Monument record IPS 732 - Tower Ramparts School, Ipswich 1979-1981, (IAS 0802).

Circumstances of Excavation
The Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre was a major development between Tavern Street, to the south, and Tower Ramparts, to the north, requiring the demolition of property fronting Tavern Street and the Tower Ramparts School behind.

Site Constraints
The developer agreed to limited excavation by the Suffolk Archaeological Unit in 1979/1981 provided that it avoided the Tavern Street frontage, did not delay development and was at no cost. In view of the limited funds available, sample excavation only was possible (350 square metres of a site in excess of 3500 square metres). The research design was to trench across the line of the town defences, south of Tower Ramparts, and to sample the school playground with a series of square trenches to maximise understanding of any structures. The trench, cut on the Tower Ramparts frontage, was abandoned and backfilled after revealing an excessive depth of post-medieval disturbance. Four trenches (0001, 0050, 0180, 0217) were then excavated within the area formerly covered by the school playground.

Stratigraphic Sequence
The trenches were found to be heavily disturbed, in places, by footings, cellars and World War II air-raid shelters which involved adjustment of the proposed trench locations on site. Trench 0001 was bisected by the cross-passage of an air-raid shelter, and air-raid shelter walls formed all four edges of trench 0050, the north and south edges of trench 0180, and the north edge of trench 0217.

Features and Finds
Middle Saxon to Early Medieval, with post 1900 (Inc WW2 Air raid shelters).
Pits, Post holes (no definite structure outline), Beam slots, Ditches, Ipswich Ware, Thetford Ware, St. Neots Ware, 1 coin (Coenwulf of Mercia c. 840), Cellars, Possible well, Clay spread (S1)