Christchurch Park, Ipswich: An Archaeological Evaluation of a Former Pond F11

An archaeological evaluation, compromising two trenches was undertaken by the Archaeological Field Unit (AFU) of Cambridgeshire County Council on the 19th and 20th January 2005. The evaluation took place in an area of waterlogging within Christchurch Park, Ipswich thought to be the area of a former pond. The proposals are to possibly recreate the pond as part of the restoration of the park. The pond, which is first shown on a map date 1735, may date to the middle of the 16th century. Documentary evidence shows that in 1567 Edmund Withypoll built at least one new pond near his house. Two trenches (32m in length) were excavated through the waterlogged area. Map evidence showed that the earlier pond was further to the north than was realised, through the southern edge of the pond would have been within the northern ends of both trenches. None of the pond survived through large amounts of brick fragments recovered from trench 1 may have been from the former southern pond lining, and deposited after the pond was removed and the site landscaped. The bricks are identical to the bricks from the Mansion house which dates to at least 1550. Late 19th and early 20th century map evidence combined with evidence from the evaluation shows that the present terrace was built from landscaping works in this park of the park.