Site Event/Activity record ESF21142 - SWISS Centre, Ipswich

This report covers the preliminary analysis and assessment of the data obtained during the archaeological evaluation and subsequent excavation undertaken by the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service. The site is situated on high ground that overlooks the minor valley of Belstead Brook to the south. Evaluation identified three cremation burials, two in urns, were discovered in an area close to the south-west boundary of the proposed development. In order to mitigate against the potential loss of further cremation burials that might be present it was proposed to undertake an open area excavation of the south-west part of the development area. Excavation identified a further sixteen cremation burials that were excavated, all but one of which was urned. Basic analysis of the urns suggests a Middle Bronze Age date for these burials. A further fourteen pit type features of unknown date, many containing dense charcoal deposits which may be related to the cremation burials, were also excavated. All of the cremation burials were relatively widely spaced except the two un-urned cremation deposits which were situated immediately adjacent to urned examples. Only one burial monument was identified, being a narrow ring ditch, 3m in diameter and concentric around one of the urns. The fill comprised numerous flints and small fragments of sarsen-type stone which may be represent evidence for a small, possibly stone covered, mound having been built over the cremation burial. Project status: Complete Yes, Validated Yes Previous/Future Work: Previous Yes, Future Yes Associated Identifiers: HER event no. SPT 035 Planning Application No. B/08/00873 NMR No. 1546846 Project Type: Recording project Investigation Type: Open-area excavation Reason for Investigation: Direction from Local Planning Authority - PPG16 Current Land use: Cultivated Land 2 - Operations to a depth less than 0.25m Monument Type(s)/Period(s): CREMATION BURIAL Middle Bronze Age , PIT Uncertain Artefact Type(s)/Period(s): BURIAL URN Middle Bronze Age , LITHIC IMPLEMENT Early Bronze Age PROJECT LOCATION Area 10000.00 Square metres Grid Reference: TM12964290 Point PROJECT CREATOR(S) Brief originator: Local Authority Archaeologist and/or Planning Authority/advisory body Design originator: Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Field Team Director/Manager: Rhodri Gardner Supervisor: Mark Sommers DIGITAL ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service ID: SPT 035 Contents: other Media: Database, Images raster / digital photography, Text PAPER ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service ID: SPT 035 Contents: other Media: Context sheet, Correspondence, Photograph, Plan, Report, Section PHYSICAL ARCHIVE Recipient: Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service ID: SPT 035 Contents: Ceramics, Human Bones, Worked stone/lithics BIBLIOGRAPHY Publication Type: Grey literature (unpublished document/manuscript) Title: ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT REPORT: SOUTH-WEST IPSWICH AND SOUTH SUFFOLK SIXTH FORM CENTRE, PINEWOOD, IPSWICH Author(s)/Editor(s): Sommers, M. Other Bibliographic Details: SCCAS 2008/064 Date: 2008 Issuer/Publisher: SCCAS Place of Issue or Publication: Ipswich Description: printed sheets of A4 paper with card covers and plastic comb binding (some wire bound)