Monument record IPS 2064 - Desk-based assessment at 30 - 50, Grimwade Street

2018: A DBA was undertaken of the site in advance of a development proposal. Sporadic evidence for prehistoric and Roman activity has been recorded along the north bank of the river but always as residual finds in later features. The PDA lies c.200m to the east of the line of the former defences built around the Saxon settlement of Ipswich but other than an occasional stray find no Saxon features have been recorded in the area of the PDA. The medieval town expanded to the east but this seems to have been focussed on St. Helen’s Street to the north and the area of St. Clement’s Church and Fore Street to the south. There is no positive evidence for any post-medieval development in the area until the 19th century when a network of streets, including Grimwade Street was created and the entire neighbourhood covered terraced housing. This area became regarded as one of the worst slum areas of the town and was cleared in the 1930s. Shortly after the parade of shops that lie within the PDA was built. It is likely that any archaeological deposits or features that may exist within the footprint of the present building will have been damaged but should still survive in isolated pockets. Evidence of the 19th century housing is likely to survive within the PDA. Approximately half the area of the PDA lies within what would have been the rear yards of the 19th century housing and the garden area of the present building. In this area it is highly likely that any evidence for activity predating the 19th century housing would survive relatively untouched by the later developments. (S1)