Monument record SUE 076 - Post Medieval oyster beds are visible on the saltmarsh at Home Reach on the river Alde, Sudbourne

A group of probably Post Medieval oyster pits are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1940 onwards, located on the saltmarsh at Home Reach on the River Alde, circa TM45785306 (S1). They range in size from about 4 x 4m to circa 8 x 7m and are arranged roughly parallel to the sea bank (SUE 087), running from circa TM45635290 to circa TM45745328. The oyster beds can be still clearly seen on photographs of 1952 and 1972 (S2, S3). They are not marked on either the first or second edition Ordnance Survey maps of circa 1884 and 1904, but their position close to the sea bank and their somewhat eroded condition suggests a possible Post Medieval date for their construction (S4, S5).