Monument record IPS 874 - Medieval features at Cornhill, Ipswich

2016: Evaluation revealed a relatively high density of features in both trenches. The features were discrete and comprised pits and postholes. The latter may be indicative of structural remains. The archaeological features are 0.50m-1.20m below the current ground surface and are well preserved. The features contained predominantly early 8th-mid 9th century pottery, and also mid 9th-12th century, 11th-13th century and mid 12th-mid 14th century pottery. They contained between 1 and 5 sherds of pottery. Associated finds comprise CBM, animal bone and shell. A fragment of slag and a medieval copper alloy button was also found. Sparse residual struck flint was also recovered (S1).

2017: The excavation recorded a density of Saxon-medieval pits and postholes sealed by a sequence of made ground, including the continuation of features recorded at the southern end of Trench 1. Several pits were inter-cutting, and exhibited slightly irregular profiles with multiple fills that suggest the accumulation of waste, possibly as rubbish pits. The postholes exhibited regular and steep-sided profiles, and probably had a structural function. Overlying a deposit sealing all of the medieval and earlier features was a metalled surface possibly representing a later medieval or post-medieval market surface. The features represented three phases of activity, spanning the 8th-9th, 9th-12th and 12th-15th centuries. Both the dated and undated features contained modest quantities of animal bone and oyster shell; carbonised cereal remains, and low quantities of fired clay. Pits F2077 and F2086 also contained well-preserved, residual Roman pottery, suggesting the presence of hitherto unknown, earlier activity in the Cornhill area. The available evidence was consistent with urban activity during the represented periods. While no evidence to irrefutably prove the
use of this area as a market place was recorded, the evidence may be considered to support the historical evidence that indicates that this was the function of this part of Ipswich. (S2)

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2017 (S3).