More information : (TL 78307187) Coffins found AD 1877 (NAT) (1)
(TL 78357170) A stone coffin is known to exist in a ditch here. (2)
TL 783719. Two hewn Romano-British coffins were found in 1871 and have lain since in the Old Rectory garden but have now been deposited in Moyse's Hall Museum, Bury St Edmunds. (3)
A large Roman lead vessel marked on one side with the Christian chi-rho symbol and on the other with the chi-rho flanked by omega and alpha, was discovered in 1939 about 150 yds from the villa site (TL 77 SE 10). It is now in the British Museum (Acc No 1946 2-4 1).
A further lead cistern of the same type was found in 1971. (4-6)
TL 783719. Excavations in 1974 at the spot where the lead cistern was found in 1971 (now in Ipswich Museum) revealed an early phase of disturbed pits and ditches, in one of which six unassociated human skulls and a limestone pillar were found.
Foundations of three buildings were discovered the central one measuring 4.6m by 6.7m externally. 10.0m to the east of this was a tile-built apse, 1.6m by 1.6m with a tiled floor and plastered interior. Near this were fragments of walls in which the lead cistern was originally found. To the north west of the central building were nine extended inhumation burials without grave-goods except for one coin. To the south was a group of 36 similar burials and one child burial, two of the inhumations having bronze bracelets as grave goods. Traces of wooden coffins showed up as soil stains and in the centre of the site was a stone coffin containing an extended inhumation without grave-goods. It is suggested that these buildings and graves form a Roman Christian cemetery and ritual centre probably of the 4th century AD. The interpretation of the earlier features is unclear. Nothing visible on RAF air photographs.
The area is situated on a gentle south-west slope above the River Lark. The land south west of a modern road and alongside the river is under pasture while the 1974 excavation site at TL 78227191, is now under stubble. Apart from a light scatter of Romano-British pottery at the excavation site, no finds were made and no evidence of features found. A further excavation centred TL 78317191 is at present in progress under the directorship of Judith Plouviez, of the Suffolk Archaeological Unit. Her findings suggest a Romano-British building, which had been almost totally dismantled a long time ago and an associated pit; possibly ritual.
Nothing is visible on OS air photograph 76/060/210. The Tithe Map of 1839 shows the entire area as un-named arable land. (7-10)
Further excavations east of the site examined in 1974 revealed that the east-west road identified on air photographs was constructed of packed gravel, 7.5 metres wide with a V-shaped ditch on the north. Traces of clay floors north of the road and burnt daub in the ditch indicated insubstantial buildings fronting the road. South of the road, pits and small post holes dated to the late 2nd and 3rd centuries were present and during the early 4th century these were replaced by a chalk and cobbled yard. On the south edge of the road was a well, 3.8 metres in diameter containing late 3rd and early 4th century material. Earlier the site was used as a burial ground. Two cremations in jars were found and a group of eight 4th century inhumations probably represent the north east limit of the Christian cemetery. A spread of tessarae and chalk and flint patches may represent remains of timber structures. (11)
|