Monument record BRH 080 - Late Neolithic to Possible Medieval features at Barham Quarry

2018: An archaeological evaluation consisting 43 trial-trenches was carried out at Barham Quarry as part of Phases 6-10. Previous archaeological investigations at Barham Quarry (Phases 1-5) to the west of the current development site had revealed prehistoric pits as well as a substantial Iron Age and Roman settlement with features including enclosures, roundhouses, a Roman pottery kiln and clay extraction pits. The current evaluation revealed two Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pits and four Late Bronze Age pits. The Late Iron Age/Romano-British period was represented by eight ditches, pits and pits/tree-throws. Twenty-four agricultural ditches were identified which could be of Romano-British or possibly medieval date. A large modern pit and several undated features were also present including a cremation burial. Among the finds were a number of pieces of residual prehistoric worked flint and Late Bronze Age pottery recovered from later features. Four layers of colluvium were also recorded. Thin layers to the middle and north of the site appear to be of later Roman or post-Roman date. However, a thick layer of colluvium in the base of the valley to the south of the site is potentially of significant prehistoric date and warrants further investigation. Large quantities of worked flint recovered from the colluvium is indicative of prehistoric activity on the brow of the hill and the valley sides (S1).

2019: A strip, map and record excavation of the phase 6 area revealed the continuation of the roman field system uncovered during phase 1. This included a series of pits, several of which were dated to the 3rd to 4th centuries AD. Earlier features were encountered and consisted of two Bronze Age pits, two Early Iron Age ditches and pits and a late Iron Age ditch and pits. A number of undated features, included two fragments of a ditch. Four areas of natural silt was also investigated, with Neolithic grooved ware pottery was recovered (S2).

2022: A programme of archaeological excavation was undertaken at Barham Quarry, Suffolk. An area of 0.82ha was excavated within the site. A deep area of colluvium was present at the southern end of the site (up to 1.8m in depth) filling a dry valley which contained mixed finds from the prehistoric to medieval periods with features sealed below. The excavation revealed additional north to south aligned ditches which had not been seen during previous phases. These probably formed two phases of enclosure, one in the later Bronze Age which comprised small gullies running north to south and east to west, and another linking to the Late Iron Age to Roman field systems (seen during previous phases) which comprised larger ditches also running north to south and east to west. Two groups of heavily truncated postholes were seen at the north-west end of the excavation, suggesting that structures were likely to be present here. The posthole groups did not create discernible patterns however and were likely to have been Bronze Age in date. In addition to the ditched enclosures, a small number of small pits with U-shaped profiles were discovered, probably relating to Neolithic activity associated with small assemblages of pottery and struck flint. Some larger undated pits were present and many tree throws were also excavated, some of which contained Bronze Age and Neolithic finds. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2022 (S3).

2019:Evaluation (43 trenches) revealed a range of features dating from prehistoric to modern periods. Four layers of colluvium were also recorded; thin layers in the middle and northern part of the site appear to be of later Roman or post-Roman date, and a thick layer in the base of the valley in the southern part of the site contained large quantities of worked flint, indicating prehistoric activity on the brow of the hill and the valley sides. Previous archaeological investigations (Phases 1-5) to the west of the current site revealed prehistoric pits and substantial Iron Age and Roman settlement (S4).