Archaeologists uncover Anglo-Saxon, medieval items in Suffolk
One of Europe’s largest archaeological digs this year has uncovered a rich tapestry of information about Suffolk’s history during Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval times.
Image courtesy of ScottishPower Renewables.
The offshore windfarm East Anglia ONE is being built 30 miles (48km) off the Suffolk coast, with the onshore cable route running 23 miles (37km) from Bawdsey to Bramford.
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Experts said they have discovered “many layers of activity” at the “complex” 1,500 sq m site near Ipswich.
Wardell Armstrong was commissioned to oversee archaeological works across 60 hectares of Suffolk countryside, working closely with Suffolk County Council. Up to 400 archaeologists have been involved in the work since February, with a peak on-site workforce of around 250 at any given time, as well as 20 members of the Ipswich and District Metal Detector club.
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A stone spindle whorl, said to be early medieval in date, was discovered by the team
The dig has revealed new insight in to past settlements and land use activities in the region. So far evidence from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman period, Anglo-Saxons and into the medieval period has been found. As well as evidence of residential dwellings and places of work, a wide range of pottery fragments have been discovered alongside tools and coins and other pieces of interest.
Archaeologists think an uncovered green-glazed jug was made in East Anglia
Although perfectly intact artefacts are rare in such digs, many items of archaeological significance have been recovered. Discoveries include fragments of green-glazed face jugs, popular in medieval homes in 13th century England. Archaeologists think it is likely the jug was manufactured in Grimston, near King’s Lynn, which was a centre for the production of medieval pottery at this time. Household items manufactured at Grimston were exported from King’s Lynn all over Europe and proved to be especially popular in Norway where nearly half of all the medieval pottery recovered was made at Grimston.
Joanna Young, Stakeholder Manager at ScottishPower Renewables, said: “Hundreds of archaeologists and metal detectorists combing over fields in Suffolk is not the first thing you think of when you imagine an offshore windfarm – but it highlights the wide range of efforts needed to build a major energy project like ours.”
Richard Newman Post-Excavation Manager at Wardell Armstrong, said: “It is not often that archaeologists get access to such a vast corridor of land, and the project has been fascinating. The experts on site are often required to act like detectives to understand why buildings and artefacts have been found in certain locations, and then gradually we can build a larger picture. Each find reveals a different clue about the way life used to be in Suffolk, and helps to increase our historical understanding. All of the finds will now be analysed further, and detailed reports will be produced, but it is safe to say we already know a lot more about Suffolk’s history today than we did a year ago.”
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Cllr Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for environment and public protection, said: “The project is a great example of successful partnership working, between ScottishPower and Suffolk County Council, as well as hundreds of archaeologists and detectorists. It has been a logistically challenging project, with so many sites and so many people involved, but everyone has pulled together to deliver a successful dig. Once the full reports have been produced we plan to make the artefacts available to local museums, giving people across the region and beyond a chance to interact with important features from Suffolk’s past.”
Archaeologists uncover Anglo-Saxon, medieval items in Suffolk
One of Europe’s largest archaeological digs this year has uncovered a rich tapestry of information about Suffolk’s history during Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval times.
The offshore windfarm East Anglia ONE is being built 30 miles (48km) off the Suffolk coast, with the onshore cable route running 23 miles (37km) from Bawdsey to Bramford.
Experts said they have discovered “many layers of activity” at the “complex” 1,500 sq m site near Ipswich.
Wardell Armstrong was commissioned to oversee archaeological works across 60 hectares of Suffolk countryside, working closely with Suffolk County Council. Up to 400 archaeologists have been involved in the work since February, with a peak on-site workforce of around 250 at any given time, as well as 20 members of the Ipswich and District Metal Detector club.
The dig has revealed new insight in to past settlements and land use activities in the region. So far evidence from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman period, Anglo-Saxons and into the medieval period has been found. As well as evidence of residential dwellings and places of work, a wide range of pottery fragments have been discovered alongside tools and coins and other pieces of interest.
Although perfectly intact artefacts are rare in such digs, many items of archaeological significance have been recovered. Discoveries include fragments of green-glazed face jugs, popular in medieval homes in 13th century England. Archaeologists think it is likely the jug was manufactured in Grimston, near King’s Lynn, which was a centre for the production of medieval pottery at this time. Household items manufactured at Grimston were exported from King’s Lynn all over Europe and proved to be especially popular in Norway where nearly half of all the medieval pottery recovered was made at Grimston.
Joanna Young, Stakeholder Manager at ScottishPower Renewables, said: “Hundreds of archaeologists and metal detectorists combing over fields in Suffolk is not the first thing you think of when you imagine an offshore windfarm – but it highlights the wide range of efforts needed to build a major energy project like ours.”
Richard Newman Post-Excavation Manager at Wardell Armstrong, said: “It is not often that archaeologists get access to such a vast corridor of land, and the project has been fascinating. The experts on site are often required to act like detectives to understand why buildings and artefacts have been found in certain locations, and then gradually we can build a larger picture. Each find reveals a different clue about the way life used to be in Suffolk, and helps to increase our historical understanding. All of the finds will now be analysed further, and detailed reports will be produced, but it is safe to say we already know a lot more about Suffolk’s history today than we did a year ago.”
Cllr Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for environment and public protection, said: “The project is a great example of successful partnership working, between ScottishPower and Suffolk County Council, as well as hundreds of archaeologists and detectorists. It has been a logistically challenging project, with so many sites and so many people involved, but everyone has pulled together to deliver a successful dig. Once the full reports have been produced we plan to make the artefacts available to local museums, giving people across the region and beyond a chance to interact with important features from Suffolk’s past.”
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