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Suffolk HER

Suffolk HER Number (Pref. Ref.):SNP 007
Unique number (MonUID):MSF2391
Type of Record:Monument
Parish:SNAPE, SUFFOLK COASTAL, SUFFOLK
NGR:TM 402 593

Summary

Tumulii and Sax mixed inhumation and cremation cemetery.

Monument Types

Associated Finds

  • QUERN (Undated)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • ANNULAR BROOCH (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • BOWL (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • BRIDLE (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • CLASP (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • COFFIN (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • COLLAR (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • COMB (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • CRUCIFORM BROOCH (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • DRINKING VESSEL (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • FERRULE (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • FITTING (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • GIRDLE HANGER (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • KNIFE (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • MOUNT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • NECKLACE (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • PENDANT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • PIN (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • POTTERY (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SHEET (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SHIELD (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SHIELD BOSS (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SMALL LONG BROOCH (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SPEAR (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SPEARHEAD (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SPINDLE WHORL (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • SWORD (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
  • VESSEL (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)

Protected Status: None recorded

Description

Tumulus and Sax inhumation and cremation cemetery. First archaeologically excavated 1862.
Digging on the site by 'Gentlemen from London' recorded in 1826, but no details are given, except that they departed with gold rings, brooches, chains etc.
Location: N of A1094, near St Margarets. 'The tumuli form a line on either side of said highway (A1094) for some distance and vary very greatly in size' (S3). 'On the ...common are several tumuli, at least 8 or 10 in number. A... road divides the common and the mounds are on each side of the road... The tumuli are of a conical form about four to five feet in height and ... some seventy two feet in diameter, others six or seven feet in diameter (S2). Road was driven 'between five or six large barrows which stand on either side of the road... the road has run so close that it had cut off a considerable slice of one of them' (S5). All are said to have been opened circa 1820, when a wagon load of vases etc were removed, and again when the OS visited the site. For the two barrows S of the road see SNP 003 and SNP 004 (CRN 02386 and CRN 02387).
Three barrows N of the road opened 1862.
1) Easternmost and smallest.
2) Central, 60 - 70 feet in diameter, four and a half feet high. At least 2 Sax urns with cremations, also BA collared urn inverted over a cremation [see BA]; also an iron spearhead.
3) Westernmost, 72 feet in diameter, four and a half feet high. Contained a boat 46 feet long x 9 feet 9 in wide x 4 feet deep. In it was some auburn hair; some cloth; a gold ring with a Rom intaglio (figure of BONUS ADVENTUS); fragments of an amber coloured glass claw beaker (C6) and a small fragment of thick blue glass; fragments of jasper.
A cremation cemetery with over 40 urns was discovered between the two largest barrows.
1972: SNAPE 007A - Sewer trench cut through road to S of St Margaret's revealed:- ring ditch (TM 4023 5933) circa 8m in diameter, 1m wide, 1.8m deep, 6 plain ESax sherds in upper fill. Flat cemetery to E of ring ditch:- 1) cremation, young female in bronze bowl; 2) cremation, young adult male in ESax urn; 3) cremation, infant 9-10 months in ESax urn; 4) cremation, infant 3-6 months in ESax urn; 5) cremation, adult in ESax urn; 6) cremation, adult female, with bone spindle whorl, bone comb and antler ring, in ESax urn; 7) cremation, youngish adult male, unurned; 8) cremation, infant 8-12 weeks in ESax urn; 9) cremation, young female in ESax urn. Urns C6 in date (S10).
1976: Post Office telephones cable laid along road near St Margarets (sherd ESax pottery found - AR9 - see parish file)((see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s)). SNAPE 007B, (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s): Base of cremation urn with decoration of incised triple chevrons and a line of stamps above. Contained cremated bone. It was found just N of a (?) palisade trench 12 inches wide and 5-6 inches deep; this was traced for 42 feet running E-W. A pit of 5 feet 6 inches in diameter and 3 feet 3 inches deep located at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s), sterile. Reported and excavated by Major General J Scott-Elliott 1970 (S11). Urn figured in Myres' corpus number 2425 (S12).
Resistivity survey carried out in 1982.
Excavations continued between 1985 and 1992, which can be seen in (S25).
Details of 1985-1989 excavations in (S14) and of small boat burial in (S15).
Details and discussion of 1986 excavations in (S23). Nine cremations found, seven urned cremationsmany inhumation graves located (some excavated).
1987 excavation (S21).
1987 excavation carried out by Snape Historical Trust from 1 September to 2 October. Same area excavated in 1986 and 1987. In 1987 four new cremations located, seven new inhumations revealed (skull of a femle found) and well preserved textiles found. Details and discussion of 1987 excavations in (S22).
Details of 1990 excavations in (S24). Four possible inhumation graves found and ring-ditch. No significant archaeological finds.
Details of 1991 excavations, further barrow/s, horse burial & further boat burial in (S16).
Details of 1992 excavations in (S17 & S19) & summary of 1824-1992 excavations in (S20). Area of cemetery adjusted on HER map to correspond with (S20, fig 5). Includes SNP 003 & 004.
1992: A combined assessment report and updated project design (S25). Includes details of excavation history, ecofactual/artefactual/environmental data, statement of potential, storage and curation and an updated project design.
For 1997 excavations see (S18).
Possible site of Plomesgate Hundred meeting place (S20, 266) - see Med.

Sources

---Article in serial: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. PSIAH Volume 37, Part 2; 1990; p. 162. (SSF50250)
[M1](No record type): Barrow survey: archive. (SSF47004)
[S1](No record type): Francis F, The Field, 17 Jan 1863, 61-62, 24 Jan 1863, 74-75. (SSF6627)
[S2](No record type): Davidson S, Proc Soc Antiq, 2nd series II, 1863, 177-182. (SSF5005)
[M2]Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish file. Parish file: (S15)(S18)(S19). (SSF50072)
[S3](No record type): Hele N F, Notes or jottings about Aldeburgh, 1870, 24-29. (SSF7420)
[S4](No record type): Scarth Rev H M, Archaeol, 20, 1863, 188-191. (SSF21054)
[S5](No record type): Francis F, Archaeol, 20, 1863, 373-374. (SSF6626)
[S6]Bibliographic reference: 1911. VCH Suffolk 1. 325-329. (SSF54455)
[S7](No record type): Bruce-Mitford R, PSIA, 26, 1952, (1), 1-26. (SSF2441)
[S8](No record type): Meaney, A.. 1964. A Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites. Meaney A, Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon burial sites, 1964, 232. (SSF11118)
[S9](No record type): Bruce-Mitford R, Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology, 1974, 114-140. (SSF2440)
[S10](No record type): West S E & Owles E, PSIA, 33, 1973, (1), 47-57. (SSF22956)
[S11]Bibliographic reference: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Archaeology in Suffolk, 1970, PSIA, 32, 1970, (1), 102-103, (ill). (SSF50042)
[S12](No record type): Myres J N L, Corpus number 2425. (SSF11631)
[S13]Index: OS. OS Card. OS, card TM45NW1. (SSF50032)
[S14]Bibliographic reference: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Archaeol in Suff 1985-1990, PSIA 36(2)-37(2), 1986-1990. (SSF50042)
[S15](No record type): Filmer-Sankey W, `A new boat burial from the Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery Suffolk', CBA, RR, 71, 1990,. (SSF6409)
[S16](No record type): Filmer-Sankey W, `A Preliminary Report on the Evaluation of SAm Suff 43b, Oct 1991, ill. (SSF6410)
[S17](No record type): Filmer-Sankey W, Summary Report for Archaeol in Suff 1992, PSIA. (SSF6427)
[S18]Unpublished document: Suffolk County Council Archaeologcial Service. Various. SAU, Boulter S, SCCAS Report 97/54, September 1997. (SSF50036)
[S19]Unpublished document: Suffolk County Council Archaeologcial Service. Various. Filmer-Sankey W,Snape Historical Trust, SCCAS 92/24, December 1992. (SSF50036)
[S20]Bibliographic reference: Miscellaneous Bibliographic reference. Filmer-Sankey W & Pestell T, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery: Exc & surveys 1824-1992, EAA 95, 2001, ill. (SSF50094)
[S21]Article in serial: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. PSIAH 36(3) 1987 p239; 36(4) 1988 p318-9, PSIAH 37(1) 1989 p76. (SSF50250)
[S22]Unpublished document: Filmer-Sankey, W.. 1987. The Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery. Filmer-Sankey, Interim Report, 1987. (SSF54679)
[S23]Unpublished document: Filmer-Sankey, W.. 1986. The Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery. Filmer-Sankey, Interim Report, 1986. (SSF54680)
[S24]Unpublished document: Filmer-Sankey, W.. 1990. The Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery. (SSF54681)
[S25]Unpublished document: Filmer-Sankey, W.. 1992. The Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery. (SSF54682)

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