Monument record SPT 058 - A Bronze Age ring ditch and a late Saxon enclosure, Land of Loraine Way, Sproughton, Ipswich (MGS) GEO

The northern part of the site was found to contain a series of silt-filled palaeo-channels, which can be traced on the results of the previous geophysical survey, alongside a medieval ditch and two undated pits. The southern half of the site contained a ring-ditch representing the remains of a Bronze Age round barrow, alongside two ditches that may form part of a possible late Saxon enclosure system. A large 12th century medieval ditch was also found within this area, which might be related to a former boundary along the back of the nearby Sproughton Hall. The trenches along the far southern end of the site contained a series of 19th and 20th century rubbish pits possibly associated with the houses which line the north side of Lower Street. Several undated pits and postholes and an undated ditch were also found (S1).

A fluxgate gradiometer survey was successfully completed and anomalies of possible archaeological origin were detected. The geophysical results primarily reflect natural soil/geological variation and modern activity, however possible archaeological activity is reflected in the presence of a C-shaped anomaly of 23m diameter, which may reflect the presence of a ploughed out barrow or ring ditch (S2).