Monument record WRW 003 - Wordwell medieval settlement remains

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Summary

Earthwork banks, ditches and pits most likely relating to medieval settlement remains are seen on aerial photographs and visualised lidar data. The majority of the features most likely relate to Medieval field and property boundaries, pits, two possible enclosures, possible ridge and furrow, Medieval and post medieval drainage, Medieval trackways and embanked trackways. It is possible that some of the banks may relate to post medieval boundaries and trackways seen on the Frist Edition Ordnance Survey map. A possible post medieval Osier bed (SHER WRW 019) has been mapped in the north of the site. The features can be seen as earthworks in the 1940s and have mostly been levelled by the 1970s with some of the banks and ditches surviving as earthworks on visualised lidar data (from a survey flown in 2015). Medieval pottery sherds and lead seal have also been recorded.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 828 720 (88m by 375m) Centred on
Map sheet TL87SW
Civil Parish WORDWELL, ST EDMUNDSBURY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (15)

Full Description

Deserted medieval village, just East of All Saints church with Med pottery sherds. Ploughed out about 1970 (S1)(R1)(R2).

Pottery scatters located by Myrtle Taylor during fieldwalking survey - details in (S2)(S3).
Documentary research carried out by Clive Paine, Suffolk Records Office (details unknown).
Also Roman.

2010-2011 Gephysical surevy and dissertaion (HER digital backlog)

October 2019. Breckland National Mapping Programme.
Earthwork banks, ditches and pits most likely relating to medieval settlement remains are seen on aerial photographs and visualised lidar data (S4-S8). The majority of the features most likely relate to medieval field and property boundaries (such as the banks and ditches centred at TL 8272 7194 and at TL 8286 7213), pits, two possible enclosures (centred at TL8256 7239 and at TL 8246 7269), medieval and post medieval drainage, medieval trackways and two embanked trackways (centred at TL 8280 7173 and at TL 8263 7184). It is possible some of the banks (centred at TL 8235 7283 and TL 8270 7220) may relate to post medieval boundaries and trackways seen on the Frist Edition Ordnance Survey map (S9). It is also possible that some of the banks and ditches may relate to modern drainage. In the west of the site there is an area of possible low ridges (centred at TL 8220 7232) which may have related to medieval ridge and furrow; However, the ridges may also relate to geological features or modern tree planting. The medieval settlement remains are in close proximity to two possible Roman enclosures (WSW 039) and a possible Bronze Age Ring Ditch (WRW 097) to the east. A possible post medieval Osier bed (WRW 019) has been mapped in the in the north of the site. Medieval pottery scatters (WRW 004, WRW 005, WRW 011, WRW 012, WRW 013) have been recovered in close proximity to the possible settlement remains which may support a medieval date for the features. The features can be seen as earthworks in the 1940s and have mostly been levelled by the 1970s with some of the banks and ditches surviving as earthworks on the visualised lidar data (S8).
J.Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 31st October 2019.

Sources/Archives (12)

  • <R1> (No record type): RAF, AP 3G/TUD/UK/61, Pt 1, 5030-31, 5 February 1946.
  • <S1> Index: OS. OS Card. OS, card TL87SW13.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files.
  • <R2> (No record type): Beresford & Hurst, DMVs, 1971, 203.
  • <S2> (No record type): Taylor M, fieldwalking reports, maps, circa 1978.
  • <S3> (No record type): SAU, Carr R D, site reports, field VI, December 1983.
  • <S4> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical aerial photograph. RAF/106G/LA/129 FS 2119-2120 14-FEB-1945 (HEA Original Print).
  • <S5> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical aerial photograph. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/60 V 5101-5102 05-FEB-1946 (HEA Original Print).
  • <S6> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical aerial photograph. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/61 V 5030-5031 05-FEB-1946 (HEA Original Print).
  • <S7> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical aerial photograph. RAF/58/2678 F21 0063-0064 21-JAN-1959 (HEA Original Print).
  • <S8> LIDAR Airborne Survey: LIDAR airborne survey. LIDAR Kings Forest Research 0.5m DTM 15-JUL-2015 (BNG Project, FC England, Fugro Geospatial).
  • <S9> Map: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Map. Frist Edition Ordnance Survey Map.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Record last edited

Mar 10 2020 12:02PM

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