NHER 18851 (Monument record) - Deserted medieval settlement

Site of a deserted medieval settlement, just outside the main village.
A series of rectilinear enclosures, which are the remains of medieval tofts, running off a substantial hollow way, called 'Blind Lane' in a 17th century survey.
This area of settlement was probably abandoned during the 16th century.
See (S1) and (S2).

4 February 1983. Area of extensive earthworks. Divided into 2 areas.
BB 19. Northern. Context 1 centred at TF 7185 0625.
1 handmade possibly prehistoric sherd.
1 prehistoric flint-gritted.
1 medieval unglazed.
BB 20. Southern. Context 2 centred on TF 7180 0610.
3 medieval unglazed.
All these finds are from molehills.
Identified A. Rogerson (NCM) February 1983.

Also 1 Ipswich Ware rim, findspot marked on plan in file, in Context 2.
A. Rogerson (NAU) June 1987.

3 March 1987. Casual finds from molehills in Context 2. BB 20.
In addition to Ipswich Ware, see above.
2 Roman greyware.
6 medieval unglazed.
1 unidentified sherd.
A. Rogerson (NAU) August 1987.

4 March 1988. Context 3. Dense occurrence of sherds in molehills in north part of Context 1.
Shows southern extent of adjacent site NHER 18850. Context 1.
No evidence on west side track of similar.

7 June 1992.
NLA air photography shows the earthworks, in particular a large ditched toft and hollow way.
D. Edwards (NLA) and A. Rogerson (NLA).

Earthworks scheduled 1999. See (S2) in file.

July-August 2021 and July-August 2022. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of extension to existing barns at Abbey Farm.
The footings for the new building revealed nothing of archaeological interest, as did a nearby large trench excavated for a soakaway. Drainage trenches excavated in the vicinity of the exisiting Chapel Lane access road (TF 71934 06132 to TF 71892 06019) did though encounter a number of features, although it was difficult to determine whether these represented ditches or discrete pits. It is likely that at least some of these remains were associated with the deserted medieval settlement at this location, although finds were limited to a small number of Late Saxon pottery sherds. These were recovered from a possible pit close to Abbey Farm and a ditch approximately 50m to the south. Two adjacent ditches exposed within the southernmost drainage trench could be seen to cut through the subsoil and were therefore regarded as being of probable late post-medieval date.
See report (S3) for further information and NHER 69816 for details of remains recorded during the creation of a new access road to the south of Abbey Farm.
P. Watkins (HES), 30 April 2026.