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Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service
Bury Resource Centre
Hollow Road
Bury St Edmunds
IP32 7AY
The 1979 excavation was encouraged by Ipswich Borough Council, the landowners, in advance of potential development and the 1983-85 excavations were commissioned by Ipswich Borough Council as a result of planning consent and scheduled monument consent being granted for redevelopment of the site by Habinteg Housing Association. All excavation work was undertaken by the Suffolk Archaeological Unit.
There were no constraints on the area excavated but the parcels of land were released for excavation in seven phases.
Finds evidence indicated activity from the Prehistoric, Romano-British and Early Middle Saxon periods and one ditch was probably Roman or early Anglo-Saxon. The main features on site were attributed to the Middle Saxon period (c.720-c.850) and later.
A surface building was probably late Middle Saxon and wells, pits and later features contained a substantial finds assemblage of this date including imported pottery and coins.
During the Early Late Saxon (c.850-c.900) a road crossed the north-east corner of the site and it is assumed that another bounded the west edge of the site. As well as surface and sunken featured buildings there was evidence for iron-working.
The Late Saxon town defence (ditch and bank) crossed the east side of the site and was backfilled by c.1000. Four iron smithing hearths and two small cemeteries were also from the Middle Late Saxon period. Replacement town defences were identified in the Early Medieval (c.1000-c.1200) phase and then enlarged to the 'Magna fossata', or great ditch, constructed in 1204.
The construction of a Dominican Friary from 1263 occupied the whole site west of the town defences and involved some levelling of the area before construction of the church and buildings around a cloister. 265 burials were excavated.
The last of the friary buildings was finally demolished c.1852 and the site was redeveloped.
Two air-raid shelters were constructed during World War II.
Further information can be found in the Site Summary which can be accessed by selecting the 'Reports' tab on the 'Downloads' page.