Monument record IPS 391 - Ipswich Airport, Area of Medieval Features, (IAS 9134).

November 1999: Evaluation trenching around Ipswich airport revealed area of Medieval features and pottery. Details in (S1).

An archaeological evaluation on the southern edge of the former airport was carried out in advance of tree planting for a housing development. Thirty trenches, 2m wide and totalling 1179.5m in length were opened up, revealing three main areas of activity:
IPS024: Two trenches were opened to pinpoint a ring-ditch that is thought to be the remains of a round barrow recorded on a map of 1783. The ring-ditch and a number of other ditches and pits were exposed. Surface cleaning of these revealed a number of worked flints.
IPS390: A trench adjacent to Brazier’s Wood and overlooking the River Orwell revealed a high concentration of pits and ditches containing an abundance of pottery of the 1st century AD. Preliminary analysis suggests a settlement with densely clustered features – substantial ditches, pits, post-holes and a number of possible cremation burials. Most of the features contained 1st-century pottery, but one pit contained prehistoric pottery, flint blades and a leaf-shaped projectile point.
IPS391: A trench beside the route between medieval Clapgate Lane and Alnesbourne Priory revealed a number of medieval ditches, pits and post-holes. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 1999 (S2).