Exciting Bronze Age Findings Uncovered
Published: 28 July 2009
Children from a local primary school and members of the parish council in Capel were treated to a visit to a new build-housing site in their village, which has uncovered remains dating back to the Bronze Age, at a recent archaeological excavation.
The Cambridge Archaeological Unit, University of Cambridge was commissioned by Orwell Housing Association to examine the land in advance of their housing construction of 32 flats and bungalows. The dig found evidence of unknown Bronze Age, Iron Age and medieval occupation outside the boundary of the current village limits of Capel St Mary.
The earliest remains from the site comprises of several pits that contain pieces of prehistoric pottery and flint tools dating from the Early Bronze Age, c. 4,000 years ago. This is a significant discovery as little is known about prehistoric activity in areas such as the site at Capel St. Mary where heavy clay soils are prevalent and cultivation of crops would have been difficult during this period. It had been assumed that such areas would have been wooded and little used for agriculture - and therefore not widely settled - until much later periods. It is hoped that scientific analysis of plant remains recovered from the pits will be able to tell if crops were being grown and indicate whether the area was permanently settled. If this proves to be the case the site would be one of the earliest known in the local area.
Finds from the Iron Age include the remains of two roundhouses and part of a major boundary ditch which would originally have enclosed a small settlement, the remains of which are likely to extend beyond the limit of the current excavation on to neighbouring land. Archaeologists have found artefacts including pottery, animal bones and clay loom weights dating from the Late Iron Age, c. 2,000 - 2,200 years ago. Scientific analysis of plant remains recovered from the Iron Age remains will help reconstruct the diet of local inhabitants by indicating what was eaten as well as what was being grown in neighbouring fields.
More recent activity on the site has been provisionally dated to between c.1200 and 1400 AD. Finds include the postholes of an impressive medieval aisled building - possibly a Tithe barn, a flint-lined well, a possible oven or kiln, and field boundary ditches representing numerous phases of land division. Large amounts of medieval pottery as well as medieval midden deposits including iron nails, animal bone and hundreds of oyster shells have also been recovered.
This is a significant find for archaeologists because medieval occupation at Capel St. Mary has been assumed to focus on the historic core near the church. It is known that many local villages have unbroken occupation since the Saxon and Saxon-Norman period (c.600-1100) and it is not uncommon to find remains of early settlement on what is now open land surrounding a village. However, what is interesting in this case is that the occupation is contemporary with settlement around the church, and therefore a 'lost' part of the later medieval village. It is hoped that with this knowledge, research into medieval documents may uncover more information on who lived in this 'lost' settlement.
Kelly Biddle, Senior Development Officer at Orwell Housing Association commented: "We were amazed by the amount of findings on site, especially the medieval Well which will hopefully be integrated into the development and have pride of place in our communal gardens. It was a condition of our land purchase to check the land for archaeological findings, and now makes the site much more interesting for people looking to purchase and the villagers alike. We look forward to finding even more out about the site in the near future as Cambridge University report back on their investigations"
Following a selection process Orwell Housing Association, a registered charity and a leading provider of affordable and supported housing in Suffolk, was appointed by the Parish Council to develop the land for shared ownership and very sheltered housing for local older people in the village. Rees Pryer Associates were appointed Architects and Elliston Steady and Hawes are the official building contractors for the site. All are now working in partnership with the Parish Council, local community representatives, Babergh District Council and Suffolk County Council, with the site due for completion in Summer 2010.
The Cambridge Archaeological Unit, University of Cambridge was commissioned by Orwell Housing Association to examine the land in advance of their housing construction of 32 flats and bungalows. The dig found evidence of unknown Bronze Age, Iron Age and medieval occupation outside the boundary of the current village limits of Capel St Mary.
The earliest remains from the site comprises of several pits that contain pieces of prehistoric pottery and flint tools dating from the Early Bronze Age, c. 4,000 years ago. This is a significant discovery as little is known about prehistoric activity in areas such as the site at Capel St. Mary where heavy clay soils are prevalent and cultivation of crops would have been difficult during this period. It had been assumed that such areas would have been wooded and little used for agriculture - and therefore not widely settled - until much later periods. It is hoped that scientific analysis of plant remains recovered from the pits will be able to tell if crops were being grown and indicate whether the area was permanently settled. If this proves to be the case the site would be one of the earliest known in the local area.
Finds from the Iron Age include the remains of two roundhouses and part of a major boundary ditch which would originally have enclosed a small settlement, the remains of which are likely to extend beyond the limit of the current excavation on to neighbouring land. Archaeologists have found artefacts including pottery, animal bones and clay loom weights dating from the Late Iron Age, c. 2,000 - 2,200 years ago. Scientific analysis of plant remains recovered from the Iron Age remains will help reconstruct the diet of local inhabitants by indicating what was eaten as well as what was being grown in neighbouring fields.
More recent activity on the site has been provisionally dated to between c.1200 and 1400 AD. Finds include the postholes of an impressive medieval aisled building - possibly a Tithe barn, a flint-lined well, a possible oven or kiln, and field boundary ditches representing numerous phases of land division. Large amounts of medieval pottery as well as medieval midden deposits including iron nails, animal bone and hundreds of oyster shells have also been recovered.
This is a significant find for archaeologists because medieval occupation at Capel St. Mary has been assumed to focus on the historic core near the church. It is known that many local villages have unbroken occupation since the Saxon and Saxon-Norman period (c.600-1100) and it is not uncommon to find remains of early settlement on what is now open land surrounding a village. However, what is interesting in this case is that the occupation is contemporary with settlement around the church, and therefore a 'lost' part of the later medieval village. It is hoped that with this knowledge, research into medieval documents may uncover more information on who lived in this 'lost' settlement.
Kelly Biddle, Senior Development Officer at Orwell Housing Association commented: "We were amazed by the amount of findings on site, especially the medieval Well which will hopefully be integrated into the development and have pride of place in our communal gardens. It was a condition of our land purchase to check the land for archaeological findings, and now makes the site much more interesting for people looking to purchase and the villagers alike. We look forward to finding even more out about the site in the near future as Cambridge University report back on their investigations"
Following a selection process Orwell Housing Association, a registered charity and a leading provider of affordable and supported housing in Suffolk, was appointed by the Parish Council to develop the land for shared ownership and very sheltered housing for local older people in the village. Rees Pryer Associates were appointed Architects and Elliston Steady and Hawes are the official building contractors for the site. All are now working in partnership with the Parish Council, local community representatives, Babergh District Council and Suffolk County Council, with the site due for completion in Summer 2010.
