Monument record CHT 022 - Multi-period activity at Chilton Woods, Chilton (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: Archaeological evaluation at Chilton Woods identified 5 areas of activity within the parish of Chilton.
Area 1: Iron Age activity was mostly located in and around Trenches 206 and 207. Trench 206 contained most of the Iron Age material dating from the Middle to Late Iron Age from two pits, four ditches and a single posthole. A single triangular loomweight (SF 1003) recovered from pit 0180 in Trench 206 may indicate domestic and craft activity nearby. Four undated postholes were present in Trench 207 which may relate to Iron Age activity as well. Early Roman features (1st to 2nd century) dominate the archaeology in this area. A series of large ditches running north to south forming two rectilinear abutting enclosures (with a series of smaller ditches running north-east to south-west) encompass two areas, each approximately 60m east to west by 75m north to south. A possible trackway was also identified measuring c.6.8m wide with a loosely metalled
surface and it was covered by a layer. The feature ran south-east to north-west but was difficult trace into surrounding trenches. It is most likely that this trackway was a small routeway within the enclosure area for animals and not a substantial road due to the feature not being seen in the surrounding trenches. The layer covering the metalled surface was the only evidence for later Roman activity (3rd to 4th century AD) in this area. It contained middle to late Roman pottery and may point to the track being of a later date or in use throughout the Roman period. The faunal remains from features dating to this period suggest small scale domestic and kitchen waste disposal on the site. The intensity of Roman features in this area with the associated abundance of finds suggests a small rural bounded farmstead with internal modifications and possible minor settlement in the early Roman period between the 1st century and 2nd century AD with background sparse Middle Iron Age activity. The 20th century parish boundary between Chilton and Acton was also present.
Area 2: The earliest evidence in this area was a tree throw containing Grooved Ware pottery and struck flint and can be tentatively dated to 3000-2000 BC falling within the late Neolithic period. The main feature of Area 2 is a large Late Iron Age enclosure ditch enclosing an area 180m north to south by 85m east to west. In addition, small internal features within this enclosure were recorded, consisting of small ditches, four pits and eight postholes.
Area 3: A large proportion of the activity within Area 3 related to the early medieval period (12th to 13th century). The features were mostly ditches seeming to enclose small areas possibly for keeping livestock. There was no evidence seen in Area 3 for medieval structures and it is likely that the ditches seen within this area form small rural enclosures for livestock due to low finds densities from most features.
Area 4: The main feature in Area 4 is a curvilinear gully which could represent part of a Middle Iron Age ring ditch. Its dimensions were 0.35m in width and 0.20m in depth. This feature along with a small lozenge-shaped pit contained the majority of the Middle Iron Age pottery found on the project. These features are most likely to represent either an isolated roundhouse or a small part of a domestic settlement area with associated domestic waste. One pit might represent a central hearth or fire pit within a structure relating to the curvilinear gully although insitu burning was not present. An un-urned cremation contained a small quantity of human bone. The burial was probably significantly truncated and the surviving remains are unlikely to represent the quantity and proportions of the bone originally deposited. The individual was possibly an older sub-adult or adult at the time of death, but biological sex could not be determined. The date of the cremation is uncertain but most likely prehistoric in date due to the location near to other prehistoric activity and un-urned scattered cremations being typical of this period.
Area 5: A small portion of the east of this area was within the Chilton parish, which contained undated pits and six possible postholes which contained LBA-EIA pottery. See ACT 033 SUY 138 LMD 233 for details of further areas of archaeological activity within the site. (3)