Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1385: summary

Archaeological evaluation at Barham Quarry (Phases 6-10), Sandy Lane, Barham, Suffolk, IP6 0PB: September-October 2018
by Laura Pooley (with contributions from Julie Curl, Lisa Gray, Dr Matthew Loughton, Adam Wightman, Emma Holloway, Robin Mathieson, Adam Tuffey)

Date report completed: March 2019
Location: Barham Quarry, Sandy Lane, Barham, Suffolk, IP6 0PB
Map reference(s): TM 135 515
File size: kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results:
Keywords:

Summary. An archaeological evaluation (43 trial-trenches) was carried out at Barham Quarry (Phases 6-10), Sandy Lane, Barham, Suffolk. 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 a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pit, a Late Neolithic/Bronze Age pit, four Late Bronze Age pits, and eight ditches, pits and pits/treethrows dating to the Late Iron Age/Romano-British period. Twenty-four agricultural ditches could be of Romano-British or possibly medieval date, and 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.