Monument record BSE 376 - Weymed Centre, Bury St Edmunds, (Medieval-Post Medieval) (SCCAS) EVAL (BRIT) EVAL (BRIT) EXC

2011: Evaluation revealed evidence that the site was subject to a clearance to create a garden for the Marquis of Bristol and the medieval properties that once occupied the site were demolished and buried beneath early 17th century topsoil. As a consequence the archaeology is extraordinarily well preserved. Pottery recovered suggests the site has been in continuous occupation since at least the 10th century. Activity increased during the high medieval period reflected by 12th-14th century finds. Medieval features from across the sites included pits, a ditch and a possible cellared building. Late medieval occupation was evidenced by buildings remains and the potential exists for building footprints to remain, along with ancillary structures. Remains of a cobbled surface, possibly a lost lane, were also uncovered. The late medieval buildings were demolished in a single event. There is a 16th century cut-off date for the finds. An almost complete circular base of an engaged column was recovered which may have been used as part of an internal structure from around 15th century onwards. The remains of two civil defence buildings of brick wall stubs and concrete raft, were seen, one may possibly be an air-raid shelter which overlay the 17th century topsoil. A clay-lined pit, posthole and brick culvert were also seen (S1).

Saxon and medieval deposits were uncovered during the 2011 evaluation of the S part of the proposed development site, and evaluation of this N part identified a main phase of medieval activity (11th – 14th century), correlating with the most intense phase of activity identified previously. A number of undated post-holes are suggested to likely represent ancillary structure/s related to the buildings identified to the S.

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2021 (S2)