Monument record BRF 126 - Prehistoric, Medieval, and post Medieval activity at Bramford Playing Field, The Street, Bramford
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Summary
Location
Grid reference | Centred TM 6121 2471 (213m by 350m) |
---|---|
Map sheet | TM62SW |
Civil Parish | BRAMFORD, MID SUFFOLK, SUFFOLK |
Map
Type and Period (34)
- PIT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
- GULLY (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
- DITCH (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
- DITCH (IPS: Early Medieval to 12th century - 1001 AD to 1199 AD)
- FARMSTEAD? (IPS: Early Medieval to 12th century - 1001 AD to 1199 AD)
- POST HOLE (IPS: Early Medieval to 12th century - 1001 AD to 1199 AD)
- PIT (IPS: Early Medieval to 12th century - 1001 AD to 1199 AD)
- STRUCTURE? (IPS: Early Medieval to 12th century - 1001 AD to 1199 AD)
- BOUNDARY DITCH (12th century to 13th century - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
- DITCH (12th century to 13th century - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
- PIT (12th century to 13th century - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
- POST HOLE (12th century to 13th century - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
- SETTLEMENT? (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- PIT (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- POST HOLE (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- OVEN (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- ANIMAL BURIAL (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- DITCH (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- WELL (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- POST BUILT STRUCTURE (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- FENCE (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- DITCHED ENCLOSURE (12th century to 13th century - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
- DITCHED ENCLOSURE (14th century to 16th century - 1300 AD to 1599 AD)
- DITCH (14th century to 16th century - 1300 AD to 1599 AD)
- PIT (14th century to 16th century - 1300 AD to 1599 AD)
- POST HOLE (14th century to 16th century - 1300 AD to 1599 AD)
- MIDDEN (14th century to 16th century - 1300 AD to 1599 AD)
- DITCHED ENCLOSURE (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- DITCH (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- PIT (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- POST HOLE (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- POST BUILT STRUCTURE (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- DITCH (Unknown date)
- HOLLOW (Unknown date)
Full Description
2016 - 2017 and 2018: Oxford Archaeology East conducted an excavation within a field directly east of The Street – a main road leading into the historic village of Bramford, Suffolk. A further phase of work was undertaken in September 2018, when an area of 0.45ha was subject to a ‘strip map and record’
excavation.
Evidence of prehistoric land-use was provided by the discovery of a scatter of Bronze Age pits – including one containing a domestic Beaker assemblage and contemporary flintwork, along with part of a possible Bronze Age field system.
Following this, the next significant use of the site was during the early to high medieval periods, probably beginning not much earlier than the 12th century. This initially included features that were presumably related to a dispersed settlement or homestead located close to the north-western corner of the site. Subsequently, a large boundary ditch was established, within which was a smaller enclosure positioned closer to the road. These enclosures were superseded (probably in the 13th century) by at least three rectangular ‘plots’ laid out perpendicular to the road, bounded by a large enclosure ditch. Settlement-related features included ovens, various pits, a well and numerous postholes − the latter representing the poorly-defined remains of agricultural structures such as fences, pens and shelters. These plots probably formed the working yard/back plot areas and market gardens for peasant ‘toft’ dwellings, with the houses presumably located on the road frontage to the west. The regularity of the plots indicates a deliberate expansion of the village along the main road towards the north-west, probably driven initially by a population rise and possibly a change in land ownership.
This rural agricultural community appears to have practised a localised subsistence/mixed economy (with pigs seemingly bred on site), within the hinterland of the village. Towards the end of the medieval and into the late medieval period (c. 14th/15th-16th centuries), there was a decline in activity and a change in use of the site, with the earlier plot divisions becoming defunct and the accumulation of several midden deposits across parts of the site. The latter (which produced some of the largest finds assemblages from the site) indicate that the land was being utilised for the disposal of rubbish from the village and/or nearby properties. The eventual abandonment of the site, which reverted to open fields until its redevelopment, may have been due to a combination of factors including rural
depopulation, possible adverse climate effects and changing agricultural practices. (S1)
Note: Parish code BRM 126 issued in error to OAE, records and finds have been marked with BRM 126 but should be archived under BRF 126.
Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2017 (S2).
Sources/Archives (2)
Finds (46)
- FSF53676: COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53677: KEY (LOCKING) (15th century - 1400 AD to 1499 AD)
- FSF53678: BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53679: STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53681: STUD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53682: FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53683: JETTON (16th century to 17th century - 1500 AD to 1699 AD)
- FSF53684: CROTAL (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- FSF53685: COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- FSF53686: SPOON (18th century to 19th century - 1700 AD to 1899 AD)
- FSF53687: POT MEND (Unknown date)
- FSF53689: SPINDLE WHORL (Unknown date)
- FSF53690: FERRULE? (Unknown date)
- FSF53691: CRUCIBLE? (Unknown date)
- FSF53692: KEY (LOCKING) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53693: KNIFE (Medieval to IPS: Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF53694: NAIL (Medieval to IPS: Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF53695: SLAG (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- FSF53696: BLADE (Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1501 BC)
- FSF53697: SCRAPER (TOOL) (Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1501 BC)
- FSF53698: CORE (Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1501 BC)
- FSF53699: LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1501 BC)
- FSF53700: POTTERY BEAKER (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1501 BC)
- FSF53701: POTTERY THETFORD (Late Saxon - 850 AD to 1065 AD)
- FSF53702: POTTERY IPSWICH (Late Saxon - 850 AD to 1065 AD)
- FSF53703: POTTERY EARLY MEDIEVAL (IPS: Early Medieval - 1001 AD to 1150 AD)
- FSF53705: POTTERY HOLLESLEY (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
- FSF53707: POTTERY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53709: POTTERY (15th century to 16th century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
- FSF53711: POTTERY (16th century to 18th century - 1500 AD to 1799 AD)
- FSF53712: POTTERY (18th century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
- FSF53713: TOBACCO PIPE (18th century to 19th century - 1700 AD to 1899 AD)
- FSF53714: QUERN (Early Saxon to Medieval - 410 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53715: TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- FSF53716: ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53717: ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF53718: BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF53719: FLOOR TILE (18th century to 19th century - 1700 AD to 1899 AD)
- FSF53720: ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FSF53722: ANIMAL REMAINS (14th century to 16th century - 1300 AD to 1599 AD)
- FSF53723: ANIMAL REMAINS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FSF53724: OYSTER SHELL (Unknown date)
- FSF53725: HAZEL NUT (Later Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
- FSF53726: CEREAL GRAIN (Later Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
- FSF53727: CEREAL GRAIN (IPS: Early Medieval - 1001 AD to 1150 AD)
- FSF53729: CEREAL GRAIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
Record last edited
Jul 16 2024 1:59PM