Monument record IPS 429 - Makro Site, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich.

2003: Ipswich, Makro Site, Ransomes Europark (TM 2094 4163; IPS 429): Monitoring of soil-stripping over the site revealed a series of ditches and pits. While no finds were recovered to help date these features,the evidence suggested that they were of post-medieval date. The majority of the ditches did notconform to any of the known early map boundaries but were on similar alignments. In addition, the fills were not uniform and did hot exhibit the kind of leached out character that could be expected if they were of any great antiquity. The pits could be divided into two distinct types: the first were relatively irregular in shape with brown sandy fills and were interpreted as tree-holes, the second perfectly circular with a lower fill of charcoal with evidence for in situ burning. Features such as these have been identified on other sites on and in the vicinity of the former Ipswich Airport and have been interpreted as fog-lifters or decoy lights to confuse enemy bombers during the· Second World War. (Stuart Boulter for Suffolk County Couincil & Makro. Self Service Wholesalers Ltd) (S1).

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2003 (S2).