I ,I ARCHAEOLOGICAL ii SERVICE I ;1 Archaeological Evaluation, at the Proposed 'Inter Tidal Habitat', I Trimley Marshes. · Rpt. No. 99/2 I for Harwich Haven Authority I I Tristan Carter I I with contributions from I Sue Anderson I Anthony M. Breen I Field Projects Team Archaeological Service Environment & Transport Dept. I SuffolkCounty Council I January 1999 Suffolk County Council ,11 P. J. Thompson Msc CEng FICE, County Director of Environment & Transport St Edmund House, County Hall, Ipswich Suffolk IP4 ILZ \I ' Tel. (01473) 583000 ,1 ·I I I Archaeological Evaluation at the Proposed 'Inter Tidal Habitat', Trimley Marshes. I Report No. 99/2 I for Harwich Haven Authority I lSUMMARY 1-2 I 2 INTRODUCTION AND TOPOGRAPHY 3 3BACKGROUND 4 I 4 AIMS OF THE EVALUATION 5 I DESKTOP ASSESSMENT 6-9 I 5 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE 6-7 5.1 Description 6 I 5.2 Methodology 6 5.3 Results 6-7 I 6 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY 8-9 6.1 Description 8 I 6.2 Methodology 8 6.3 Results 8 I 6.4 Interpretation 8-9 I FIELDWORK 10-19 7 FIELDWALKING 10-15 I 7.1 Description 10 7.2 Methodology 10 I 7 .3 General Results 10-11 I 7 .4 Results by Field 11-13 7.5 TYN 072 13 I 7.6 TYN 073 13-14 7. 7 General Interpretations 14-15 I I I ii I 8 GRID-SAMPLING 16-17 8.1 Description 16 I 8.2 Methodology 16 8.3 Results 16-17 I 8.4 Interpretation 17 9 'SHOVEL-TEST' PITTING 18-19 I 9.1 Description 18 9.2 Methodology 18 I 9.3 Results 18 I 9.4 Interpretation 18-19 I SPECIALIST REPORTS 20-29 10 THE FINDS (S. Anderson, SCCAS) 20-22 I 11 DOCUMENTARY SEARCH OF THE INTER-TIDAL 23-29 HABITAT, TRIMLEY MARSHES (A. Breen). I 12 CONCLUSION 30 I 13 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER WORK 31-32 13.1 The Sea-Wall 31 I 13.2 Fields 1-4 31 I 13.3 TYN 073 31-32 I BIBLIOGRAPHY 33 APPENDICES I Appendix I Brief and specification for an archaeological evaluation: Inter-Tidal I Habitat, Trimley Marshes (R. Carr, SCCAS). Appendix II Selection of sites from the SMR for Trimley St Martin in the vicinity I of the proposed 'inter-tidal' habitat. Appendix Ill Trimley Marshes fieldwalking: The finds (S. Anderson, SCCAS). I Appendix IV Description ofthe 'shovel-test' pits. Appendix V List and findspot of small-finds from Field 5. I I I 111 I FIGURES I Figure 1 Location map, showing area walked, field numbers and sites from the SMR .I Figure 2 Location of field walking lines, transects and area of grid-sampling Figure 3 Location of 'shovel-test' pits I Figure 4 Distribution of small-finds across Field 5 Figure 5 Finds from Trimley Marshes fieldwalking, by number and weight I Figure 6 Finds from Trimley Marshes fieldwalking, by field Figure 7 Distribution ofbumt flint within Field 1 I Figure 8 Distribution of tile within Field 1 I Figure 9 Distribution of worked flint within Field 1 Figure 10 Distribution ofbumt flint within Field 2 I Figure 11 Distribution ofbaked-clay within Field 2 Figure 12 Distribution of worked-flint within Field 2 I Figure 13 1968 OS map ofTrimley Marshes showing original form ofField 2 I 6 Figure 14 Distribution of shell within Field 2 I Figure 15 Distribution ofbumt flint within Field 3 Figure 16 Distribution of tile within Field 3 I Figure 17 Distribution of shell within Field 3 Figure 18 Distribution ofbumt flint within Field 4 I Figure 19 Distribution of tile within Field 4 Figure 20 Distribution of shell within Field 4 I Figure 21 Distribution ofbumt flint within Field 5 Figure 22 Distribution of worked flint within Field 5 I Figure 23 Distribution of tile within Field 5 I Figure 24 Distribution of slag within Field 5 Figure 25 Distribution of burnt flint within Field 6 I Figure 26 Distribution of tile within Field 6 Figure 27 Distribution of worked flint within Field 6 I Figure 28 Plan of red soil spread within TYN 073 Figure 29 Distribution ofbaked clay within TYN 073 I I I iv I Figure 30 Distribution ofbumt flint within TYN 073 Figure 31 Distribution of tile within TYN 073 I Figure 32 Distribution of slag within TYN 073 I Figure 33 Distribution of worked flint within TYN 073 TABLES I Table 1 Percentage of each field's transects producing finds Table 2 Transects producing finds in Field 1 I Table 3 Transects producing finds in Field 2 Table 4 Transects producing finds in Field 3 I Table 5 Transects producing finds in Field 4 I Table 6 Transects producing finds in Field 5 Table 7 Transects producing finds in Field 6 I Table 8 Transects producing finds in Field 7 I MAPS FROM DOCUMENTARY SOURCES la 1:10,560 Ordnance Survey Map Sheet Number 83.SE 1886 I lb 1:10,560 Ordnance Survey Map Sheet Number 83.SE 1948 2a 1: 10,560 Ordnance Survey Map Sheet Number 83 .NE 1904 I 2b 1:10,560 Ordnance Survey Map Sheet Number 83.NE 1928 3 P461/260 Tithe Map Trimley St Martin 1839 I 4 P461/261 Tithe Map Trimley St Mary 1839 5 150/1/316 Enclosure Map Trimley St Martin & St Mary 1806 I 6 HA119/435 A Plan of the Parishes ofTwo Trimlies (Isaac Johnson) 1784 I DOCUMENTS I Document 1a-c Marsh Reeve's Book 1726 Document2 Book of Customs, Walton cum Trimley c.1560 I I I I I I Archaeological Evaluation at the Proposed 'Inter Tidal Habitat', Trimley Marshes. I 1SUMMARY 1.1 There has been a proposal to create an 'inter-tidal habitat' on land beside the Orwell estuary at Trimley Marshes, in the parish of Trimley St. Martin, Suffolk I (Figure 1). 1.2 Those proposing the development requested a brief and specification for an I archaeological evaluation of the area, as part of an overall assessment of the project's potential impact upon the natural and human environment. I 1.3 The brief and specification was drawn up by Suffolk County Council's Archaeological Service (SCCAS) Conservation Team, in August 1998 (Appendix 1). I The brief documented the area's numerous archaeological sites (known from excavation, aerial photography and chance finds), and detailed the likely two-phase I nature of the evaluation. 1.4 The archaeological evaluation's first phase comprised two elements, a desktop assessment and fieldwork. The former constituted a detailed appraisal of the area's I settlement history and archaeological potential, through reference to the County Sites and Monuments Record (SMR), cartographic and documentary sources, place-name evidence and air photographs (Appendix 11; Section 11; Palmer 1998). Field I evaluation primarily took the form of a fieldwalking survey and systematic surface collection (Figure 2; Appendix Ill). Upon the basis of this work's results, selected areas were more intensively analysed through gridded sampling and a metal detector I survey. Soil-type and depth of top-soil was assessed by hand-excavating a number of I 'shovel-test' pits (Figure 3; Appendix IV). 1.5 The fieldwalking results indicate archaeological activity within the proposed development area, in particular what appears to be a salt-working site of Late Iron I Age or Early Roman date (TYN 073). Whilst a similar site had already been identified nearby (TYN 018), this was a new discovery (Figure 1; Appendix 11). Very little was recovered from those fields which abutted the current sea-defences, however, this is I probably a reflection of their relatively modem land-surfaces. Indeed, given the quantity of finds collected from the slightly higher land of the surrounding fields, it is suggested that archaeological material may well be masked in this area by a I combination of colluviation, recent human activity (bulldozing and ditch-cutting) and river-flood deposits (Appendix IV). · I 1.6 As a result of these findings it is firstly recommended that site TYN 073 undergoes further evaluation through trenching, with the possibility of full-excavation if necessary. Secondly, it is desirable that those fields directly affected by the I proposed development should be examined by 2% trenching,_with_ an allowance for extra trenching should the need arise. Finally, it is suggested that the sea-wall should I be investigated and recorded archaeologically when it is dismantled. I I I 2 I 1. 7 The work was commissioned by the Harwich Haven Authority on land owned by Trinity College, Cambridge as part of the mitigation strategy associated with the current dredging of the River Orwell (planning application - C/98/1192). It was I carried out by the SCCAS Field Project's Team in November 1998, who gratefully acknowledges the help and information provided by the tenant farmer of the land, Mr. I N. Smith of Longford House. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 3 I 2 INTRODUCTION AND TOPOGRAPHY 2.1 There has been a proposal to create an 'inter-tidal habitat' on land beside the Orwell estuary at Trimley Marshes, in the parish of Trimley St. Martin, Suffolk, I centred on TM. 2562 3655. 2.2 The land lies due east of the Orwell estuary, bounded by Sleighton Hill to the I north, the New Fleet and the parish boundary between Trimley St Martin and St Mary to the south, with Thorpe Common, Trimley Lower Street and Salter's Wood slightly inland to the east (Figure 1). Three of the fields (1, 4 and 7) directly abut the current I sea-defence wall, whereas the northernmost field (Field 5) is bounded on its west by a public footpath, beyond which lies a sandy-cliff and the river beyond.