Monument record BSE 353 - Medieval working yard and 19th century stables, 40 Peckham Street, Bury St Edmunds

2010: Evaluation included a cartographic and documentary search alongside the trenching to allow an informed assessment of the archaeological potential of the site. The evaluation uncovered a clay building platform with a series of ovens and several pits that were of medieval date (S1).

2012: Excavation uncovered a medieval burgage plot which was in existence from at least the 12th century, the boundaries of which had remained largely fixed to the present day. The archaeological evidence indicates that the site was once part of a working yard where cottage-scale industry took place throughout the medieval and post-medieval periods. Multiple ovens for baking and the drying of grain for malting were found together with steeping pits and querns for malt grinding. 8 clay ovens were located at three places, at two of these sites repeated and successive oven structures were build over each other. Sunken troughs and tubs for the working and storage of lime putty probably for the production of plasters were found in conjunction with discarded processing waste from the working of cattle and goat horns. The density of features suggested that several different trades were being practised over time, the site was at its busiest and most productive between the 12th-16th centuries, the archaeological evidence for this activity tails off from about 17th century and gone by the mid 18th century. The remains of a 19th century stable and a wall originating from c.16th century were the only confirmed building remains identified during the excavation. The abundance of medieval domestic rubbish from pits however signifies that a dwelling may have existed close by. Against the south boundary were the remains of a flint and brick-built stable range which was built at the end of the 19th century as it is not shown on 1886 OS map but is depicted on the 2nd edition OS published 1904. Later the stables were used to house the drays that pulled the milk floats and were knocked down in the 1960s (S2).

An evaluation and excavation was carried out in advance of redevelopment on land that lay wholly within a single medieval burgage plot that was in existence from at least the 12th century, with boundaries that had remained largely fixed to the present day. The archaeological evidence points to a working yard where cottage-scale industry took place. Multiple ovens both for baking and the drying of grain for malting were found together with steeping pits and querns for malt grinding. Sunken troughs and tubs for the working and storage of lime putty probably for the production of plasters were found in conjunction with discarded processing waste from the working of cattle and goat horns and within the environmental samples, charred cereal grains and hammer-scale were ubiquitous. The density of features suggests that the site was at its busiest and most productive between the 12th and the 16th centuries, with activity tailing off from about 17th century and gone by the mid 18th. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2011 (S3).