Marston Pit, Cavenham, Suffolk. An Archaeological Investigation.

Abstract

The 3.3 hectare site lies upon second river terrace sand and gravel at a height of between 15m and 18m AOD, and is situated in an area noted for the density of its prehistoric settlement and burial, along with Roman and subsequent historic sequences culminating with the site's use during the Second World War as part of Tuddenham airfield. Prehistoric activity was largely contained within the north half of the site area, with the earliest human presence represented by seventeen worked flints dating between the Early Neolithic and Early Iron Age recovered from the subsoil and as intrusive items within later features. Two pairs of pits contained refitting pottery sherds and organic midden waste and could be dated to the second half of the Early Iron Age. These possibly represent settlement margins from a timeline that has hitherto been absent from the broader landscape picture. Twenty-five additional pits and postholes could not be assigned by period, although eighteen of these containing fills with burnt flint or in proximity to the paired pits may also be prehistoric. Historic-era evidence comprised of two ditches that appear to have bounded a nineteenth century oak plantation, perhaps in response to soil reduction resultant from long-term intensive rabbit burrowing evinced across the site. Lastly, wartime activities were illustrated by two large pits that contained clearance debris including fragments of mortar rounds.