Monument record SNH 005 - A probable Later Prehistoric or Roman rectilinear field system and associated trackways in Stratton Hall and Levington parishes.

Field system, with probable trackways and rectilinear field boundaries related to extension of linear features on N side, with adjacent ring ditch SNH 006 to NE of possible second ring ditch. Area extended S, with more fields and trackway visible on Aps, March 1993 (S1-S5).
Irregular but roughly parallel lines & pit alignments, which appear to delimit sustantial spots; cropmark disappears both E and W into crops which do not show marks (S28). Extends into next field E on (S14) into SNH 005 and Trimley St Martin 029. Roughly corresponds to line of parish boundary in part. (S1-S5). (NB THIS TEXT WAS ORIGINALLY RECORDED ON SNH 004 (SF3440), THESE RECORDS HAVE BEEN MERGED).
A probable Later Prehistoric or Roman rectilinear ditched field system and associated trackways as described above are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs in Stratton Hall and Levington parishes, centred on TM 250388. The field system covers an area of roughly 1.3 sq km and mainly consists of rectilinear ditched enclosures which are related to two main trackways, one running north-south and one running southeast-northwest. The field system appears to be defined by long boundaries and numerous less substantial trackways running roughly north to south and short boundaries running east-west, forming rectlinear enclosure of varying size. Within the field system groups of smaller rectilinear ditched enclosures are visible, including those at TM 24163949, TM 24923879 and TM 25193886 which may indicate that a variety of activities were occurring within the field system. A possible settlement site is visible as a small square enclosure (SNH 003) at the junction of the two major trackways at TM 25183918. The south-east north-west trackway consists of numerous linear ditches and two possible pit alignments which may represent many phases of reuse and recutting. Towards its north-western end the trackway becomes a single ditched linear feature that has clearly been reused as a Post Medieval field boundary (see SNH 001) (S6). The irregular nature of the boundary suggests that it was laid out in the Later Prehistoric period and the fact that a section of the parish boundary (S7) is also aligned on the trackway testifies to the importance of this boundary over many years. Also towards the north-western end of the mapped extent of the trackway two small ring ditches, both roughly 9m in diameter, are visible at TM 24363990 and TM 24473979. It is not clear how these features relate to the field system but their size suggests that they may be house sites of Later Prehistoric or Roman date. The probable Bronze Age round barrow (TYN009) and its associated enclosure have also been attributed to this phase of activity, in an aerial photographic assessment by Air Photo Services, where it is suggested that "it is probable that these features indicate the site of Romano-British religious site" (S8) but on the evidence available for this project that conclusion seems unlikely (S9). (S1-S27)
This record covers features previously recorded in SNH004, SNH001and TYN055.
Metal detecting in 1996 revealed a bronze key handle terminal, probably Roman, as well as a bronze coin and lead bust. These all came from general area of SNH 005, the latter two located near SNH 003 also. (S29)
The field system has been extended slightly by the plotting of ditched linear features, probably field boundaries, continuing to the north of those features described above. They appear to be associated with a circa 400 metre length of ditched trackway or boundary centred on circa TM25204019. This feature appears to have been recut on a number of occasions and, as described above for the track to the south, may have been a significant boundary as the current parish boundary which still runs immediately to the north. (S30, S31).