More information : [TM 331 901] Earthwork [TI].(1) A deep ditch extended E and W to two bends in the river Waveney, cutting off Outney Common from the town of Bungay and materially strengthening the northern defences of the castle. It has been suggested that the ditch might be a Roman work, but there is no positive evidence of this, and it may have been dug by the Bigots, who used the materials obtained to raise the huge barriers of earth around their castle. (See TM 38 NW 15) Bungay was granted to Roger Bigot soon after Domesday by the Conqueror.(2,3) An anonymous and undated map in Bungay Museum (approx. 1/2500) - reproduced in Bungay Castle Guide (TM 38 NW 15) shows this earthwork as "Tower Ditch" and traces it south-east and south-west to encircle the probable Medieval town (line superimposed on 6" field sheet). The topographical situation would support this classification (i.e. for the whole of the distance it is shown as running along the high crop above a flood plain) rather than the suggestion of authy.2. Modern development has now removed all evidence of the work.(4)
TM33628955. A trial trench revealed the town ditch which measures 18m wide and 4m deep, and was backfilled in the late C13th or C14th. (5,6)
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