Site Event/Activity record ESF22770 - Excavation and monitoring, Manson House, Bury St Edmunds

Excavation and monitoring in advance of residential development on land to the rear of Manson House, Northgate Street was undertaken following Evaluation. The fieldwork was carried out across the three Areas in several stages. Following demolition of Cowpers Close, monitoring of construction work was carried out in Area 1 and was followed by excavation on the eastern half of the development footprint being carried out in two stages. During groundworks, 0.5m of topsoil and 0.3m of a dark grey/brown silt layer. In Area 2, following the demolition of the existing building an area of c.69sqm was stripped by machine to a depth of c.0.6m. The planned excavation of Area 2 was abandoned when the level of modern disturbance became clear. In Area 3 a small excavation, c.92sqm, of the cellar footprint was carried out. To the west of this excavation area the initial excavation and monitoring of new footings soon exposed massive areas of deep disturbance (S1).