The Riverside Club, Stowupland Street Stowmarket

Desk-Based Assessment

SCCAS Report No. 2013/024 Client: Riverside Entertainment Author: J. A. Craven March 2013 © Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service

The Riverside Club, Stowupland Street Stowmarket

Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Report SCCAS Report No. 2013/024 Author: J. A. Craven Contributions By: Anthony M Breen Report Date: March 2013

HER Information

Site Name: The Riverside Club, Stowupland Street, Stowmarket

Report Number 2013/024

Planning Application No: N/A

Grid Reference: TM 0500 5883

Curatorial Officer: N/A

Project Officer: John Craven

Client/Funding Body: Riverside Entertainment

Disclaimer

Any opinions expressed in this report about the need for further archaeological work are those of the Field Projects Team alone. Ultimately the need for further work will be determined by the Local Planning Authority and its Archaeological Advisors when a planning application is registered. Suffolk County Council’s archaeological contracting services cannot accept responsibility for inconvenience caused to the clients should the Planning Authority take a different view to that expressed in the report.

Contents

Summary

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Project Background 1

1.2 Site description 1

1.3 Topography and geology 1

1.4 Scope of this report 3

1.5 Aims 3

1.6 Methods 4

1.7 Legislative frameworks 5

1.7.1. National legislation or policy 5

1.7.2. Local policy and guidance 7

2. Results 9

2.1 Scheduled Monuments 9

2.2 Suffolk HER search 9

2.2.1 All known archaeological sites within the PDA 9

2.2.2 All known archaeological sites within the Study Area 9

Negative fieldwork 18

2.3 Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings 21

2.3.1 Conservation Area 21

2.3.2 Listed Buildings 21

2.4 Other Heritage within the Study Area 26

2.5 Documentary and cartographic study summary 26

2.6 Site inspection 32

3. Assessment of impacts and effects 33

3.1 The archaeological potential of the PDA 33

3.1.1 Prehistoric 33

3.1.2 Roman 33

3.1.3 Anglo-Saxon 33

3.1.4 Medieval 34

3.1.5 Post-medieval 34

3.2 Potential level of archaeological preservation within the PDA 35

3.3 Potential impact of development on the archaeological resource 35

3.4 Potential impact of development on other heritage assets 36

4. Mitigation measures 37

5. Conclusions/Recommendations 39

6. List of contributors and acknowledgements 39

7. Bibliography 40

List of Figures Figure 1. Location map 2 Figure 2. HER sites within the Study Area 10 Figure 3. Prehistoric and Roman HER sites within the Study Area 13 Figure 4. Medieval HER sites within the Study Area 16 Figure 5. Post-medieval HER sites within the Study Area 19 Figure 6. Undated and negative HER sites within the Study Area 20 Figure 7. Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings within the Study Area 22 Figure 8. Listed Buildings with potential line of sight to PDA 25 Figure 9. Extract from Saxtons’s Map of Suffolk, 1575 29 Figure 10. Extract from Speede’s Map of Suffolk, 1610 29 Figure 11. Location of the PDA on Hodskinson’s map of 1783 (not to scale). 30 Figure 12. Location of the PDA on 1st Edition Ordnance Survey, 1887, with Tithe map information superimposed. 30 Figure 13. Location of the PDA on 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey, 1904. 31

Figure 14. Location of the PDA on 3rd Edition Ordnance Survey, 1927. 31

List of Plates Plate 1. Henry Davy’s 1838 illustration, looking south from Pickerel bridge 28

List of Appendices Appendix 1. Documentary and Cartographic Study Appendix 2. Site inspection photographs

List of Abbreviations used in the text BP Before Present DBA Desk Based Assessment HER Historic Environment Record LDF Local Development Framework NHLE National Heritage List for England NPPF National Planning Policy Framework PAS Portable Antiquities Scheme PDA Proposed Development Area PPG 16 Planning Policy Guidance 16 PPS 5 Planning Policy Statement 5 SM Scheduled Monument SCCAS/FT Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service/Field Team SCCAS/CT Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service/Conservation Team

Summary

Through an examination of the Suffolk HER and National Heritage List for England, a documentary and cartographic search and a site inspection, this DBA has set the PDA within its immediate historic and archaeological landscape.

In general the topographic location of the PDA, together with the known archaeology and documented history of the area, suggests that there is a moderate to high potential for encountering archaeological remains of medieval and post-medieval date within the PDA and that such deposits are likely to be in a highly variable state of preservation.

It is suggested that further archaeological investigation trial trench evaluation may be able to identify and assess the extent, character, density, depth and level of preservation of any archaeological deposits within the PDA, in accordance with national and local planning policy. However due to the current usage of the site it is not thought possible to do such work satisfactorily until the site is cleared, after planning consent is granted, and so could be requested by condition on the planning consent.

Consultation with the LPA’s archaeological advisor, is recommended at the earliest possible opportunity to determine the actual program of any further archaeological works that may be required as part of any future planning application.

1. Introduction

1.1 Project Background This archaeological DBA has been prepared by SCCAS/FT for Riverside Entertaiment

This DBA is intended to establish the potential of the PDA for heritage assets, as recommended by national and local planning policy, by characterising the nature, date and potential for survival of archaeological deposits upon the site and the extent to which such deposits could be impacted upon by the proposed residential development of the site. Advice as to the requirement and nature of further investigation to establish the archaeological potential of the PDA is also provided.

1.2 Site description

The subject of this DBA covers an area of approximately 0.18ha centred at TM 0500 5883, in the parish of Stowmarket (Fig. 1). The PDA lies near the centre of the town, on the northern fringe of the historic core and c.110m west of Stowmarket Station.

The PDA lies in an urban area of mixed residential or business properties. To north and west it is flanked by residential properties which front onto Stowupland Road, to the east by the River Gipping and to the south by a carpark and modern office block. The PDA is presently occupied by two main buildings, broadly aligned east-west, on the north and south sides. These are connected by a one storey structure on the eastern side and surround a central car parking area with access to Stowupland Road to the west.

1.3 Topography and geology

The PDA is located on the western bank of the River Gipping at a height of c.30m above OD. The PDA is located on superficial alluvial deposits of clay, silt, sand and gravels, above Crag Group sands (British Geological Survey).

Norfolk

SUFFOLK

Essex

0 25km 0 1 2km2km

604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900604900605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605000605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100605100 604900 605000 605100

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Figure 1. Location map

2 1.4 Scope of this report

In order to set the PDA in its archaeological context a Study Area of a 1km radius from its centre was selected for examination (Figs. 2-7).

In accordance with the NPPF, the Government’s guidance on archaeology and planning, this DBA examines the available archaeological and heritage sources to establish the potential of the PDA for heritage assets and the potential impact of the proposed development on such assets. These include the Suffolk HER, reports of any archaeological investigations, all readily available cartographic and documentary sources, and a site walkover.

1.5 Aims

The aim of the DBA is to determine as far as reasonably practicable from the existing records, the previous landuse and history of the PDA, the nature of the known archaeological resource or other heritage assets within the Study Area, and the potential archaeological resource of the PDA. In particular the DBA will:

 Collate and assess the existing information regarding archaeological and historical remains within and adjacent to the site.

 Identify any known archaeological sites which are of sufficient potential importance to require an outright constraint on development (i.e. those that will need preservation in situ).

 Assess the potential for unrecorded archaeological sites within the application area.

 Assess the likely impact of past land uses (specifically, areas of quarrying) and the potential quality of preservation of below ground deposits, and where possible to model those deposits.

 Assess the potential for the use of particular investigative techniques in order to aid the formulation of any mitigation strategy.

1.6 Methods

The following methods of data collection have been used to meet the aims of the DBA:

 A search of the Suffolk HER and NHLE for any records within the Study Area, and an examination of the literature with reference to archaeological excavations within the study area. The results are described and mapped in section 2.1 and 2.2 below.

 A search for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas that lie within the Study Area and may have a line of sight to the PDA, was carried out on the NHLE and Suffolk HER. A summary is presented in section 2.3 below.

 A search for Registered Parks and Gardens or other heritage assets that lie within the Study Area was carried out on the NHLE and Suffolk HER. A summary is presented in section 2.4 below.

 A historical documentary search, including an assessment of all readily available cartographic sources showing the PDA was commissioned. The results have been summarised in section 2.5 below, with the full report presented in Appendix 1.

 The sites urban landuse since the 19th century, as shown on historic mapping, indicates that a search and assessment of aerial photography is not relevant to this project.

 A site inspection to determine the presence of any factors likely to impact upon the overall assessment of the PDA’s archaeological potential was conducted on the 05/03/2013. Digital photographs taken during the inspection are presented in Appendix 2.

4 1.7 Legislative frameworks

1.7.1. National legislation or policy

NPPF National Planning Policy Framework (which replaced PPS5 in March 2012, which in turn had replaced various guidance such as PPG 15 and PPG 16) provides guidance for planning authorities, developers and others on planning and the historic environment (Chapter 12, paragraphs 128 & 129 below).

128. In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. As a minimum the relevant historic environment record should have been consulted and the heritage assets assessed using appropriate expertise where necessary. Where a site on which development is proposed includes or has the potential to include heritage assets with archaeological interest, local planning authorities should require developers to submit an appropriate desk-based assessment and, where necessary, a field evaluation.

129. Local planning authorities should identify and assess the particular significance of any heritage asset that may be affected by a proposal (including by development affecting the setting of a heritage asset) taking account of the available evidence and any necessary expertise. They should take this assessment into account when considering the impact of a proposal on a heritage asset, to avoid or minimise conflict between the heritage asset’s conservation and any aspect of the proposal.

Scheduled Monuments The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act of 1979 statutorily protects Scheduled Monuments (SMs) and their settings as nationally important sites.

5 Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Listed buildings are protected under the Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act of 1990. This ensures that listed buildings are given statutory protection against unauthorised demolition, alteration and extension. Buildings are listed because they are of special architectural importance, due to their architectural design, decoration and craftsmanship; also because they are of historical interest. This includes buildings that illustrate important aspects of the nation's social, economic, cultural or military history or have a close association with nationally important persons or events.

Conservation Areas are designated for their special architectural and historic interest, usually by the local planning authority. Any alterations to properties, structures, trees etc in a conservation area may need permission from the local planning authority.

Registered Parks and Gardens A Registered Park or Garden is a site included on the 'Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England’ which is maintained by English Heritage. It currently identifies over 1,600 sites assessed to be of national importance. Registration is a ‘material consideration’ in the planning process, meaning that planning authorities must consider the impact of any proposed development on the special character of a registered park or garden.

6 1.7.2. Local policy and guidance

Replacement of the Mid Suffolk Local Plan with the Local Development Framework is currently in progress. The LDF’s Core Strategy Development Plan Document, adopted in 2008, reiterates in Core Strategy Objective SO 4 the need ‘to protect, manage, enhance and restore the historic heritage / environment and the unique character and identity of the towns and village…’. Associated detailed development management polices are not yet finalised although Policy CS5 states that ‘the Council will introduce policies in the other DPDs of the Local Development Framework to protect, conserve and where possible enhance the natural and built historic environment including the residual archaeological remains. These policies will seek to integrate conservation policies with other planning policies affecting the historic environment’.

Until the new LDF is fully in place Section 2.2 of the Mid Suffolk Local Plan (1998), which details local policy towards heritage and listed buildings, still applies. This states that the Heritage and Listed Building objectives of the Local Plan are: o to maintain or enhance the quality of Mid Suffolk's heritage, particularly through safeguarding its Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings o to protect ancient monuments and their settings o to give protection to parks and gardens of historic or landscape importance o to control change in ways that will protect the character of towns and villages and their settings o to give protection to archaeological sites and to ensure they are properly investigated and recorded if such sites are disturbed by development.

Of particular relevance are policies HB14 and HB1515 which concern archaeological remains:

Policy HB14 Where there is an overriding case for preservation, planning permission for development that would affect an archaeological site or its setting will be refused. Having taken archaeological advice, the district planning authority may decide that development can take place subject to either satisfactory measures to preserve the archaeological remains in situ or for the site to be excavated and the findings recorded.

7 In appropriate cases the district planning authority will expect a legally binding agreement to be concluded or will impose a planning condition requiring the developer to make appropriate and satisfactory provision for the excavation and recording of the archaeological remains.

Note 2. If there are indications that important archaeological remains may be affected by development proposals the District Planning Authority may request the prospective developer to arrange for an archaeological field evaluation to be carried out before any decision on an application is taken.

POLICY HB15 The district planning authority will support planning applications which seek to develop the educational, recreational and tourist potential of archaeological sites and monuments in a manner which provides for the proper interpretation, protection and management of the site.

Target: ensure that where development is permitted that affects archaeological remains, investigation and recording is carried out and, if appropriate, opportunities for archaeological interpretation and display are featured within the approved development.

The Stowmarket Area Action Plan (SAAP) Policy 9.5 concerns the Historic Environment and states that ‘development proposals should protect the historic landscape including natural and man-made landmarks and archeological features and safeguard our built heritage ensuring that the district’s historic buildings are protected’ and that to ‘protect the historic environment of Stowmarket and surrounding villages including archaeological sites, historic buildings and landscapes, planning applications affecting historic environment assets will only be acceptable if accompanied by sufficient information as set out in the NPPF (Chapter 12).’

8 2. Results

2.1 Scheduled Monuments

A search of Scheduled Monuments was carried out on the Suffolk HER and on the National Heritage List for England website (NHLE 2012). There are no SM’s within the Study Area.

2.2 Suffolk HER search

The HER only represents the archaeological material that has been reported, this is the ‘known’ resource. It is not therefore, a complete reflection of the whole archaeological resource of this area because other sites may remain undiscovered, this is considered as the ‘potential’ resource. Figure 2 shows all sites recorded in the HER within the Study Area.

2.2.1 All known archaeological sites within the PDA

The PDA lies wholly within SKT 022, the area of the medieval town as defined in the Suffolk HER, which lies on the west bank of the River Gipping (see below).

2.2.2 All known archaeological sites within the Study Area

There are c.50 HER entries recorded within 1km of the PDA centre, ranging from the prehistoric to the post-medieval periods, with a notable absence of any evidence for activity in the Anglo-Saxon period. A summary of the HER entries is given below by period:

9 N

StudyStudy AreaArea

PDAPDA

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10 General Prehistoric (Fig. 3) A palaeoenvironmental assessment, SKT 053, in advance of construction of the Stowmarket Relief road 200m to the south-west, analysed sediment samples from peat deposits in the Gipping valley. This demonstrated that sediment accumulation began c.9000 years BP and continued to c.1300 years BP. Although pollen preservation was mixed the beetle assemblage suggested a series of changes in fluvial systems, starting with the infilling of a palaeochannel with rapidly flowing water during the Mesolithic, a period of steady accumulation of peat in a floodplain/back swamp environment in the Neolithic/Bronze Age and a final phase of increased local wetness and rising watertables through to the Anglo-Saxon period. The analyses also provide evidence for human activity in the Gipping Valley, indicating the presence of grazing animals during the Neolithic/Bronze Age, open pastoral habitats in the Bronze Age and cultivation and processing of flax in the Iron Age.

Evaluation and palaeoenvironmental survey on land off Station Road East, SKT 051 (Stirk 2009), immediately east of the PDA on the opposite river bank, revealed that the site had been water meadow or marshland until the construction of the Navigation channel in the late 18th century.

A low level of prehistoric activity has also been indicated in archaeological evaluation at SKT 058, 400m to the south, with residual finds being found in later deposits.

Mesolithic (BC 10,000 – BC 4,001) (Fig. 3) Evidence of activity in this period consists of three recorded findspots, all located 400m- 500 to the west of the PDA. These are a Thames Valley type pick (SKT 001), a quartzite pebble macehead (SKT Misc - MSF5405) and a flint core and blade, SKT Misc – MSF5408.

11 Bronze Age (BC 2,350 - BC 801) (Fig. 3) A socketed Bronze axe found in 1880, SKT Misc – MSF5413, is recorded 800m to the south of the PDA.

Iron Age (BC 800 – 42 AD) (Fig. 3) Evaluation and excavation, in advance of the large residential developments to the east of the town at Cedars Park, has identified extensive evidence of Iron Age occupation c.800m to the east. A partially enclosed Late Iron Age Settlement with several roundhouses was has been excavated at SKT 018, a Middle/Late Iron Age enclosure with two possible roundhouses and two groups of large pits at SKT 036 and further Early Iron Age features, including postholes thought to be a structure, at SKT 037.

Roman (43 AD – 409 AD) (Fig. 3) The excavations at SKT 018 have identified evidence of continuing occupation into the Roman period, with an enclosure on a similar axis to the earlier Iron Age example, and settlement comprising of timber buildings, wells, ovens/kilns, fences and cobbled surfaces. Later Roman features included a substantial masonry building and possible bath house. Co-axial field systems have also been recorded while fieldwalking and metal detecting have also collected large amounts of tile, including tegulae, box and floor types, pottery including samian, plain and decorated wares, coins, brooches and other metalwork.

Other evidence of Roman occupation in the Study Area consists of a ditch found during evaluation at SKT 056, 400m to the south-west and a kiln with pierced clay floor at SKT 008, 400m to the east. Findspots of Roman material consist of a 3rd century coin found in an allotment c.800m to the south-east, SKT 002, and pottery 350m to the south-west at SKT 010.

12 N

StudyStudy AreaArea

SKTSKT MiscMisc -- MSF5408MSF5408

SKTSKT 008008 SKTSKT 037037

SKTSKT MiscMisc MSF5405MSF5405

SKTSKT 030366 SKTSKT 001001 PDAPDA SKTSKT 053053

SKTSKT 018018

SKTSKT 056056 SKTSKT 010010 SKTSKT 058058

SKTSKT 056056

SKTSKT 002002

SKTSKT MiscMisc -- 54135413

00 0.50.5 1km1km

13 Medieval (AD 1066 – AD 1539) (Fig. 4) In the early medieval period Stowmarket was a part of the royal vill of Thorney, which also included the modern parish of Stowupland and parts of other parishes. The PDA lies within the extent of the medieval town, on its north-west boundary against the River Gipping.

The PDA lies between two major features of the medieval parish, Thorney Hall and the Church of St Peter and St Mary (and St Paul). Pickerel Bridge, SKT 023, which lies just to the north of the PDA and now carries Stowupland Street across the River, is shown on a series of maps of Suffolk, the earliest being Saxton in 1575 (Fig. 9), followed by Speede in 1610 (Fig. 10), Bowen in 1755 and Hodskinson in 1783 (Fig. 11), and it is reasonable to assume that it is probably the site of an earlier medieval bridge or ford connecting the two areas. The former site of Thorney Hall, SKT 012, lies 200m to the east of the PDA, on the eastern side of the River Gipping. The HER notes that Thorney was a manor of Stowmarket, listed as having a market in 1086, and Thorney Hall a sub- manor which was granted a fair and market in 1338. Thorney Hall is also said to have been the seat of the King's Bailiff from 1086 to the 12th century. The Church of St Peter & Paul, SKT 015, which lies 150m to the south-west, is listed in 1086 in the Domesday Book and was the mother church of the vill of Thorney Two churches originally shared the churchyard and, following the demolition of St Mary’s in the 16th century, the dedication was changed. The church spire was blown down in the ‘Great Storm’ of c.1704. The east window was destroyed in a gun-cotton factory explosion in 1875 (presumably SKT Misc – MSF14407, see below).

Another notable feature of the medieval town is the site of a Fair which originated in the 13th/14th centuries opposite Abbots Hall, 350m to the south-west of the PDA (SKT 010) and still survives as open space. The Museum of Rural Life at Abbots Hall includes a Grade II* listed 14th century tithe barn, SKT 062, associated with the grange of the Abbot of St Osyth.

Several instances of archaeological fieldwork within the Study Area have identified medieval deposits. Excavation on the west side of Stowupland Street, SKT 014, c.30m from the PDA, revealed a number of discreet pits, the earliest of which was 11th-12th century in date. These pits probably relate to buildings along Stowupland Street, which

14 is itself suggested to be of medieval date but not earlier. Evaluation trenching at a former waterworks on Union Street, SKT 032, 70m west of the PDA has identified a series of 12th-14th century and later pits and pottery, various walls and traces of other features. Evaluation on Milton Road 400m to the south, SKT 058, has identified ditches and pits with finds material an area of possibly significant medieval occupation.

Outside of the defined area of the medieval town, to the east of the River Gipping, evaluation and excavation in advance of the Cedars Park residential development’s has identified pits and ditches of medieval date at SKT 038, with further quarry pits, ditches, gullies, two cobbled surfaces, a well, and refuse pits at SKT 043. Slightly to the north evaluation and excavation at SKT 040 have identified a cobbled pathway, a regular grid of plot boundaries/ drainage ditches (possibly tofts) running back from Creeting Road, a post built structure and cobbled surface, and a second barn like structure with two parallel beam slots and two clay extraction pits. Three areas with medieval field ditches were recorded of which one contained a large medieval pottery assemblage and had an adjacent pit contained over 5kg of daub, suggesting medieval buildings in the vicinity.

Findspots of medieval material within the Study Area include 13th century gritty ware sherds 600m to the south at SKT 003, coins from the Fair site at SKT 010, a pottery scatter seen 300m to the south during a watching brief at 43 Ipswich Street, SKT 025, and a shield shaped harness mount with three lions passant on red enamelled background and a purse bar fragment at SKT Misc – MSF19783, 550m to the north.

15 N

StudyStudy AreaArea

SKTSKT MiscMisc MSF19783MSF19783

SKTSKT 040a040a SKTSKT 023023 SKTSKT 012012 SKTSKT 022022 SKTSKT 014014

SKTSKT 043043 SKTSKT 032032 PDAPDA SKTSKT 043043

SKTSKT 015015 SKTSKT 025025 SKTSKT 038038 SKTSKT 062062 SKTSKT 058058

SKTSKT 010010

SKTSKT 003003

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16 Post-medieval (AD 1539 – AD 1900) (Fig. 5) Abbots Hall, a listed Queen Anne country house and associated gardens (SKT 016), including a canal, moated area and 18th century summerhouse, lies 400m south-west of the PDA. Now the site of the Museum of East Anglian Life the grounds now contain a large collection of farm implements and machinery, plus re-erected buildings which include a smithy, Alton Watermill, and Minsmere Windpump, all in working order (SKT 064). The Fair at SKT 010 also continued into the post-medieval period.

The Churchyard of St Peter and St Marys’s (SKT 015), following an outbreak of smallpox in 1678, became the site of a mass grave of 51 soldiers, the resulting earthwork being known as ‘Soldiers Hill’.

Pickerel Bridge, SKT 023, as stated above is shown on post-medieval mapping and links the town to the site of Thorney Hall which, in the post-medieval period was the site of an 18th/19th century Great House, SKT 012, before its remains were converted into a maltings in 1912.

Several buildings, largely business or industrial premises within the town, are noted on the HER. The Finborough Road Brickworks, in operation from 1823 to the mid 20th century is recorded as SKT 017. The site is now largely covered by housing although former pits on its eastern side survive as ponds. A watermill (SKT 020) and bridge (SKT 021) lie at Comb Ford on the Rattlesden River, 900m to the south of the PDA. Both are shown on Bowens 1755 map of Suffolk, with the mill also appearing on Kirbys map of 1736. The mill may date to the 16th century although Ogilby’s 1675 map shows two windmills instead at this location. The bridge is shown by Saxton in 1575, Speede in 1610, Ogilby in 1675 and Hodskinson in 1783. The Violet Hill Brewery (SKT 065) which is recorded from at least 1850, before closing in 1911, is shown on early OS mapping as a brewery and malthouse, and buildings were still extant in 2012. The Victorian Stowmarket Town Gasworks, recorded as SKT Misc – MSF11329, are shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey of 1883 but nothing now survives of the complex. The site of a former gunpowder works/munitions factory, known to have blown up in the 19th century but continuing in use through to the 20th century, is recorded as SKT Misc – MSF14407.

17 Archaeological fieldwork has identified post-medieval deposits in several locations within the Study Area. Undefined deposits are noted at SKT 005, 350m to the south of the PDA, and evaluation and excavation at SKT 040 revealed a group of post-medieval ditches. Evaluation and palaeoenvironmental survey on land off Station Road East, SKT 051, immediately east of the PDA on the opposite river bank, revealed that the site had been water meadow until the construction of the Navigation channel in the late 18th century whereupon it became a focus for mercantile activity, notably maltings, some of the buildings of which survived until demolition just before the evaluation fieldwork. Monitoring at Hill Top Farm, SKT 057, identified two ditches, possibly representing post- medieval recuts of earlier boundaries parallel to the road, and two pits. Post-medieval ditches have also been seen at SKT 031, and other deposits at SKT 058.

Post-medieval findspots in the study area include material within a wattle and daub wall at 11 Ipswich Street, SKT Misc – MSF5420, and a ‘Witch bottle’ with pins and nails under a property floor, SKT Misc – MSF5422.

Undated (Fig. 6) Undated archaeological deposits within the Study Area include an undated pit at SKT 028, a group of undated shallow linear features, interpreted as former field boundaries, at SKT 040 – MSF25534, an undated pit in monitoring at SKT 042, undated ditches and postholes with possible sherds of abraded Roman pottery at SKT 030 and a single posthole seen in evaluation at SKT 055.

Negative fieldwork (Fig. 6) Several instances of archaeological fieldwork in the Study Area have not identified any archaeological deposits: SKT 039, 054, 060, 061 and SKT Misc – 20043.

18 N

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SKTSKT 031031

SKTSKT 057057

SKTSKT 051051 SKTSKT 023023 SKTSKT 012012 SKTSKT 012012 SKTSKT 040b040b

SKTSKT MiscMisc MSF5422MSF5422 PDAPDA SKTSKT 053053 SKTSKT 015015 SKTSKT MiscMisc -- MSFMSF 1132911329 SKTSKT 010010 SKTSKT MiscMisc -- SKTSKT 017017 SKTSKT 010010 SKTSKT MiscMisc -- MSF5420MSF5420 SKTSKT MiscMisc -- MSF14407MSF14407

SKTSKT 064064 SKTSKT 005005 SKTSKT 058058

SKTSKT 016016

SKTSKT 020020

SKTSKT 021021

00 0.50.5 1km1km

19 N

StudyStudy AreaArea

SKTSKT 03030

SKTSKT 040c040c

SKTSKT 055055 PDAPDA SKTSKT 039039

SKTSKT 054054 SKTSKT MiscMisc -- ESF20043ESF20043 SKTSKT 028028 SKTSKT 054054

SKTSKT 060060

SKTSKT 061061

SKTSKT 042042

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20 2.3 Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings

A search carried out on the Suffolk HER and on the National Heritage List for England website (NHLE 2012) has identified one Conservation Area lying partially or wholly within the Study Area and c.110 Listed Buildings (Fig. 7).

2.3.1 Conservation Area

The PDA is situated immediately adjacent to the boundary of the Stowmarket Conservation Area, which extends through the centre of the Study Area from south-west to north-east and encompasses the majority of the medieval town core. The irregular boundary of the Conservation Area has resulted in it bordering the PDA to north, west and east.

2.3.2 Listed Buildings

Of the c.110 listed buildings all but 11 lie within the Conservation area, largely being located to the north. A total of thirty-seven lie within 200m of the PDA centre but of these only twelve are thought to have a probable line of sight to the PDA (Fig. 8). Descriptions given below are abbreviated summaries of the NHLE entries.

Two listed buildings on Stowupland Street flank the entrance to the PDA:

18, Stowupland Street. 1209671. Grade II. Mid 18th century house. Roughcast and colourwashed timber-frame. Plain tile roof. Lobby entrance plan. 2 storeys.

22, 24, 26 and 26A, Stowupland Street. 1209695. Grade II. 3 houses, now 4. Late 15/C16 century, much altered. Timber-framed, plastered and whitewashed with added brick. Plain tile gabled roofs. Street elevation similar to Wealden house type with recessed centre bay flanked right and left by first-floor jettied elements.

21 N

StudyStudy AreaArea

PDAPDA

00 0.50.5 1km1km

22 A further five buildings lie a short distance to the north of the PDA and Stowupland Street, and may have lines of sight:

35 And 37, Stowupland Street. 1297871. Grade II. House, now house and shop. Probably late 16th century, refronted early 19th century. Timber-framed with red brick front with gault brick zig-zag vertical patterning. Plain tile roof.

39 And 41, Stowupland Street. 1209700. Grade II. House, now shop and flat. Mid 16th century, timber-framed with 20th century Fletton brick facade. Plain tile roof. 2 storeys.

47 And 49, Stowupland Street. 1195942. Grade II. Early 17th century house and shop. Roughcast and colourwashed timber-frame. C20 brick west gable end. Plain tile roof.

Union Street. 120980786. Grade II. House. Late 17th century, altered 20th century. Plastered and colourwashed timber- frame on brick plinth, with the north-east gable rebuilt in Fletton brick. Concrete corrugated roofing tiles. 2 storeys.

61 And 63, Stowupland Street. 1209704. Grade II. Pair of houses. 16th century. Plastered and colourwashed timber-frame under a plain tile roof. 2 storeys. On east bank of River Gipping with a line of sight to the PDA.

Two other buildings lie to the east of the PDA on the far side of the River Gipping although only the Maltings is likely to have a line of sight to the PDA since the recent development on Station Road East.

Stowmarket Railway Station,129513. Grade II. Built in 1846 and restored in 1987. Red brick with gault brick dressings under roofs clad in machine tiles. 1-3 storeys on high basements. Composition, in Jacobean style, is symmetrical, comprising a central one storey and attic block linked by single-storey ranges to taller 2-3 storey side blocks.

The Maltings, Station Road. 1292516. Grade II. Malthouse, then warehouse, now restaurant and leisure centre. Late 18th century and later. Flint and brick under roofs of pantiles or slate. L-shaped plan, the major arm running north-south, the minor east-west, both terminating in a kiln with conical flue. 2 storeys and attics. At north end of long arm is the restaurant. Whole flints with brick dressings and piers, one storey and attic. Immediately south is the kiln with its louvred conical flue and, to the east a long outshut. Ground floor with 9 openings for loading shutes under segmental heads, intended for barges on adjacent River Gipping. One ground-floor entrance at south end and 2 first-floor loading doors flanked by irregular fenestration. Attached to north of east end is a square malting kiln with a tall pyramid roof on a single-storey whitewashed brick plinth. No original equipment or fittings remain in interior.

One building 200m to the north-west may have a line of site to the PDA

Bethesda Chapel, Bury Street. 1293096. Grade II. Baptist church. 1813, enlarged 1836, entrance and hall added 1966, gallery alterations 1978. Brick under roof of black-glazed pantiles and slate. 2 storeys.

Finally two buildings to the south have a probable line of sight to the PDA.

19 and 19a, Station Road. 1209662. Grade II. Shop. 17th century origins, remodelled mid 19th century. Timber frame, plastered and colourwashed under a slate roof. 2 storeys in 2 irregular bays.

Lynton House, 10, Station Road. 1209660. Grade II*. Early 18th century timber-framed house, re-worked mid 18th century with new brick additions and facade. Slate roof, plain tiled to rear. Facade of gault brick with red brick dressings. 3 storeys in 5 bays. Rear is rendered and partly timber-framed. Attached to east end of house is a late 19th century 2-storey hipped brick extension.

24 

120970412097041209704

129309612930961293096 120980786120980786120980786

119594211959421195942

120970012097001209700

12978711297871129112978712978717871

  

129513129513129513

1209695120969512120969509695

120967112096711209671

129251612925161292516

 

1209662120966212096621209662 000 505050 100m100m100m 120966012096601209660

25 2.4 Other Heritage within the Study Area

There are no other heritage assets, such as Registered Parks of Gardens, within the Study Area.

2.5 Documentary and cartographic study summary

The study of available documentary and cartographic sources by Anthony Breen (Appendix 1) details the available sources and known history of the PDA.

Firstly the study highlights the potential medieval origin of Pickering Bridge and Stowupland Street, known as Stow Bridge and Bridge Street respectively in 1575, and cites a reference to a bridge in Stowmarket from 1327. Saxton, Speede and Hodkinsons’ maps of Suffolk (Figs. 9 - 11), although at large scales, all clearly show only a single road crossing over the river. Previous studies have also identified a dock or shipyard on the Gipping in either Stowmarket or Stowupland in the medieval period.

The study highlights a distinct difficulty in researching sites within Stowmarket as there are no early maps that can be used to identify owners and occupiers of properties, the 1839 tithe map for instance largely omitting such details. However an area immediately to the south of the PDA is recorded on the tithe map (Apportionment No. 539) as being the property of John Cobbold and, unusually for the area, deeds for John Cobbold’s property from 1575 to 1830 have survived.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the owners of the property that later passed to John Cobbold were involved in the wool trade. By the late seventeenth century one property facing the street to the west had become an inn named the White Lion. The presence of a malting on or near the site is indicated by these documents from the early 18th century, predating the opening of the Stowmarket Navigation.

By the mid 19th century John Cobbold is detailed as a maltster, and a corn and coal merchant, with various properties in the area of Stowupland Street and Navigation Wharf. Further malting houses and warehouses may have been constructed in the

26 vicinity after the opening of the Navigation in the late 18th century, although most may have been on the eastern side of the river. Various other individuals or firms with similar businesses in the area are frequently noted and an illustration from 1838 indicates that at least the northern part of the PDA may have been occupied by one of ‘Mr Cornelius’ Warehouse & barge Victoria, Mr King’s Warehouses… Prentice & Hewett’s Deal wharf’ (Pl. 1).

The opening of the railway in 1846 led to the construction of a new road (now Station Road East) and bridge across the River Gipping to the south of the PDA, reducing both the importance of Pickerel Bridge and of the River Gipping itself as a transport route. By 1856 a neighbouring malthouse owner is recorded as constructing a tramway.

In 1887 these changes are all reflected in the First Edition Ordnance Survey (Fig. 12) and the PDA is shown as being part of a maltings complex fronting onto Stowupland Street to the north. The north part of the PDA is occupied by the southern ends of two building ranges, which extend north to the road. The centre of the PDA is shown as open yard, with a tram line running east across the yard from a starting point on the western side, then across the river and through other industrial complexes to the railway line. The southern part of the PDA is occupied by a range of buildings on a west-east alignment. The Inn labelled opposite the PDA entrance is presumably the White Lion mentioned in the documentary study.

The Second Edition Ordnance Survey of 1904 (Fig. 13) shows very little change to the layout of the PDA or its immediate vicinity, the only notable addition being an apparent arched entrance to the central yard being added linking the two northern buildings. By 1927 and the Third Edition (Fig. 14) this arch has been removed, along with part of the building on the eastern side and other buildings in the PDA’s south-east corner. In the wider area change is also limited, the main exception being some new buildings in the land to the south of the PDA.

The documentary study indicates that the maltings and tramways were demolished sometime after 1927 as, by the mid 1950’s a photograph shows part of the site covered with coal yards and Nissan huts. The current buildings on the PDA appear to be of late 20th century date, and Riverside Entertainment has occupied the site since the mid 1980’s.

Plate 1. Henry Davy’s 1838 illustration, looking south from Pickerel bridge

Figure 9. Extract from Saxtons’s Map of Suffolk, 1575

Figure 10. Extract from Speede’s Map of Suffolk, 1610

Figure 11. Location of the PDA on Hodskinson’s map of 1783 (not to scale).

Figure 12. Location of the PDA on 1st Edition Ordnance Survey, 1887, with Tithe map information superimposed.

Figure 13. Location of the PDA on 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey, 1904.

Figure 14. Location of the PDA on 3rd Edition Ordnance Survey, 1927.

31 2.6 Site inspection

A visit to the PDA was made on 05/03/2013, to determine the presence of any factors likely to impact on the overall assessment of its archaeological potential. Photographs of the PDA taken during the site inspection are included in Appendix 2.

As described above the site consists of two main warehouse/factory type buildings, both constructed in brick with corrugated metal roofs, linked by a one storey structure on the east side, around a central carpark. To the rear of the eastern building is a small paved terrace overlooking the River Gipping.

Ground levels are consistent with the topography in the surrounding area and the PDA is relatively flat, at the same level as Stowupland Street. The eastern edge of the PDA may be artificially raised and levelled, the terrace overlooking the river being on a platform c.0.6m above the initial river bank, but this possible landscaping could have a post-medieval origin. Overall the topography suggests that truncation by general landscaping is likely to be relatively minor.

The recent and past landuse of the PDA however is likely to have involved considerable below-ground disturbance, from the late 20th construction of the current buildings and their associated services and carparking to the earlier 20th century demolition of the malting complex and subsequent apparent use as a coal yard etc.

There is no indication that any pre 20th century structures within the PDA survive above ground-level.

32 3. Assessment of impacts and effects

3.1 The archaeological potential of the PDA

3.1.1 Prehistoric

Previous work, particularly at SKT 051, indicates that the River Gipping valley to the east of the PDA was water-meadow or marshland until the post-medieval period. Although the location of the medieval town suggests a different topography and natural environment on the west bank, the PDA is also likely to have been marshland until the medieval period as it lies immediately adjacent to the river. With only a few scattered prehistoric findspots in the vicinity there is no indication of anything other than low-level of activity along the base of the valley, the substantial Iron Age settlement to the east at Cedars Park lying on the higher ground of the valley slopes.

The present evidence therefore suggests that the PDA has low potential for producing archaeological deposits of prehistoric date, and that any such would likely be of local or regional significance. As with SKT 051 there is also moderate potential for waterlogged palaeoenvironmental deposits to exist across the site.

3.1.2 Roman

Evidence for Roman activity follows a similar pattern to that for the prehistoric period, with continuing occupation on the higher ground of the eastern valley slopes and occasional findspots elsewhere. Accordingly the PDA is also thought to have only low potential for producing archaeological deposits of Roman date, and that again any such would likely be of local or regional significance.

3.1.3 Anglo-Saxon

Although medieval Stowmarket can be shown to have had a manor, market and church, and possibly bridge by 1086 there is no record of any evidence of preceding Anglo- Saxon activity in the Study Area. Such absence however may be largely due to evidence of Anglo-Saxon settlement being lost beneath later deposits, or of a general

33 lack of archaeological observation in the town. The PDA’s location close to the river crossing, although situated on the fringe of the medieval town and so perhaps outside of any earlier settlement, means there may be low potential for producing archaeological deposits of Roman date, and that any such would likely be of local or regional significance.

3.1.4 Medieval

The PDA’s aforementioned location on the edge of the defined medieval settlement, close to Stowupland Street and Pickerel Bridge which formed the only known river crossing, immediately suggests moderate/high potential for medieval settlement deposits and previous archaeological fieldwork immediately to the west (SKT 014, SKT 032) has revealed evidence of activity in the 11th-14th centuries, probably relating to buildings along Stowupland Street. Similar deposits may exist within the PDA and in particular may relate to riverfront activity such as docks or wharves and exploitation of the waterway.

3.1.5 Post-medieval

The general vicinity of western Stowmarket, on both sides of the river, saw the development of a range of commercial or industrial premises, particularly maltings and breweries, in the post-medieval period. This development was substantially accelerated by the construction of the Navigation in the late 18th and the railway in the mid 19th century. Although there is a general lack of documentary sources to exactly determine the post-medieval history and ownership of the PDA, it is evident that by the late 19th century it was occupied by a maltings, with its own access to the railway via a tramline, that fronted onto Stowupland Street to the north. The maltings buildings survived into the early 20th century before being fully demolished and ultimately replaced by the modern layout.

There is high potential therefore for the PDA to contain archaeological deposits of post- medieval date relating to the industrial and commercial use of the site, such as the ‘kilns, cisterns, cinder ovens, warehouses, granaries, stables, outhouses, edifices, buildings, wharf yards, gardens and land’ referred to in an early 19th century

34 description of a maltings on Stowupland Street. Such deposits would likely be of local or regional significance.

3.2 Potential level of archaeological preservation within the PDA

The late 20th development of the site is likely to have had a significant impact upon the preservation of any archaeological deposits, even if general landscaping may be reasonably limited. In turn the post-medieval usage of the site as a maltings may have significantly affected any medieval or still earlier deposits.

As a result surviving archaeological deposits may be in a highly variable state of preservation and at variable depths, depending on levels of localised disturbance. Shallower deposits may have been totally removed leaving only deeper deposits intact.

3.3 Potential impact of development on the archaeological resource

As the PDA is thought to have moderate/high potential for archaeological deposits of medieval or post-medieval date, albeit in highly variable states of preservation, it is likely that the clearance of the site and groundworks for the construction of new residential properties will have a detrimental impact upon any such archaeological remains that exist, unless an appropriate mitigation strategy is adopted.

The possible planned use of piled foundations may reduce such impact considerably, by lessening the volume of groundworks, but can itself cause other indirect damage, particularly to waterlogged deposits. Piling can for example affect preservation of surviving deposits by moving contaminants down into waterlogged areas, changing the hydrology of an area, or simply causing wider damage to archaeological deposits by vibration.

35 3.4 Potential impact of development on other heritage assets

While the PDA is bordered on three sides by the Stowmarket Conservation Area, and by two listed buildings, the impact of the proposed development may be relatively moderate on such heritage assets.

The current appearance of the PDA is relatively poor, it being occupied by two large 20th century commercial buildings, and this has clearly led to its exclusion from the Conservation Area. The setting of the two listed buildings has also already been largely compromised by the demolition of the western Stowupland Street frontage and the creation of Gipping Way, and by the previous development of the PDA. These factors will partially mitigate the impact of the proposed 4 storey development which, although substantial, is not unique to the area, there being a substantial multi-storey residential block immediately east of the river and a 3 or 4 storey office block to the south.

36 4. Mitigation measures

The PDA has low potential for archaeological deposits of pre-medieval date and moderate/high potential for deposits of medieval date or post-medieval date of local or regional importance. The preservation of such deposits is likely to be highly variable from poor to good.

At present there are currently no grounds to consider refusal of planning permission in order to achieve preservation in situ of any designated heritage assets such as Scheduled Monuments, or of important but non-designated heritage assets. However as the PDA has not been subject to any previous systematic archaeological investigation, the actual presence, nature and state of preservation of any such archaeological deposits is unknown.

National and local guidance recommends that potential archaeological sites are evaluated prior to the determination of any planning application to assess the nature and significance of any archaeological deposits present. Such investigations can then enable the LPA’s archaeological advisors to make informed decisions regarding heritage assets in respect of any planning application, and determine the need and scope for refusal of development to provide preservation in situ of important archaeological deposits, or a requirement for excavation and preservation by record prior to or during development, which can be imposed by conditions on planning consent.

However the sites recent history and present land-use means that non-intrusive investigation techniques such as fieldwalking, metal-detecting and geophysical survey will not be of any benefit in investigating the archaeological potential of the PDA. A systematic programme of evaluation trial trenching across the PDAis therefore suggested, with the aim of identifying and assessing the extent, character, density and depth of any archaeological deposits present, and to assess the extent of any disturbance caused by the previous land use of the PDA on their preservation.

However such investigation cannot adequately or safely be carried out until the PDA has been fully cleared or demolished to ground-level and so it is suggested that a

37 requirement for evaluation is imposed by condition on any planning consent.

The results of such an investigation can then be used by the LPA’s Archaeological Advisor (SCCAS/CT) to make any decisions regarding heritage assets in respect of the proposed development. A determination of the need and scope for preservation in situ, or excavation and preservation by record prior to or during development, of archaeological deposits, could then be imposed as a further part of the planning condition.

It should be noted that evaluation after determination of the planning application does mean that archaeological issues affecting the development of the site will not be known prior to planning consent, and could cause serious implications at a later date.

The likely impact of any development of the PDA on neighbouring heritage assets is thought to be low/moderate, due to the previous history of the site and the wider vicinity. A sympathetic approach to design could minimize this further, or even bring positive benefits.

Consultation with the LPA and its archaeological advisors, should take place at the earliest possible opportunity to determine the program of archaeological works that may need to be carried out. Until further investigation is undertaken, it is usually impossible to define the extent of archaeological work that may be required on a site and equally difficult to calculate the likely cost and time implications. Bearing this in mind developers are strongly advised to undertake archaeological evaluations at the earliest opportunity to clarify the likely archaeological work required and its cost.

38 5. Conclusions/Recommendations

It is suggested that further archaeological investigation may be able to identify and assess the extent, character, density, depth and level of preservation of any archaeological deposits within the PDA, but that this probably cannot take place until the application is determined and the site cleared.

Consultation with the LPA’s archaeological advisor is recommended at the earliest possible opportunity to determine the actual program of any further archaeological works required.

6. List of contributors and acknowledgements

This project was funded and commissioned by Riverside Entertainment. The desk based assessment was carried out by John Craven, of SCCAS/FT and the documentary study by Anthony M. Breen, a freelance local history researcher.

39 7. Bibliography

Stirk, D., 2009, Station Road East, Stowmarket, SKT 051. SCCAS Report No. 2009/066.

Maps Saxton C., Map of Suffolk, 1575. Speede, J., map, SVFFOLKE De, 1610. Hodskinson, J., The County of Suffolk surveyed, 1783

Websites National Heritage List for England. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/protection/process/national-heritage-list- for-england/.

National Planning Policy Framework http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/nppf

British Geological Survey http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html

Mid Suffolk Local Plan, Local Development Framework and Stowmarket Area Action Plan http://www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/planning-and-building/planning-policy

40 Appendix 1. Documentary and Cartographic Study

A.M. Breen

Introduction

The research for this report has been carried out at the Suffolk Record Office in Ipswich. The Suffolk Archaeological Unit has supplied copies of the first three editions of the 1:2500 Ordnance Survey maps of this site together with the modern edition of the map. The site is within a block of land to the west of the river Gipping and bounded by Stowupland Street to the north and west and Station Road, now Station Road East to the south. The parish boundary between Stowmarket and Stowupland to the east follows the original line of the river Gipping. The Pickerel Bridge to the northeast of this site, formally known as Stow Bridge, is an early crossing point on the river Gipping.

There are distinct difficulties in researching sites within the town area of Stowmarket as there are no early maps that can be used to identify the owners and occupiers of each property. The earliest map of Stowmarket, the 1839 tithe map (ref. P461/239) omits details of the properties in the area of the town. The reason for this omission is explained in the accompanying tithe apportionment (ref. FDA239/1A/1a), which explains that the town had been ‘formerly parcel of the possessions of the Monastery of Saint Osyth, in the county of Essex: one of the greater monasteries dissolved by the Act for the dissolution of Monasteries and Abbeys’. Following the dissolution in 1539 the town remained exempt from the payment of tithes. There are a few small pieces of land on the outskirts of the town that were not the property of the former abbey and still subject to the payment of tithes. These include the small area just to the south of this site numbered 359 on the tithe map and listed in the apportionment as the property of John Cobbold part of a garden in the occupation of his tenant George Codd. The piece measured 36 perches. There were 40 perches to a rood and 4 roods to an acre.

By the date of publication of the 1st edition of 1:2500 Ordnance Survey map, this site was crossed by a tramway linked to the railway line from London to Norwich and surrounding the tramway there were a series of malthouses. The malthouses are more clearly labelled on the second edition of this map published in 1904.

The main purpose of this report is to identify property records for the ownership of these malthouses that might be used to extend the site’s history back before the earliest maps.

Though this area is not shown in detail on the railway plans of the 1840’s, it is important to consider these plans as the railway took over the role of the former Stowmarket Navigation as the main means of transferring goods from and to Stowmarket. The stations buildings and yards were in the neighbouring parish of Stowupland.

Until 1843, Stowupland was a sinecure without either a parish church or incumbent. The living or benefice was linked to Stowmarket and the inhabitants of both parishes attended church there. In the early medieval period both parishes had been part of the large royal vill of Thorney and throughout the medieval period there were two churches sharing the same churchyard in Stowmarket. The parish boundary between Stowmarket and Stowupland may be established in the sixteenth century after the demolition of one of these churches. In a perambulation of the leet of the manor of Thorney Hall dated 1668 the boundaries of the jurisdiction of the manorial court are described. The description follows the line of Creeting Road to Stowupland Street as:

‘Northward unto Bacons Hill and soe on unto the gate of neere the stables end belonging to Thorney Hall then north unto the corner of the close called Conifer then westward unto Stow bridge then eastward unto the south east corner of the close over against Rentall Field then northward unto the foure ashes in the common way neere the house in which widow Hubbard now dwelleth and then for Thorney Crofte on the south side eastward unto Farrys Style. Alsoe we present that from the west corner of the house where William Langham now dwelleth eastward unto the style at the north side of the steeple of the church in Stowmarket then southward by the steeple end unto the pale before widow Garrard her house then westward unto Kings Streete in the middle of the town…’ (ref. EG 34/7/10 folio 29v – 30v).

This site is at the centre of three points of communication, the first of which was ‘Pickerel Bridge’ in Stowupland Street linking Stowmarket to Stowupland. This is the same bridge referred to as ‘Stow bridge’ in the 1668 perambulation. Though the river Gipping had been used to transport goods in the medieval period (Amor 2006) the channel was made navigable as a result of the Stowmarket Navigation Act of 1790. The

navigation established its main basin and dock at Stowmarket on the eastern side of the river and this area is depicted on a print published in 1838 (see below). The commercial importance of the navigation was super-ceded by the opening of the railway from Norwich to Ipswich in 1846. In order to improve the access from the railway station to the centre of the town, a new road and bridge were constructed over the river Gipping. Initially only the stretch of road from the junction with Stowupland Street to the station was known as Station Road, but later this name was used for the entire length of the road from the cross roads in the centre of Stowmarket. The Stowupland Street or simply ‘Upland Street’ had formerly commenced at the crossroads. Previously Stowupland Street had been known as ‘Bridge Street’.

Maps

On all three editions of the Ordnance Survey maps, original sheet number LVI.7, published in 1887, 1904 and 1927 a goods line or tramway is shown branching out of the main line to the north of the station passing through a building to the east of Prentice Road before crossing the river Gipping to link with the malthouses on the western side of the river. The building was Lankester & Wells bonded warehouse and the tramway first passed through the archway of a warehouse situated on the eastern side of the river. Surrounding this tramway there are a series of malting houses surrounding this site. The position of each building is shown clearly on the second edition of the Ordnance Survey map.

Station Road dates to the period after the opening of the railway station on 7 December 1846. The station had been built on a site ‘between Thorney Hall gardens and the Waggon and Horses Inn’. ‘To coincide with the opening of the railway, a new street was planned to lead to the station. It began at the warehouse of Messrs Prentice and Hewitt in Stowupland Street, passing through the coal-yard of Mr B King and crossing the river with a bridge, terminating at the station. From then on, the road from the centre of town, which had been known as Stowupland Street, became Station Road, the former commencing where the road diverts’ (Doubleday 1983).

Before the construction of the railway line detailed plans showing route of the line with the boundaries of adjoining properties clearing shown and numbered were deposited

with the county Quarter Sessions, the body that held responsibility for the administration of the county before the establishment of the county council. The properties are listed in a separate schedule. The plans for the line to Norwich (ref. 150/2/5.151) were deposited on 30 November 1844. Unfortunately this site was beyond the lines of deviation and the site is not shown on the railway plans or described in the accompanying schedules. The plans show the bridge in Stowupland Street and a footbridge to the south at an oblique angle to the road.

This area to the south of Pickerel Bridge is shown in a printed dated October 1838 (ref. HD 401/3). The artist was Henry Davy who would have been standing on the Pickerel Bridge when sketching this view. The footbridge is depicted and the buildings shown on the print are likely to have been built after the opening of the Gipping Navigation in 1790. The main basin for the navigation was to the east of the river Gipping. The buildings and barges are clearly identified in the text below the print as ‘J Prentice & Co’s Warehouse, crane unloading salt, barge Friends, 16 or 17 barges on the Gipping of 43 tons burthen, Mr Cowell’s Warehouse & barge Commerce, Mr Cobbold’s warehouse & two barges Mary & Emma, Gas Chimney, J Prentice & Co’s warehouses’. The timber warehouses to the west of the river, approximately on the site of 56 Stowupland Street, are described as ‘Mr Cornelius’ Warehouse & barge Victoria, Mr King’s Warehouses & Beyond Prentice & Hewett’s Deal wharf’. The work is entitled ‘The Quay at Stowmarket: The Foot Bridge Crosses the Head of the Navigable part of the River Gipping’.

The Navigation

The Navigation was created through an act of Parliament passed in 1790. The principal purpose of the act is set out in the preamble and states ‘Whereas the making and maintaining a navigable communication from Stowupland Bridge, situate upon the River Gippen, at the town of Stowmarket, to the town and port of Ipswich in the County of Suffolk will render the conveyance of corn, hops, and other produce of the said county and parts adjacent, and of coal, timber, lime and other things, less expensive than at present, and will in other respects be of considerable benefit to the inhabitants of the several towns and places within the said county and parts adjacent, and of publick utility; but the same cannot be effected without the Authority of Parliament’ (ref. EM

400/1). The act granted wide-ranging powers to the trustees to facilitate the construction of the navigation with the width of the river and tow paths extended to eighteen yards ‘except where the banks of the rivers or cuts shall be more than three feet above the surface of the water and where places shall be made for Boats or other Vessels to turn or pass each other and in no such case of greater width than twenty yards’. The trustees were also empowered to ‘extend the said navigation beyond Stowupland Bridge aforesaid for any distance they think fit necessary above the said bridge, not exceeding six furlongs’. A later act passed on 26th June1846 enabled the trustees to lease the navigation to the railway company with ‘all Rates of Tonnage and Wharfage’ (Act 9 & 10 Vic c. CVI).

The later minutes show that the trustees were well aware of the impact of the proposed new railway line and accepted in February 1845 that the railway ‘shall take the wharf and crane now belonging to the trustees’ (ref. EM 400/3). In May 1845 it was proposed that the railway should take a 21 years lease of the navigation. Much of the trade in the area of this site was switched to the railway once the line had been opened to Stowmarket in 1846.

Published Works

A number of early prints and photographs of Stowmarket have been published. Harry Double in his ‘Stowmarket – A Pageant in Pictures’ published in 2002 has reproduced a copy of the 1838 print together with a photograph dated 1907 showing the Pickerel Bridge and Pickerel Inn. In the photograph the cone of the malting immediately beyond the bridge can be seen. Robert Malster in his book on Stowmarket first published in 1995 has included ‘a view from the church tower in the 1950s looking towards the station. This photograph shows part of this site as mainly coal yards and Nissan huts and not the malthouses shown on the earlier maps. The area to the south of this site and to the north of Station Road had been used as Stowmarket’s cattle market and a number of published works include photographs of the former market.

Seven maltsters are identified in William White’s 1844 ‘Directory of Suffolk’, however only two are listed as owning premises in Stowupland Street. These were Jeremiah Byles & Co and William Cornell Greengrass, however another two John Cobbold and

Thomas Prentice & Co are listed as owning premises on ‘Navigation Wharf’. These firms are also listed under the separate heading of ‘Coal and Corn Merchants’. Jeremiah Byles and Co also traded in timber and slate. Most of these companies, John Cobbold, Jeremiah Byles & Co and Thomas Prentice & Co also owned premises in Ipswich. By 1855 five maltsters are listed in Stowupland Street. These were John Cobbold, Benjamin King & Co, Prentice & Hewitt, Thomas Prentice & Co and William Salmon.

Rate Books

The surviving Poor Law rates book for Stowmarket dating from October 1840 and continuing to June 1904 are in the Stowmarket Urban District Council collection. There is also a single rate book for 1856 in the Stow Poor Law Union collection. Though in theory it should be possible to follow the succession of ownership of properties using these books, they are difficult to use as the early books are not arranged in a geographic sequence, or in an alphabetical sequence under the names of the owners or occupiers of each property. Also the descriptions of the properties are extremely brief normally just ‘house & gardens’ or ‘cottage’.

The rate book from October 1845 to October 1847 does name the owners and occupiers of all the properties in Stowupland Street (ref. EF14/3/7/3). In the list for October 1845 only John Cobbold is listed as owning a Malt House in this street in his own occupation as well as various houses and cottages let out to tenants. The list for 1856 is slightly more informative and includes references to John Cobbold’s ‘Malting’, Thomas Prentice’s executors ‘Warehouses, Sawmill & yards, tramway’, Benjamin King & Co ‘Malting & Warehouse’, Messrs Prentice & Hewitt’s in the occupation of ‘William G Cornells Exors’ ‘Counting House, Malting & Warehouses’ all listed in ‘Upland Street’ (ref. ADA8/AP5/8/21).

By 1888 Benjamin King & Co had joined with the Bury St Edmunds brewers John Greene to form ‘Greene, King & Sons Ltd’.

Property Records

In order to assess the impact of the navigation and later railway on the settlement pattern in this area it is necessary to examine some of the property records for this site and adjoining areas.

There are no manorial records for the former manor of Abbot’s Hall. Some of the surviving manorial records for the manor of Thorney Hall are in the Stowupland Parish Council collection. These records are far from complete. There are no extant manorial court books for the period after 1701 though some rentals and stewards papers have survived for the period after that date. The court books would have recorded the transfer of lands held of the manor.

There are two pocket account books containing notes of admissions and fines extracted from the court books (1798-1809, 1820-1892) (ref. EG 34/7/20). Amongst the entries for 1817 there is the reference to ‘John Cobbold admitted’, but this may be a reference to his property on the eastern side of the river in the parish of Stowupland. The names of the other property owners do not appear in the surviving records. John Cobbold owned a brewery in Ipswich and his family lived at Holywells Park.

There are deeds for some of John Cobbold’s properties including a malthouse in Stowupland Street deposited as part of a solicitors’ collection. The malting is described in a bundle of deeds all dating from the period before the property had passed to John Cobbold. The malting was on the western side of the river (ref. HB 8/2/96). In an attested copy of a deed dated 6 March 1830 between Thomas Rout and Mr Manning Prentice concerning the settlement of the estate of Edgar Rout Buchanan of Stowmarket ‘Malster, Corn and Coal Merchant Dealer, and Chapman a bankrupt’ there is a reference to an earlier deed of April 1813 concerning a mortgage raised to purchase ‘All that capital messuage or tenement called or known by the name of Baldries or by whatsoever other name or names the same then was or therefore had been called or known with the counting house, malting office called Great Malting, kilns, cisterns, cinder ovens, warehouses, granaries, stables, outhouses, edifices, buildings, wharf yards, gardens and land (formerly a close of meadow or pasture ground) and appurtenances thereto belonging situated lying and being in a certain street called

Stowupland Street otherwise Bridge Street in Stowmarket aforesaid between the common Navigable River on the part of the east and the messuage of John Boby in the occupation of John Hadden in part the messuage and garden of John King in part and the said street in other part towards the North and upon the buildings, garden and meadow of Joseph Lankester towards the south as the same were then in the occupation of the said Edgar Rout Buchanan and William Smart or one of them their undertenants’. The malting may have been in existence in 1766 as it is mentioned in an abstract of the will of Samuel Rout of Stowmarket as ‘All those my messuages or tenements & Malting office situate lying and being in Stowupland Street aforesaid in Stowmarket aforesaid near the White Lyon there’. The property had been left to Thomas Rout. The same site is mentioned in a deed dated 25 June 1724 between William Wright and Samuel Rout then situated ‘in a certain street there called Bridge Street otherwise Upland Street … abutting … on the King’s highway on the east called Bridge Street’. It should be noted that this deed does not mention the former meadow. The malting office is not mentioned in an earlier deed dated 18 August 1721 when the property was sold to William Wright a locksmith. There are additional documents folded into this deed of 1721 and one of these is a grant from Mary Adkinson to William Wright ‘of a piece of land parcel of her yard in Stowmarket’ which ‘the said William Wright has have built his malting house into her premises’. The deed granted liberty of ingress etc to William and his workmen to enter her property to repair the malt house.

The earliest document in the bundle is a deed written in Latin and dated 28 September 17 Elizabeth I (1575) between John Howe senior of Stowmarket, clothmaker and Richard Osburne also of Stowmarket ‘sherman’. The property was then described as ‘one messuage or tenement with an orchard to the same adjoining situate and being in Stowmarket aforesaid in a certain street there called ‘Brigstreete’ between the messuage and land of Robert Tidgwell on the south and the tenement and land of Robert Skarlett now in the tenure of Robert Collyn in part and the land of Richard Symondes in part on the north of which one head abuts on the common street aforesaid opposite the messuage or tenement of Richard Symondes now in the tenure of Robert Symonds towards the west and the other head abuts on the orchard of the same Robert Tidgwell towards the east’. John Howe had previously been granted this property with others properties in a charter from Edward Gilbert, citizen and goldsmith of London dated 26 November 1557.

The authors of ‘Stowmarket, Combs and Stowupland Pubs’ (Langridge and Southgate 2010), note that there were two inns in Stowmarket called the ‘White Lion’. ‘The earlier ‘Old’ White Lion was in the Market Place. It has proved difficult to distinguish the two inns from each other during the early 17th century and there may be some confusion between the two’. ‘When it became an inn probably in the early 17th century this building was already ancient. A survey of 1991 on the surviving portion of this building ahead of the construction of the Gipping Way showed that it had been first erected in the late 14th century as a four bay artisan’s dwelling, possibly including a shop with a typical medieval hall house layout. The northern bays were demolished in the 1960s leaving just the southern bay’.

Pickerel Bridge

It is highly likely that there was a bridge of the Gipping close to the site of Pickerel Bridge in the medieval period. A Henrico del Bregge who paid 18d in tax is listed in 1327 subsidy returns for Stowmarket then known as Thorneye (Hervey, 1906). He and his descendants appear amongst the manorial tenants of the manor of Thorney. A detailed analysis of these records has recently published (Amor 2006), in which the author suggests that there was a dock or shipyard on the Gipping in the medieval period.

Conclusion

It is fortunate that part of this site can be identified on the 1839 tithe map of Stowmarket as the property of John Cobbold. Unlike the other owners of malthouses in Stowupland Street, deeds for John Cobbold’s property have survived from 1575 to 1830 and the earliest deed mentions the previous transfer of the property in 1557. In 1575 Stowupland Street was known as Bridge Street and lead to Stow Bridge (later known as Pickerel Bridge). As early as 1327 there is a reference to a bridge in Stowmarket and a recent study has shown that there was also a dock or shipyard on the Gipping in either Stowmarket or Stowupland in the medieval period.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the owners of the property that later passed

to John Cobbold were involved in the wool trade. By the late seventeenth century one property facing the street to the west had become an inn named the White Lion and a survey of the structure of the remaining part of that building in 1991 suggested that it too dated from the fourteenth century.

By the earlier eighteenth century a malting had been built on part of the site predating the opening of the Stowmarket Navigation by over seventy years. Further malting houses and warehouses may have been constructed after the opening of the Navigation attracted to an area close to the navigation basin, though the 1838 print suggests that most of the development had been on the eastern side of the river.

Shortly after the opening of the railway in 1846 a new road (now Station Road East) and bridge were constructed to link the station to the town centre. This new river crossing greatly reduced the importance of the former ‘Stow Bridge’ or Pickerel Bridge. By 1856 one of the owners of a malthouse adjoining this site also paid Poor Law rates for a tramway. The tramway is shown on the later Ordnance survey maps. A published photograph taken from the church tower in the 1950s shows part of the site covered with Nissan huts.

Bibliography

Suffolk Record Office, Ipswich

Tithe Map

P461/239 Tithe Map Stowmarket 1839 FDA239/1A/1a Tithe Apportionment Stowmarket 1839

Deposited Railway Plans and Schedules

150/2/5.151 Plan Great Eastern Railway Ipswich to Norwich 1844

Prints

HD 480/3 Navigation Quay, Henry Davy, October 1838

Rate Books

EF14/3/7/3 Poor Law Rate Book Stowmarket Urban District Council Collection 1845- 1847 ADA8/AP5/8/21 Poor Rate Law Rate Book Stow Union Collection 1856

Stowmarket Navigation

EM 400/1 Acts of Parliament 1790 & 1846 EM 400/3 Trustees Minute Book 1843 – 1906

Stowupland Parish Council

EG 34/7/10 Court Book Manor of Thorney Hall Perambulation folio 29v – 30v 1668 EG 34/7/20 Pocket account books containing notes of admissions and fines extracted from the court books (1798-1809, 1820-1892)

Deeds

HB8/2/95 Property Deeds John Cobbold: Maltings in Stowupland Street 1575 – 1830

Published Sources

Amor, N. R., 2006, ‘Late Medieval Enclosure – Study of Thorney, near Stowmarket, Suffolk’. Proceedings of the Suffolk Insititute of Archaeology and History, Volume XLI Part 2 2006. Doubleday, H., (Ed), 2002, Stowmarket A Pageant in Pictures. Stowmarket. Hervey, F. S. A., 1906, Suffolk in 1327 Being a Subsidy Return. Suffolk Green Books, Woodbridge. Langridge, N. & Southgate, B. A., 2010, Stowmarket, Combs and Stowupland Pubs. Polstead Press, Stowmarket. Malster, R., 1995, Stowmarket; Britain in Old Photographs. Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd, Stroud.

Trade Directories

William White ‘Directory of Suffolk’, Sheffield 1844. William White ‘Directory of Suffolk, Sheffield 1855.

Appendix 2. Site inspection photographs

Photo 1 Photo2

Photo 3 Photo4

Photo 5 Photo 6

Photo 7 Photo 8

Photo 9 Photo 10

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