Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1621: summary

Pre-determination archaeological evaluation at land to the west of Sydena, Lambs Lane, Lawshall, Suffolk, IP29 4PR: November 2020
by Mark Baister (with contributions from Dr Matthew Loughton, Adam Wightman, Alec Wade, Laura Pooley, Lisa Gray, Sarah Carter)

Date report completed: December 2020
Location: Land to the west of Sydena, Lambs Lane, Lawshall, Suffolk
Map reference(s): TL 85212 54712
File size: kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results:
Keywords:

Summary. An archaeological evaluation consisting of two trial-trenches was carried out at land west of Sydena, Lawshall, Suffolk in advance of a planning application being submitted for the construction of two new dwellings and associated infrastructure. The site was located within a moated enclosure and the potential for archaeological deposits was high. Two features (a ditch and possible pit) and seven layers were recorded. The possible pit contained several sherds of medieval pottery but a largely complete glass onion bottle dated the backfilling of the feature to the mid 17th-18th centuries. The ditch was undated but may be associated with the surrounding moat and could have formed a division within it.

Three of the seven layers formed the general stratigraphy of the site (the topsoil, subsoil and natural clay), while the remainder were associated with or in close proximity to a metalled surface that sloped down to the north of the site. These layers contained finds of an 18th-19th century date, but the presence of earlier, residual, finds dating to the prehistoric, Roman and medieval periods suggests a continuity of occupation on, or in close proximity, to the site.