Monument record BRR 060 - Later prehistoric, medieval and post medieval activity at Land East of Barrow Hill, Barrow

Historic field boundaries, present on the 1st edition OS map, were identified through geophysical survey although some of the identified ditches may predate the 1880s (S1). An undated enclosure identified in the geophysics was shown to be medieval/late medieval in the later trial trenching which also revealed medieval ditches, pits, and post holes (S2).

A trial trench evaluation recorded medieval features, predominantly ditches, distributed in the southern area of the site. Pottery from the ditches spanned the medieval period and may indicate deposition into the 15th to 16th centuries, while several pits and postholes also contained daub and may indicate the location of former structures. Also recorded were animal bone, oyster shell, lava quern, and slag likely derived from iron smithing. A medieval roadside settlement has been identified at Barrow Green c.200m to the south, but on this evidence the settlement area may have been more extensive than previously thought (S5)

2018: Excavation of a 0.7ha area ahead of residential development found remains of 11th–14th-century settlement. A sequence of broadly rectilinear enclosures aligned along the route of Barrow Hill. As well as boundary ditches, a waterhole, pits and the foundations of at least three post-built timber structures were revealed. Four sub-periods in the development of the settlement could be identified. The quality of the pottery from the site and the scarcity of dress accessories or items of personal adornment suggested relatively low status, with the buildings perhaps being workshops or animal shelters on the periphery of the main village to the N of the site. Occupation ceased by the end of the 14th century and, by the late 16th century, the land was used for farming, having been divided into at least two ditch-defined fields. Roadside ditches bordering the lane leading S from the centre of Barrow (now Barrow Hill) extended along the W edge of the site. A 17th or early 18th-century iron padlock was recovered from one of these ditches. At least two ponds, one of which is shown on an early map of the site, were located by the side of the road to water livestock, draught animals and mounts.
Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2018. (S3)

2018 PXA: Later Neolithic and Late Bronze Age/Iron Age residual worked flint, indicative of occasional activity during these periods, was recovered from the ploughsoil and later features and a Middle Iron Age stone-packed hearth and a pit containing a small assemblage of pottery sherds suggest domestic occupation close to the site. Most of the archaeological remains investigated by the excavation were associated with rural settlement on the site between the late 11th and 14th century AD. The remains consisted of a sequence of rectilinear enclosures that were roughly aligned with the modern route of Barrow
Hill, boundary ditches, a waterhole, pits and at least three post-built timber structures. Four phases in the development of the settlement were identified, although the broad date range of most of the pottery recovered from the features did not permit close dating of the sequence of development. The quality of the pottery recovered from the site and the few items
associated with personal adornment indicates low-status, marginal occupation at the southern edge of the village, with the buildings possibly being used as workshops or animal sheds. The settlement contracted from around the end of the 14th century and there was no evidence for occupation on the site after this date. In the post-medieval period the land was used for
farming and by the end of the 16th century had been divided into at least two fields. Roadside ditches bordering the lane leading south from the centre of Barrow (now known as Barrow Hill) extended along the western edge of the site. An iron padlock dateable to the late 17th /early 18th century was recovered from one of these ditches. At least two ponds, one of which is shown on an early map of the site, were located by the side of the road to water livestock, draught animals and mounts. (S4)