Archaeologists have uncovered a nationally significant Anglo-Saxon burial ground during preparatory works for the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk.
Among the most remarkable discoveries is a high-status “princely” grave containing two individuals buried alongside a fully harnessed horse, weapons, and personal items.
Dating to the 7th century, the burial indicates that the individuals were members of the social elite and offers rare insight into the beliefs, power structures and funerary traditions of early medieval East Anglia.
A team from Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA), working on behalf of Sizewell C, identified at least 11 burial mounds, or barrows, together with both cremation and inhumation burials. The cemetery was carefully arranged across a prominent ridge near Theberton, demonstrating deliberate placement within the landscape.
Although bone preservation has been severely affected by the area’s sandy soils, meticulous excavation and recording have preserved critical evidence of burial practice and social hierarchy in early medieval Suffolk.
The discovery will feature in an episode of Digging for Britain on BBC Two at 21:00 on Wednesday, 14 January.
Len Middleton, OCA Project Officer, said: Excavating a section of the Sizewell Link Road has been an exciting experience for me and the team. The site is an early Anglo-Saxon barrow cemetery dating from the 6th to 7th centuries, with both inhumation and cremation burials, many furnished with weapons, jewellery and vessels. Soil conditions have resulted in little preservation – instead we are left with striking sand silhouettes that capture the outlines of the bodies in remarkable detail.
“One barrow, containing a horse and two individuals buried with weapons and personal items, stands out as a ‘princely’ burial – part of the same elite tradition seen at Sutton Hoo, Snape and Prittlewell. Discoveries like this are of national importance because they deepen our understanding of power, belief and identity in early medieval England, and how those ideas were expressed along the East Anglian coast.”
Other recent Sizewell C excavations have revealed evidence of Roman industrial activity, including a well-preserved pottery kiln at Middleton, as well as an extremely rare Iron Age oak ladder from the same site.
At Goose Hill, north of Sizewell, archaeologists uncovered evidence of activity spanning millennia, from Early Bronze Age farming and Beaker-period cremations to Roman salt production and Second World War coastal defences.
Nigel Cann, Chief Executive Officer of Sizewell C, said: “The Anglo-Saxon burial ground uncovered during preparatory works for our 6.5km Sizewell Link Road offers a fascinating glimpse into Suffolk’s rich heritage and the lives of its early communities. Working closely with OCA, we have ensured these finds are carefully recorded and preserved for future study. This project shows how major infrastructure developments can enhance understanding of our past while building for the future.”
Construction of Sizewell C began in January 2024 and has already provided an unparalleled archaeological window into life along the Suffolk coast.
In 2023, OCA archaeologists discovered a hoard of more than 300 11th-century silver coins encased in lead and cloth near the future power station site. Nicknamed “the pasty” for its resemblance to a Cornish pasty, the hoard is thought to represent a concealed savings cache buried during a period of political and social instability. The collection has since been donated to Suffolk County Council’s Archaeological Service for curation and research.
Further discoveries include evidence of Bronze Age settlement, medieval ovens and structural remains, many of which have been shared with the public through community open days and talks.
Rosanna Price, Engagement Manager at Cotswold Archaeology and presenter on Digging for Britain, said: “These excavations have been a labour of love for field archaeologists and specialists across the country. They are revealing an astonishing 36,000 years of human activity – from Neanderthal occupation and the first farmers to early medieval society and the training grounds of the Second World War.
“I grew up in Suffolk and cannot overstate the privilege of seeing my county’s extraordinary history uncovered through the work of the OCA team. It is an honour to present Digging for Britain and share these discoveries with the people of Suffolk.”
Across 70 sites, around 200 OCA archaeologists are investigating approximately two million square metres, making Sizewell C the largest and most complex archaeological programme currently under way in the UK.
Councillor Debbie Richards, Suffolk County Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Archaeology and Landscape Partnerships, said: “Suffolk continues to reveal its remarkable past, and the scale of these discoveries should not be underestimated. The council’s archaeological service is committed to ensuring that this heritage is properly protected, documented and deposited within our archive so that it remains available for future research and museum display.”
Sources : Oxford Cotswold Archaeology
