Monument record BSE 454 - Medieval boundary ditch and pits and post medieval features at Westgate House, Westgate Street, Bury St Edmunds

2014: Evaluation of 3 trenches revealed a medieval (11th-12th century) boundary ditch aligned broadly perpendicular to Friar's Lane which contained a semi-complete broken pot 11th-12th century, indicating proximity to domestic dwellings and suggesting that the ditch was the boundary of a medieval house plot fronting onto Friar's Lane. A truncated medieval cess pit was also identified containing 4 sherds of 11th-14th century pottery. Another medieval pit and a line of three post-pads associated with a 17th-19th century building were identified. Two Post medieval features were revealed which includes a cess pit or well which contained large quantities of peg roof tile, brown/green bottle glass, animal bone and numerous clay pipe stems as well as a piece of 18th century London Stoneware pottery with part of an ale mark. The second Post medieval feature was a ditch on a slightly offset alignment to Friar's Lane. 18 sherds of 18th century glazed red earthenware and 2 sheds of late 17th century pottery were identified. A drain aligned north to south was located in the northern part of the site, it contained a brick-built drain/culvert and backfill which produced pottery, tile and glass fragments. The bricks were machine made and the pottery included blue and white china. Excavation of one trench in the south of the site also showed evidence of past landscaping in the gardens of Westgate House (S1). Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2014 (S2).

See BSE 498 for 2016-2017 EXC and MON