Ipswich UAD child record record IPS 1052 - Building 0434

This sunken-featured building was 3.4m in long, from north to south, 2.5m wide, with a pit 65cm deep. It was probably a six-poster as three postholes were recorded in the surviving west wall (0537, 0539, 0547). Two survived in the east wall (0455, opposite 0539, and 0538, opposite 0537). The north-east corner of the pit had been removed by MLS pit 0021.
Evidence for a planked lining behind the posts, on the south side of the building, was indicated by a vertical line, close to the edge of the pit, with a sandy filling (0446) behind it, representing the backfill material between the planking and the edge of the pit. There was a stepped entrance (0445) on the north-west corner of the pit, with a layer of silt on its base.
A layer of dark sandy loam (0450), on the base of the pit was probably contemporary with its use, and appeared to seal a number of small post holes (0456, 0457, 0459) cutting the natural. These were very shallow and appeared to be non-structural. Two additional posts (0458, 0447) were more substantial but 0447 appeared as a void and was described as a possible modern bore hole.
A number of carbonized timbers, including the bases of two posts (0469, 0470), were found within the filling of the pit, 30cm above the base, and not cutting the floor surface. They were most likely part of the rubbish thrown into the pit during its backfilling on demolition.
The building was probably constructed in the late MS period, as the postholes contained Ipswich ware only, and was abandoned early in the ELS period, as its fill contained over 60% Ipswich ware and less than 40% Thetford ware. Three ELS pits (0319, 0325 and 0528) cut the backfilled pit, confirming this. These pits had assemblages comprising 86% and 95% Thetford ware respectively, (S1).