forest enterprise
RAPID EARTHWORK IDENTIFICATION SURVEY
______________________________________ for
FOREST ENTERPRISE
J.A.Craven Field Team Suffolk C.C. Archaeological Service © July 2008 Lucy Robinson, County Director of Environment and Transport Endeavour House, Russel Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX
______________________________________ SCCAS Report No. 2008/188
Contents List of Figures List of Contributors Acknowledgements
1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Results 4. Discussion References
List of Figures 1. 2. 3. 4.
Coupe 13986 Coupe 123420 Coupe 42010 Coupe 123420 on First Edition Ordnance Survey
List of Contributors All Suffolk C.C. Archaeological Service unless otherwise stated. John Craven
Project Officer
Acknowledgements This project was funded by Forest Enterprise and was carried out by James Rolfe, from Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Field Team.
i
1. Introduction A rapid archaeological earthwork survey of forestry compartments was carried out during July 2008 in north-west Suffolk and south Norfolk. This is part of an ongoing program which aims to identify any earthworks or other visible archaeological features which survive within areas managed by the Forestry Commission, and to establish whether any of these earthworks will be affected by, and require possible protection from, planned programmes of destumping, felling or other activities. The work was funded by Forest Enterprise.
2. Methodology Each compartment in the survey was examined in the same fashion as previous surveys with the surveyor walking its circumference and regular parallel transects across whilst carefully observing for earthworks. The transects walked were generally at intervals of 50m (unless otherwise stated) as it is considered that at this spacing all earthworks other than the most minor will be identified. Identified earthworks are not surveyed in detail. A basic description and spot location is given as part of this report together with discussion over the possible date and function of each feature. Recommendations for the protection of individual earthworks and/or further detailed surveys are given as required. Basic information as to the status of each coupe, ie covered in mature trees, felled etc, the level of groundcover and the overall topography is given. A confidence rating, generally based upon the levels of visibility and groundcover is also noted.
1
3. Results Wordwell, Suffolk
13986 Land Use: trees felled and cleared, low grass undergrowth (TL 843 754, Fig. 1) Topography: flat Confidence: high, except for western end where undergrowth was higher Earthworks:
None seen.
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 1. Coupe 13986
2
Recommendations:
Nothing significant seen, but undergrowth at the western end may have hidden subtle earthworks. The coupe was previously surveyed as compartments 4143 and 4154 in 1998 (Pendleton, C. & Sommers, M, 1998) when a low bank was noted along the western edge. The bank is not shown on 1st or 2nd Edition Ordnance Surveys so its date is unknown but was thought to be a possible former warren bank (WRW 043) of medieval date. If this bank still survives it should be preserved and it is recommended that no disturbance to earthworks should be caused along this western edge.
123420 Land Use: trees felled and cleared (TL 822 732, Fig. 2) Topography: flat Confidence: high Earthworks:
Bank A: linear banks, connected at north end running along edge of rides. c.0.5m wide and 0.3m high, fading away to south. Bank B: curvilinear bank, c.0.8m wide and 0.4m high
Recommendations:
Both banks believed to be post-medieval, marking a tree belt and plantation shown on later 19th century maps. Neither bank is of particular importance though an attempt to minimize any disturbance caused by groundworks is recommended.
3
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 2. Coupe 123420
4
Cranwich, Norfolk
42010 Land Use: (TL 771 951, Fig. 3) Topography: Confidence:
trees felled and cleared flat high
Earthworks:
Pit - measured c.15m by 20m and 1m deep. Bank A – measured c.0.5m wide and 0.3m high, very indistinct. Bank B – as above, also very indistinct
Recommendations:
See discussion below. Subject to consultation with Norfolk Landscape Archaeology.
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 3. Coupe 42010 5
4. Discussion 4.1. Norfolk The Fosse Ditch, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, adjoins the western edge of coupe 42010. Originally a ditch and bank earthwork the bank still survives, lying immediately to the west of the fenceline marking the edge of the coupe. The course of the infilled ditch associated with the bank may therefore lie within the coupe and so as a precaution it is recommended that destumping is avoided in a strip along the western edge, the width of which should be determined in consultation with Norfolk Landscape Archaeology. The pit is likely to be a post-medieval marl or chalk extraction pit, whilst the two indistinct banks are of uncertain date and function. No recommendations are made to avoid destumping on these features but again this is subject to consultation with Norfolk Landscape Archaeology.
4.2. Suffolk 13986 No new earthworks were identified and the possible medieval warren bank identified in 1998 was not visible. If this bank still survives it should be protected if possible from the destumping program. 123420 Bank A clearly marks the edges of a treebelt shown running through open fields on the First Edition Ordnance Survey (Fig. 4). Bank B, on the same map, is seen to mark part of the boundary of a circular stand of trees shown with one of these fields. These are therefore likely to be of a post-medieval date and while there is no need for them to be protected totally from the destumping program they ought to be preserved as far as is reasonably possible.
6
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 4. Coupe 123420 on First Edition Ordnance Survey
John Craven Field Team, Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service July 2008
References Pendleton, C. & Sommers, M., 1998, Rapid Earthwork Identification Survey. SCCAS Report no. 98/25, p28-29, map 13.
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______________________________________ for
FOREST ENTERPRISE
J.A.Craven Field Team Suffolk C.C. Archaeological Service © July 2008 Lucy Robinson, County Director of Environment and Transport Endeavour House, Russel Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX
______________________________________ SCCAS Report No. 2008/188
Contents List of Figures List of Contributors Acknowledgements
1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Results 4. Discussion References
List of Figures 1. 2. 3. 4.
Coupe 13986 Coupe 123420 Coupe 42010 Coupe 123420 on First Edition Ordnance Survey
List of Contributors All Suffolk C.C. Archaeological Service unless otherwise stated. John Craven
Project Officer
Acknowledgements This project was funded by Forest Enterprise and was carried out by James Rolfe, from Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Field Team.
i
1. Introduction A rapid archaeological earthwork survey of forestry compartments was carried out during July 2008 in north-west Suffolk and south Norfolk. This is part of an ongoing program which aims to identify any earthworks or other visible archaeological features which survive within areas managed by the Forestry Commission, and to establish whether any of these earthworks will be affected by, and require possible protection from, planned programmes of destumping, felling or other activities. The work was funded by Forest Enterprise.
2. Methodology Each compartment in the survey was examined in the same fashion as previous surveys with the surveyor walking its circumference and regular parallel transects across whilst carefully observing for earthworks. The transects walked were generally at intervals of 50m (unless otherwise stated) as it is considered that at this spacing all earthworks other than the most minor will be identified. Identified earthworks are not surveyed in detail. A basic description and spot location is given as part of this report together with discussion over the possible date and function of each feature. Recommendations for the protection of individual earthworks and/or further detailed surveys are given as required. Basic information as to the status of each coupe, ie covered in mature trees, felled etc, the level of groundcover and the overall topography is given. A confidence rating, generally based upon the levels of visibility and groundcover is also noted.
1
3. Results Wordwell, Suffolk
13986 Land Use: trees felled and cleared, low grass undergrowth (TL 843 754, Fig. 1) Topography: flat Confidence: high, except for western end where undergrowth was higher Earthworks:
None seen.
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 1. Coupe 13986
2
Recommendations:
Nothing significant seen, but undergrowth at the western end may have hidden subtle earthworks. The coupe was previously surveyed as compartments 4143 and 4154 in 1998 (Pendleton, C. & Sommers, M, 1998) when a low bank was noted along the western edge. The bank is not shown on 1st or 2nd Edition Ordnance Surveys so its date is unknown but was thought to be a possible former warren bank (WRW 043) of medieval date. If this bank still survives it should be preserved and it is recommended that no disturbance to earthworks should be caused along this western edge.
123420 Land Use: trees felled and cleared (TL 822 732, Fig. 2) Topography: flat Confidence: high Earthworks:
Bank A: linear banks, connected at north end running along edge of rides. c.0.5m wide and 0.3m high, fading away to south. Bank B: curvilinear bank, c.0.8m wide and 0.4m high
Recommendations:
Both banks believed to be post-medieval, marking a tree belt and plantation shown on later 19th century maps. Neither bank is of particular importance though an attempt to minimize any disturbance caused by groundworks is recommended.
3
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 2. Coupe 123420
4
Cranwich, Norfolk
42010 Land Use: (TL 771 951, Fig. 3) Topography: Confidence:
trees felled and cleared flat high
Earthworks:
Pit - measured c.15m by 20m and 1m deep. Bank A – measured c.0.5m wide and 0.3m high, very indistinct. Bank B – as above, also very indistinct
Recommendations:
See discussion below. Subject to consultation with Norfolk Landscape Archaeology.
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 3. Coupe 42010 5
4. Discussion 4.1. Norfolk The Fosse Ditch, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, adjoins the western edge of coupe 42010. Originally a ditch and bank earthwork the bank still survives, lying immediately to the west of the fenceline marking the edge of the coupe. The course of the infilled ditch associated with the bank may therefore lie within the coupe and so as a precaution it is recommended that destumping is avoided in a strip along the western edge, the width of which should be determined in consultation with Norfolk Landscape Archaeology. The pit is likely to be a post-medieval marl or chalk extraction pit, whilst the two indistinct banks are of uncertain date and function. No recommendations are made to avoid destumping on these features but again this is subject to consultation with Norfolk Landscape Archaeology.
4.2. Suffolk 13986 No new earthworks were identified and the possible medieval warren bank identified in 1998 was not visible. If this bank still survives it should be protected if possible from the destumping program. 123420 Bank A clearly marks the edges of a treebelt shown running through open fields on the First Edition Ordnance Survey (Fig. 4). Bank B, on the same map, is seen to mark part of the boundary of a circular stand of trees shown with one of these fields. These are therefore likely to be of a post-medieval date and while there is no need for them to be protected totally from the destumping program they ought to be preserved as far as is reasonably possible.
6
© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 100023395 2008.
Figure 4. Coupe 123420 on First Edition Ordnance Survey
John Craven Field Team, Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service July 2008
References Pendleton, C. & Sommers, M., 1998, Rapid Earthwork Identification Survey. SCCAS Report no. 98/25, p28-29, map 13.
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