Site Event/Activity record ESF22829 - Monitoring of bricks in vaulted cellar, 72 Whiting St., Bury St Edmunds.

Two areas of vaulting survive in the cellar at 72 Whiting Street. One of these forms a short alcove at the far end of the L-shaped cellar, but could originally have extended across the length of this wing to join up with that in the other area of cellar. The vaulting is in the form of a four-centred arch. Set back to one side, an area of rougher brickwork with some 'Abbey stone' to the end nearest the vault, appears to be a later infill. The bricks in this section of vaulting were largely covered with a thin skin of lime render, but dimensions of the bricks were recorded in two places where a stretcher and a header were exposed. The size of bricks in this area was approximately 9.25" x 4" x 2" (237 x c.110 x 50mm), and all were laid as stretchers, (the header was exposed at the end of the vaulted alcove). These bricks were in a dark red sandy fabric with occasional coarse flint tempering, but no ferrous material. The other wing of the cellar appeared to be almost barrel vaulted, although on the closer inspection it was in the form of an irregular four-centred arch. This area of vaulting extended to the whole length of the wing. The bricks in this area were of similar size to those at the end of the cellar, but appeared slightly wider, the approximate measurements being 234 x 120 x 50mm (9.25" x 4.5" x 2") although some were slightly thicker (up to 2.5" thick). There appeared to be a wider range of brick types and sizes in this area, although this perception may be due to the greater area exposed by loss of larger areas of the lime render covering. Some bricks in this vault had reduced (grey) headers, and some had ferrous inclusions. There were both headers and stretchers visible in the exposed area. It is possible that some or all of this area of vaulting could have been rebuilt at some stage. The size and fabric of the bricks, together with the style of vaulting, would be consistent with a late 15th or, more likely, 16th century date.