NHER 66470 (Monument record) - Post-medieval or earlier ditches

October 2020-March 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Bexwell to Bury St Edmunds pipeline (Area 21).
This survey identified a number of west-north-west to east-south-east and north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomalies, all of which are likely to represent ditches associated with a contemporary group of fields or enclosures. The orientations of these ditches are very similar to those of nearby late post-medieval field boundaries, suggesting they are probably of relatively recent date. There are though no corresponding boundaries shown on the available the mid- to late 19th-century maps so they presumably represent features that had already been removed by this time.
A series of short, irregular linear anomalies are all thought to be of natural origin.
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), 14 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), 14 April 2023.

September 2021. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Bexwell to Bury St Edmunds pipeline (Trenches 82-84).
Although the three trenches excavated coincided with a number of the linear anomalies recorded by the preceding geophysical survey only one was associated with a corresponding ditch. This feature produced no dating evidence.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 April 2023.