The earliest identifiable settlements are those of the Romanised Britons.
Sherds of pottery found on the fields came from cooking pots such as these.
There was considerable Romano-British activity (late 1st – 4th centuries) – peasant farmsteads over the entire parish possibly servicing villas in Ixworth and elsewhere. There is no indication of wealthy property in Walsham.
Evidence – nineteen large patches of Wattisfield made pottery and half a pudding-stone quern.
Part of a pudding-stone quern set in the west wall of the churchyard – it was used for grinding grain and other seeds.
It is likely that from the 9th century a group of extended families lived close to the present church.
Evidence – a few pieces of later Saxon pottery found in just two places and a later Saxon dress-fastening. Mention in Domesday of a settlement before the Norman Conquest. The place-name of Walsham is Saxon – the original form was Waeles-ham, or ham of the Welsh probably relating to surviving Romano-British inhabitants.
The few sherds of Ipswich made pottery found here came from cooking pots like these.
Evidence – Saxon silver dress fastening found on Cranmer Green.
Walsham Saxon village may have looked like this.
Syke, Bromeswong and Old Toft are Walsham field names – they may reflect some Viking influence in the 10th century.
