Cropmarks of Bronze Age barrow cemetery, trackways and enclosures (EHER 7027)

A sub-circular enclosure is visible as a cropmark on air photographs. Part of a small group of circular features immediately south of the River Stour (see associated monuments), the enclosure measures about 60 metres in overall diameter. The circuit is interrupted by two gaps or entrances located roughly to the east and northwest. Within the enclosed area are faint traces of another ditch concentric to the main enclosure ditch. Priddy and Buckley's (1987) transcription of the cropmarks shows this internal ditch as an almost complete, if faint, circle, whereas the air photograph and Harding and Lee's (1987) transcription appear to show an arc of ditch with its open side facing the northwest entrance. A linear feature also visible as a cropmark appears to respect the enclosure. Priddy and Buckley suggest that the site may represent a religious or ritual site associated with the small, adjacent barrow group. Harding and Lee simply offer the comment 'Insufficient information, but unlikely to belong to the henge class'. Trial trenching in 1997 showed the enclosure to be of Bronze Age date. No further details are given but the implication is that the site is not a henge. Field walking in the general area by the Haverhill and District Archaeological Group between 1983 and 1985 recovered a collection of predominantly Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age flints, along with a small amount of Mesolithic material. Other cropmark features in the vicinity may represent scattered pits.

Cropmarks of ring ditches. One large penannular ring ditch has inner double ditches. There are also two smaller ring ditches and one very small ring ditch. <1> - <6> Linear features, possible double ditched trackway and several other ring ditches (on as EHER 7048) also plotted and on aerial photographs. <7> <8> See EHER 7358 and EHER 7359 for finds of Mesolithic and Neolithic to Early Bronze Age flints from this area. Ring ditch is concentric. Site interpreted as Bronze Age barrow complex. <9> Summary sheet and written description of Cropmark Enclosure Project. <10> See also: <11> - <17> Cropmark formerly recorded separately as EHER 7048, but clearly part of the same barrow complex. At TL 7851 4504 ring ditch exhibiting internal 'pits' and possible inner circle. <24> NRHE data transfer (379295): TL 787 454. One very large double concentric ring-ditch with two small rings to north and south. TL 787 450. One ring-ditch with large rectangular enclosure. (Nothing visible on RAF air photographs 58/295 pt 2 5213-4, 23.7.49). <18> TL787 453. A collection of late Neolithic and early Bronze Age flints along with a small amount of Mesolithic material was found whilst fieldwalking between 1983 and 1985. The complex of ring ditches suggest a ploughed-out barrow cemetery. One feature had a causewayed ditch and may be a henge type monument. <19> February 1999. Alternative action report. Cropmarks on aerial photographs show a sub-circular enclosure with two ring ditches in close association and a further two ring ditches further afield. To the west of the enclosure is a ditch with a kink in its north-south line which suggests that the enclosure could still been seen when the ditch was cut. The sub-circular enclosure itself has a diameter of c. 60m, an entrance on its east side and a second, wider gap on its north-west side. It contains an inner circle, approximately 25m in diameter, which is not so well defined. Its form is similar to Springfield style enclosures of which a small number are known in Essex; including the type site at Springfield and Mucking North Ring which both have a single circular ditch, and double-ditched types such as Mucking South Rings. Finds collected from the fields containing the cropmarks included Bronze Age Flints. The initial interpretation of the cropmark as a Springfield style enclosure was plausible, however the nature of the complex has now been reassessed. The site was field-walked and trial-trenched. Trench A sampled the linear feature and the west side of the circular enclosure. Trench B explored the inner ditch and possible entranceway on the opposite east side of the enclosure. Trench C investigated the small ring ditch to the south west. The only features which contained any finds were the inner circle ditch and outer enclosing ditch; both contained small assemblages of Neolithic or Bronze Age pottery and flint. The site has been reinterpreted as a large Bronze Age barrow. The field walking recovered burnt and worked flint, one concentration located in the cropmark area; very few pieces were, however, closely datable. <20> See also: <21> - <23> NRHE data transfer (1231595): At TL 7876 4533 a ring ditch is visible as a cropmark on air photographs. It is situated just outside and immediately to the southwest of the possible hengiform enclosure TL 47 NE 30. The ring ditch measures approximately 12m to 15m in diameter, and appears to have no interruptions in its circuit. See <22>. Site 59 in source <21> NRHE data transfer (1231624): At TL 7867 4500 a ring ditch is visible as a cropmark on air photographs. The full circuit does not appear to be visible, but assuming the cropmarks represent a complete circular ditch, then the enclosed area would be approximately 30m in diameter. This is one of a small cluster of ring ditches and other features close to the circular enclosure. <21> NRHE data transfer (1231625): At TL 7870 4542 a ring ditch is visible as a cropmark on air photographs. Measuring circa 20 metres in diameter, it is located just outside the north-western entrance of the possible hengiform enclosure. <21> NRHE data transfer (1231629): At TL 7880 4545 a ring ditch is visible as a cropmark on air photographs. It is located circa 100 metres north-east of the possible hengiform enclosure. It is one of several ring ditches and other features clustered in vicinity of the enclosure. <21> NRHE data transfer (1231649): At TL 7877 4526 a small penannular ring ditch is visible as a cropmark on air photographs. Located approximately 100m southeast of the possible hengiform enclosure, it is no more than 10 metres in diameter. A single entrance or causeway appears on the southwest side. <21>