Summary of 2002 projects

LAND ADJACENT TO THE FORMER CENTURY CINEMA, ST JULIAN'S FRIARS, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SJ 496 124

This report constitutes an assessment of potential for analysis of the results of an excavation of the site together with an updated project proposal for further analysis and eventual publication. An archaeological watching brief is still to be carried out on the site during further ground works associated with the development. This fieldwork may recover further data.

A trial trench excavated by Martin Carver in 1975 demonstrated that the town wall survives just below the modern ground level in the extreme south-west corner of the plot. The current project has so far consisted of the excavation of three further trenches. The first of these was an evaluation excavation (separately reported) and the other two trenches were part of the mitigation strategy consequent to the results of the evaluation.

The medieval town wall was found just below the modern ground surface in the two southernmost trenches, surviving to a height of 2.3m. A deep sequence of late Saxon sedimentary deposits were found 3m below tarmac in trench 2. Whilst not truly waterlogged, sieving of roughly 50% of the large samples taken from these deposits has yielded an assemblage of pottery, bone and metalworking wastes amounting to over 10 kg. More undoubtedly awaits discovery in the remaining unprocessed samples.

The sedimentary sequence continued in all three trenches until the 13th century, until just after the construction of the town wall. The area was then covered in a deep spread of landfill, during which a wall was constructed along the St. Julian's Friars frontage separating the plot from the street. There seems to have been relatively little activity in the later medieval and early post medieval period. The site was probably simply garden areas for houses on the Beeches Lane frontage. Some traces were found of footings for the buildings depicted on Rocque's map of 1746. These dated to the 17th century and were probably timber framed. They were the first formal structures on the St. Julian's Friars frontage and were replaced c. 1800 with a brick terrace.

Tavener, N., Land adjacent to the former Century Cinema, St Julian's Friars, Shrewsbury, Assessment Report on Archaeological Fieldwork with an updated project proposal, March 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 229


THE OLD RECTORY, WEST FELTON, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SJ 3418 2525

Three evaluation trenches were excavated on a plot of land adjacent to West Felton church. The site lies within or close to the medieval township and some sources suggest that it was within a bailey associated with the nearby motte. The Old Rectory is of c. 1800.

No medieval pottery was recovered and there were no features of provable medieval date. The absence of obvious datable medieval activity so close to the church and motte is an interesting result in itself, for it implies that the site was not part of the developed medieval township. Four features may represent part of a wooden structure of uncertain date but earlier than c. 1800. Another posthole was found, and there was also evidence of cultivation predating c. 1800. 19th century features were probably associated with horticulture.

No references to an early Rectory building were noted. Medieval records indicate an absentee Rector.

Tavener, N., The Old Rectory, West Felton, Shropshire, A Report on an Archaeological Evaluation, April 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 232

LAND AT MARDOL GARDENS AND ROUSHILL, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SJ 490 126

A desk based assessment identified high potential for significant archaeological remains relating to the urban occupation of the area from the Saxon period to the present. The remains are likely to include the medieval town defences.

The likely area of groundworks for the proposed development is concentrated towards the Roushill frontage, outside the medieval town wall.

Stone, R., Land at Mardol Gardens and Roushill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, A Report on an Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, April 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 236

THE FOXE HOUSE AND THE CHANCEL ROOF OF THE CHURCH OF ST MARY, BROMFIELD, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SO 482 768

As part of a programme of repair and consolidation a stone by stone drawn record of the Foxe House and a general photographic record of the construction of the chancel roof were made. The late sixteenth century date of the Foxe House was confirmed, built after the suppression of Bromfield Priory. One of the chancel roof trusses is dated and attributed by inscription to Richard Smithiman and William Woodall in 1658, paralleling a nave truss. This campaign coincides with the restoration of the chancel to the Church after a fire which destroyed much of the Foxe House.

Stone, R., The Foxe House and the chancel roof of the Church of St Mary, Bromfield, Shropshire, Report on Building Recording, May 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 239

RUYTON ROAD, BASCHURCH, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SJ 419 221

Land adjacent to a barrow cemetery showed extensive cropmarks on aerial photographs. Following a geophysical survey, which revealed a plot very similar to that from the air photographs, eleven trenches were opened to evaluate the site. The trenches were sited to investigate the full range of features identified. Only one feature produced finds which were of 19th century date. Two useable radiocarbon samples were recovered from two hearths which returned post-Roman dates. The function of the small pits which were scattered all over the field was not determined, but bone preservation is poor in the gravels of the area and it is possible that they are grave cuts.

Appleton-Fox, N., Ruyton Road, Baschurch, Shropshire, A Report on an Archaeological Assessment and Field Evaluation, May 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 240

WHITEHALL, MONKMOOR ROAD, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SJ 5019 1249

A RCHME Level 2 survey and desk based assessment were carried out followed by an evaluation comprising six trenches. Garden features dating from the late 19th century were identified and it is thought that before the Whitehall complex was built, in the last quarter of the 16th century, the site was part of a grange associated with Shrewsbury Abbey. The boundary wall existed by this time.

At the eastern side of the site medieval features and a deposit were excavated. It is possible that they are associated with gardening activities within the grounds of the Grange of Shrewsbury Abbey.

Also excavated were post-medieval features and deposits associated with the construction of the Whitehall complex and the areas usage as a garden.

During the 17th and 18th centuries the ground surface over the whole area was raised, probably in several stages, by dumping against the boundary walls. In the 19th century the land was further raised in the west of the site, and a terrace wall, steps, pond and paved surfaces were created and the western and southern boundary walls were raised.

Wainwright, J., Whitehall, Monkmoor Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, A Report on an Archaeological Assessment and Evaluation, May 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 241

ASSEMBLY ROOMS, CLEOBURY MORTIMER, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SO 6737 7576

A watching brief was carried out during groundworks for an extension. Part of the site was previously within the churchyard and 25 burials, all 19th century in date, were recovered. These were rapidly recorded and lifted for reburial. The area outside the churchyard contained only a modern pit and a linear feature, possibly a crude stone-filled drain.

Kenney, J., Assembly Rooms, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief, July 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 246

CLUNSIDE GARAGE, CLUN, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SO 3030 2808

A desk based assessment identified that the site, on land sloping down towards the river Clun, is within the medieval defended town and may have been two burgage plots. It was meadow or pasture in the mid-nineteenth century and a smithy was erected at the north-west corner in the later nineteenth century. Since the middle of the twentieth century it has been a garage. This use will have damaged a proportion of the archaeological resource but much at the south is probably preserved beneath a raised ground level.

Stone, R., Clunside Garage, Clun, Shropshire, Report on an Archaeological Assessment, August 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 251

10-15 BARKER STREET, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SJ 4890 1258

Three trenches were dug to investigate the buried deposits beneath the development area, which lies within the medieval town. 20th century cellars had damaged some areas. Elsewhere two 13th or 14th century pits, probably related to tanning, were discovered and later pits in the trench were dated to the 16th to 17th centuries. A layer of garden soil, probably of alluvial origin, contained possible late Saxon pottery and a flint flake. A gully pre-dating this deposit in trench B could be of Saxon or earlier date.

Kenney J., 10-15 Barker Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, A Report on an Archaeological Evaluation, September 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 252

FRANKWELL FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME, THE NEW PUMPING STATION, WATER LANE, FRANKWELL, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE
NGR: SJ 48785 12780 (centre)

An evaluation 20m south-west of Water Lane found medieval waterlogged river sediments overlying apparently sterile riverbed gravel. Subsequent excavation showed that the site was scoured clean of sediments down to ancient natural gravel at some time in the 13th or 14th centuries. This erosion event was undoubtedly caused by severe flooding and probably coincided with a known deterioration in climate sliding from a warm dry zenith at c. 1250 AD to a cold wet nadir at c. 1400 AD. The scouring was followed by the deposition of another sequence of medieval riverlain deposits, nearly all waterlogged, at depths below 3.5m (from the pre-2002 ground surface).

A complex pattern of medieval posts was found set into the medieval river sediments. The posts form parts of various alignments spanning the period from c. 1250-1300 to perhaps as late as c. 1600 AD. It seems most likely that they formed part of a fish weir. Following abandonment of the post rows, the area was subject to periodic flooding leading to the deposition in the 16th and 17th centuries of a homogenous alluvium nearly 2m deep over much of the excavated area although the southern part continued to operate as part of the river channel.

Cartographic evidence suggests that the site was rough ground from at least 1575 until c. 1730 when it was absorbed into a garden. From this date the area was subjected to various landfill dumping.

The medieval water front lies somewhere along the length of Water Lane. If the findings are representative of a wider area, it lies 2m (or slightly more) below Water Lane. The volatile nature of river currents can often be fairly localised and earlier deposits may exist closer to the early medieval or Saxon river bank.

Tavener, N. & Jeffery, S., Frankwell Flood Alleviation Scheme, The New Pumping Station, Water Lane, Frankwell, Shrewsbury, An Interim Report on an Archaeological Evaluation and Excavation, December 2002, Marches Archaeology Series 266