Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 845: summary

Archaeological trial-trenching evaluation at 'The Dell', Meadow Farm Lane, Hollesley, Suffolk: May 2015
by Ben Holloway (with contributions from Stephen Benfield)

Date report completed: June 2015
Location: 'The Dell', Meadow Farm Lane, Hollesley, Suffolk
Map reference(s): TM 315 444 (c)
File size: 2,399 kb
Project type: Archaeological trial-trenching evaluation
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: Roman, ditch

Summary. The site is in the parish of Hollesley, to the south-east of Woodbridge. In advance of the construction of a new dwelling on land to the south-east of 'The Dell', an evaluation trench revealed five features: a modern post-hole (part of an old ?fence), two undated ditches (?Roman), and two pits, one certainly of Roman date. There are too few finds to indicate Roman-period settlement on this site: perhaps the finds are manure scatter on Roman-period fields associated with a nearby Roman settlement or farm. No archaeological strata or features were exposed which are worthy of preservation in situ. Further archaeological works (the exact nature of which have yet to be clarified) have been requested by SCCAS. The depth and nature of the soils sealing the archaeological features is consistent with soil generated by normal agricultural activities. There were no alluvial or colluvial deposits here.