Site Event/Activity record ESF21100 - Flood alleviation Scheme, Eastgate Street, Bury St Edmunds

During the winter of 2009-10 Anglian Water constructed a new sewer linking Cotton Lane to Eastgate Street, in order to alleviate flooding in the area. This project allowed a limited corss-section through the floodplain of the River Lark from Eastgate Street to Cotton Lane, as well as a glimpse of the settlement remains on Eastgate street. Floodplain deposits encountered were of post-medieval date and consisted of dark silts rich infreshwater molluscs laid down by episodes of flooding and a narrow layer of peat probably representing an episode of bog generation. The deposits encounted adjacent to Eastgate Street revealed a succession of buildings fronting onto the street. Due to lack of dating these remain undated. However, an episode of land reclamation by the dumping of material on the floodplain deposits behind the street-frontage may be dated to the 15th-16th centuries. This reclamation may have taken place in the backyards of properties fronting onto Eastgate Street, the rear boundary of which is represented by a wall which may have been of a similar date (S1).