A probable Prehistoric field system at Solar Farm, Thetford Road, Fakenham Magna, Suffolk

Between the 20th of August and the 3rd of September 2013 OA East conducted an evaluation on 22ha of land off Thetford Road, Fakenham Magna, Suffolk (centred on TL900 749) in advance of a new Solar Farm. This work followed a geophysical survey (Schofield 2012) and a contour survey (Landtech Surveys Ltd). Eighty-one evaluation trenches were excavated across two fields representing a c.3.5% sample.
Evidence for activity relating to an agricultural landscape associated with residual worked flints and possibly contemporary Early Iron Age pottery (although this is uncertain) was found. In addition there were scatters of worked flints indicating that the area was (probably seasonally) utilised in the Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods.
A small assemblage of mostly Earlier Neolithic flints including some burnt were residual within probable Early Iron Age features in two trenches in the south-west corner of Field 2. Elsewhere across the site was a sparse scatter of unstratified flints dating from the Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age periods.
Ditches (some large) of probable Early Iron Age date and perhaps enclosing fields or paddocks, were found in the south-western corner of Field 2. These fields or paddocks were generally rectangular and estimated to have been up to 50m in length and between c.13m to 18m wide.
No structures were found, although given the presence of a small assemblage of Early Iron Age pottery, domestic occupation is likely to have been located somewhere in the vicinity; probably beyond the confines of the development area to the south or west.
A single abraded Roman pottery sherd may indicate manuring of the fields during the Roman period.
Both Fields appear to have continued in use for agriculture until the present day.