint tools, including various types of arrowhead and numerous scrapers of different sizes.

To the south of this hollow a cluster of late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age pits, some up to a metre in diameter, were excavated. This included a group of seven associated pits, some with selected artefact types deliberately deposited within them during backfilling; one with just worked flint, one with just heat-altered flint and one with sherds of decorated pottery; others produced either no finds or a mixture of pottery and flint. Similar pit groups have been recorded during previous archaeological investigations within the quarry; it was suggested that these pits may represent the formal closing of the use of a building or perhaps a season of activity. Funerary activity accompanied the pits, with eight closely grouped cremation burials. Although un-urned and undated, these are likely to be prehistoric but will require independent dating. Two possible inhumation graves were excavated nearby, one of which contained a chipped and possibly heat-altered polished flint axe, however no human remains were recovered. Survival of human remains is poor in these gravels; for example, from another grave further to the north only two small fragments of bone and teeth were recovered. This is more likely to be Roman in date and associated with the group of graves excavated in 2018 (see Archaeology in Suffolk 2018).

Two substantial Roman features were seen, including a square enclosure 10m across, formed by a continuous metre-wide ditch, aligned with the cardinal compass points and with a 1.5m wide entrance centrally on its western length. The function of the enclosure is unclear; a pit excavated in the centre did not produce any finds and did not resemble a grave. A Roman pottery kiln was also discovered (Fig. 14). This was c.1m deep and 1m in diameter, with two large kidney shaped pedestals and a well fired archway intact. There was surprisingly little pottery or kiln furniture recovered and the kiln itself was well used yet in good condition, with no evidence of having been abandoned or fallen into disrepair; it seemed to have been deliberately closed down. A metalled trackway was revealed and appears to be earlier than the medieval enclosure ditches discovered to the north in 2018. The trackway petered out approximately 5m from the Roman kiln, possibly suggesting an association between the two. A post-medieval ditch, shown on 19th century tithe maps was also recorded.

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2019 (S3)