New Processing Plant, Eye Airfield, Yaxley, Suffolk

Between the 13th of February and the 9th of March 2018, Oxford Archaeology East (OA East) conducted an archaeological investigation at land off Potash Lane, Eye Airfield, Eye, Suffolk (centred TM 1277 7460). Seventy-four trenches were excavated, each 30 metres in length. Forty-seven of these trenches revealed dispersed linear and discrete archaeological features and deposits. The evaluation revealed two main zones of activity in the eastern half of the site. Zone 1 was located in the north-east corner of the site and comprised a scatter of ditches, gullies, pits and postholes tentatively assigned to the Roman period, based on the recovery of a small number of pottery sherds. These features included two dark, charcoal-rich pits that contained burnt flint and fired clay with environmental remains suggestive of waste from a grain drying facility or bread oven. Ditches in surrounding trenches had varying alignments, and are likely to represent the remains of a small rural Roman farmstead. The second major zone of activity was located in the south-east corner of the site. The archaeology in Zone 2 comprised a network of ditches largely devoid of finds, and containing simple homogenous fills. The ditches had varying alignments. However, two principal axes have been identified, hinting at the existence of a pattern of rectilinear divisions reconfigured on at least one occasion. Dating is problematic, but the ditches are thought to be Roman in date, forming part of a wider field system previously identified to the south of the site. Evidence of post-medieval activity was revealed across the eastern part of the evaluated area. A series of post-medieval ditches were uncovered corresponding with linear anomalies recorded by the geophysical survey, and a system of field boundary depicted on historic maps between 1839-1942. The evaluation also uncovered the footings and demolition spread of ‘Red Barn’; a former 19th century agricultural building/farm demolished as part of the construction of the airfield in 1942 Other features associated with the construction, use and dismantling of the World War II airfield were recorded in the western half of the site. These comprised a series of narrow gullies, ditches, pipe trenches, levelling layers and areas of disturbance/localised contamination. Metal detecting in the western area of the sites yielded a series of finds including a silver long cross penny of Henry II (1250-51) and a silver United States Airforce identification bracelet clasp (1942-47).