Monument record BSM 064 - Medieval wall footings, floors and strucutral remains at Smallbridge Hall, Bures St Mary

Monitoring works at Smallbridge Hall, Suffolk (BSM 003) were carried out during replacement of drainage and electricity cables mainly to the north and east of the mid 16th century hall. The earliest remains recorded were the flint and peg tile footings, clay floors, and beam slot of a structure to the north of the current hall. These dated to the 14th century and were likely elements of a hall ‘complex’, although the exact nature of the buildings could not be determined from the sections exposed. Later floors, layers and part of a brick structure suggested the structure was occupied into the late medieval and Tudor period, but whether the 16-15 century hall replaced the structure could not be reliably determined. Demolition material from a brick structure overlying the building likely dated to the 16th to 18th centuries. The footings of another structure to the east were constructed of brick and peg tile and probably predated the current hall. The west wing of the hall was shown to have originally projected further to the north, abutting an earlier brick structure extending to the west, which likely represented the remains of an earlier Tudor or Late Medieval west range. Structures recorded to the north of here, south of the northern moat causeway were consistent with a Late Medieval or Tudor date and flanked many deeply stratified courtyard surfaces and build up layers to the west. The abutment and demolished arch of a brick bridge in line with the north side of the moat were preserved beneath the ramp of the causeway. This was probably filled in after the demolition of the bridge earlier in the modern period and must have been of a similar date. These were very likely part of a gatehouse, the gateposts of which are seemingly preserved (S1).