News from the City

Two long-awaited large developments are now underway. Preparation for the Sainsbury’s supermarket development in St John’s involves the relocation of the St John’s sports centre and works at Christopher Whitehead School. The early stages of the work have therefore focused on the Malvern Road area, where remains of late medieval and early post-medieval activity including tanning have been found; evaluation moved rapidly on to a partial excavation and watching brief. During the summer the focus moves on to the main supermarket site, where limited evaluation trenching has already revealed some medieval evidence.

At the new university development at the former Worcester Royal Infirmary in Castle Street, recording of the buildings has started. As well as the 19th and 20th century buildings of the enlarged Infirmary, the work has covered Walnut Tree House, a mid-18th century farmhouse of some pretension. The project is now moving on to record the original 18th century Infirmary, which is being retained. As well as historical research, the recording will be enhanced by an oral history project.  

At Royal Worcester, further evaluations and watching briefs have recorded Roman features and post-medieval burials (on the edge of St Peter’s churchyard) as well as remains of the porcelain works. Field recording of the buildings has been completed, including a very detailed record of the Bone Mill or Pan Grinding House, one of only two surviving examples.

A field evaluation at the former Salmons Leap pub in Severn Street revealed evidence of the medieval castle ditch. Trenching in the pub garden and on the edge of the King’s School showed that the bank now visible here is the result of recent dumping which obscures any remains of the medieval earthworks; the remains of stone walling visible in this area are the result of post-medieval revetments. The most interesting results came from the cellar of the pub, where augering through the floor revealed some of the ditch profile, showing it to be some 17-18m wide and 7m deep. At the outer edge of the ditch, trenching revealed a slot, perhaps associated with a revetment of the outer edge of the ditch, which seems to have gone out of use in the 12th-13th century.

At 24-30 Diglis Road, evaluation trenching revealed features and deposits of medieval date, close to the line of the Frog Brook. Most of these remains are being preserved below the development here, while the site is also covered by a watching brief.

Among other building recording projects, timber-framed structures have been recorded at 52 The Tything (additional work during the conversion of the building, which has 17th century origins) and 2-3 Cornmarket. The former Great Western tarpaulin works buildings at Tolladine Goods Yard were recorded before their demolition, though part of the buildings will be rebuilt as a façade to the new development.

Two key documents for the archaeology of Worcester have recently been adopted by the City Council. In October the Planning Committee adopted the Archaeology and the historic environment Supplementary Planning Document as part of the Local Development Framework. This will underpin the preservation and recording of archaeological remains in Worcester in the new planning system. It also stresses the importance of public engagement in the development process as it affects the historic environment. With the forthcoming changes in heritage protection legislation, as well as the emerging South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy (which will provide the planning framework for Wychavon and Malvern Hills districts as well as Worcester City) this will be a valuable point of reference for archaeology in planning.

In January the city’s Cabinet adopted an archaeological strategy for Worcester. This is principally an internal document, aimed at providing direction for the city’s archaeological service over the next 5 years, and ensuring that it provides good value and effective protection for the city’s archaeological resource. However, nearly all of the service’s work involves interacting with or supporting others. The strategy therefore considers archaeology in relation to areas such as planning, site management, economic development (including tourism), information and the Historic Environment Record, and not least the ways in which the historic environment can affect and enhance peoples’ quality of life.

Worcester’s status as a New Growth Point means that the urban fringes of the city will come under renewed pressure for development. The existing suburbs will also be affected, so a characterisation project has been agreed with English Heritage. This will provide information on the historical development and character of the suburbs which can be used to inform planning policy across the whole city.

The city archaeology office's contact details are:

Archaeological Service
Worcester City Council
26 The Butts
Worcester
WR1 3PA

Tel:
01905 721 132 (James Dinn, Archaeological Officer)
01905 721133 (Sheena Payne, Historic Environment Record Officer)

Fax: 01905 722 454