Monument record SUY 138 - A possible Early to Late Bronze Age rural settlement and Middle Iron Age enclosures at Chilton Woods, Sudbury (SCCAS) EVAL

Geophysical survey identified anomalies indicative of archaeological activity across three locations in the central and eastern parts of the site. These locations correlated with clusters of prehistoric and Roman pottery recovering during fieldwalking undertaken in 1996 and 2004. The form and density of anomalies at two of the locations possibly suggest settlement activity. Linear areas of strong magnetic disturbances located the position of parts of the runway, munitions dump and other infrastructure forming part of the USAAF Sudbury. Other anomalies were caused by agricultural practice and field boundaries (S1).

2014: An evaluation by trial trenching was carried out at Chilton Woods. The evaluation covered c.121.8 hectares, consisting of 356 trenches targeting anomalies detected by the geophysical survey conducted by WYAS as well as sampling apparent blank areas. The works crossed four parish boundaries revealing areas of Late Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and medieval archaeology as well as showing disturbance and levelling from the USAAF base which was located towards the east of the site. There were a total of eight main areas of archaeological interest identified with a few additional isolated features. These consisted of five areas of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age archaeology located mostly in the western part of the site, a Late Iron Age enclosure and associated pits in the eastern part of the site, a Roman enclosure and possible settlement area within the central area of the site, along with medieval enclosures located in the central areas of the site crossing Acton Lane. The evaluation produced moderate quantities of finds from most periods with three partial vessels found (Roman, Iron Age and Bronze Age), two possible loom or thatch weights dating to the Iron Age, copper alloy objects (a Roman coin, a possible ceremonial rattle and a nail gouge) and prehistoric flint tools. A single human cremation was also found, most likely to be prehistoric in date.
Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2014 (S2).

2014: The evaluation identified two areas of archaeological activity within the site in the parish of Sudbury.
Area 6: This area had the highest concentration of pits and postholes on the project dating from the Early Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age with some possible Iron Age ditches. A total of four large (1m diameter minimum) storage pits with near vertical sides and flat bases were found in this area in three trenches and dated broadly to the Bronze Age period. It is likely that the features seen in this area dating to this period form an unenclosed small rural settlement area with pits for storage and possible small posthole structures. A series of four small ditches were seen on the site broadly dating to the Iron Age. Two were aligned north-west to south-east, one north-east to south-west and one north to south. These features were difficult to date due to the undiagnostic pottery found within them. The fills also seem to contain a larger proportion of Bronze Age pottery most likely to be residual from the activity of this period in the area. A large tree bowl seems to have been used as a rubbish pit and was the only feature in this area which dated to the Late Iron Age to early Roman periods. An early medieval ditch was also identified.
Area 7: Most if not all features in this area can be confidently be placed within the Middle Iron Age period. Six ditches were seen within the evaluation trenches along with sparse pits and postholes. The features in this area suggest a possible series of small enclosure ditches and occasional pits. The evidence for settlement in this area in unclear but it is unlikely that the finds and features within this area point to settlement activity. See ACT 033 CHT 022 LMD 233 for details of further areas of archaeological activity within the site. (S3)