NHER 66445 (Monument record) - Possible traces of medieval or early post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation and post-medieval ditch

October 2020-March 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Bexwell to Bury St Edmunds pipeline (Area 4).
This survey identified a series of east-north-east to west-south-west aligned linear trends interpreted as the ploughed-out remnants of medieval or early post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation. The only other response of note was a perpendicular, north-to-south aligned linear anomaly that may represent an infilled ditch.
Numerous discrete dipolar anomalies are likely to have been caused by ferrous material on or close to the surface (most likely modern debris).
There was no evidence for surviving remains associated with the group of World War Two buildings that stood in this field (NHER 66475), although it appears that all of these structure lay to the east of the area examined.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 November 2022.

July 2021. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of potentially impact of proposed Anglian Water Bexwell to Bury St Edmunds pipeline.
For further details see report (S2), which was submitted as part of the Environmental Statement for the scheme.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 November 2022.

September 2021. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Bexwell to Bury St Edmunds pipeline (Trenches 24 and 25).
The two trenches excavated at this location revealed only a single north-to-south aligned ditch. This feature coincided with a former field boundary depicted on the Bexwell Tithe map of 1838 (S3) and contained fragments of 'modern' ceramic building material. This feature lay to the west of the possible ditch identified by the preceding geophysical survey.
There was no again no evidence for surviving remains associated with the group of World War Two buildings that stood in this field (NHER 66475), although in this case it appears that the excavated trenches both lay to the west of the main structures.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 November 2022.