NHER 66450 (Monument record) - Post-medieval or earlier ditches and possible traces of medieval or early post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation

October 2020-March 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Bexwell to Bury St Edmunds pipeline (Area 10).
This survey identified a number of adjoining north-to-south and east-to-west aligned linear anomalies likely to represent infilled ditches. The date of these features isn’t certain, although given that they are parallel and perpendicular to an adjacent extant field boundary they are probably not of great antiquity. There are though no corresponding boundaries depicted on the available 19th-century maps, suggesting these features most likely represent earlier elements of this field system.
A series of other, closely-spaced east-to-west aligned linear anomalies are thought to potentially represent the ploughed out remnants of medieval or early post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation.
Several amorphous discrete anomalies were probably the result of variations in the underlying geology.
Scattered dipolar anomalies are likely to have been caused by ferrous material on or close to the surface (most likely modern debris).
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 April 2023.

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), 13 April 2023.

September 2021. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Bexwell to Bury St Edmunds pipeline (Trenches 36-38).
The three trenches excavated at this location revealed only a single undated ditch. This east-to-west aligned feature coincided with one of the linear geophysical anomalies thought to represent field boundary ditches.
No finds were recovered.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 April 2023.