This monograph provides a detailed report on the major excavations by Oxford Archaeology South and Pre-Construct Archaeology at the site of Stoke Quay, Ipswich (2011-2012), covering 1.2 acres of the Saxon and medieval town.
Ipswich is one of England’s oldest urban centres. Though perhaps slightly overshadowed by London and York, this book confirms the nationally significant remains of the city. Although the chapters on the development of the site are important, it is the report on the human remains and final discussions that make this monograph stand out.
Central to the project was the excavation of over 1,200 burials from the church and graveyard of St Augustine’s. The analysis of this essentially complete cemetery from a relatively poor riverside parish is important, providing a glimpse into the everyday lives of its inhabitants. In particular, the isotopic results stand out, suggesting that a significant number were immigrants from northern Europe, perhaps a reflection of the town’s status as a major North Sea port.
Excavations at Stoke Quay, Ipswich: southern Gipeswic and the parish of St Augustine, Richard Brown, Steven Teague, Louise Loe, Bernie Sudds, and Elizabeth Popescu, East Anglian Archaeology, £50, ISBN 978-0904220841.
Review by John Lawson.
