Saxon inhumations, Scheduled monument East of Ardleigh (EHER 3483)

Three or four Saxon inhumations lying W-E were found in CEU area 7, which is the area of the Bronze Age cemetery. They lacked grave goods or contained a simple iron knife. The Saxon graves may have been deliberately placed within the Bronze Age cemetery, in an attempt to forge a connection with an older social order.

Four inhumations lying W-E were found in area 7 with the only grave goods present two small iron knives. <1> Excavations, 1979-1980 Little unequivocal evidence of Saxon date has been recovered from the excavations at Ardleigh . However, some features in Area 7 appear likely to belong to this period . Three inhumation graves were recorded, orientated roughly east-west. These burials lay within the area of the Bronze Age barrow cemetery, and either lacked grave goods or contained a simple iron knife. One of these graves appears to have been set beneath a small barrow which was incorporated into the corner of an irregular field defied by narrow shallow gullies. The Saxon graves may have been deliberately placed within the Bronze Age cemetery, in an attempt to forge a connection with an older social order. <2> Source <1> and <2> contradict each other in the number of burial excavated.