Monument record IPS 2077 - Medieval ditches and pits and Post medieval field systems and ditches at Westerfield Road, Ipswich

2020: An archaeological trial trench evaluation revealed 355 features thinly spread out across the site with scattered concentrations. The investigation identified four main phases of activity on the site of Later Prehistoric, Roman, 11th to 14th Centuries and Post Medieval. The medieval period was represented by a concentration of features grouped in three areas in the western and northern areas of the site. The western features consisted of four ditches all broadly east west aligned as well as three pits and a gully. Artefactual evidence dated the features to the 11th to 14th and 13 to 16th centuries. One of the pits contained a large number of heat affected stone. The northern part of the sites contained two clusters of linear features of 11th to 14th century origin.

The Post Medieval and modern periods was represented by agricultural and horticultural activity associated with activity around the Redhouse farm or Red House Park estate. This consisted of ditches comprising two field systems, and three old field boundary ditches. The remaining 195 features comprising ditches and pits revealed during this excavation did not contained datable artefactual evidence and were undated (S1).

Evaluation (190 trenches) was conducted prior to development connected with the Ipswich Northern Fringe (Garden suburb) development. 355 features were identified. While datable artefacts were sparse, four main phases were identified: prehistoric (particularly Iron Age), Roman, medieval (notably 11th to 13th centuries), and post-medieval and modern (S2).