Archaeology Service - Hot off the Spade

ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICE - Hot off the Spade - Autumn 2003

Archaeology Service

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The Butts has been the scene of much archaeological activity over the last few months, with work at three adjacent sites. At 1 The Butts, a programme of work by Mike Napthan Archaeology included the recording of 19th and 20th century stables and other buildings before their demolition, and of part of the City Wall which will be retained behind new buildings.

Exacavtion in progress on the Roman well at 1 The Butts

The Roman well at 1 The Butts - Click on image for a bigger picture

The next phase of work was an evaluation of the below ground archaeology. The medieval City Ditch was present as expected, separated by a 4m berm from the wall. In this narrow area were two Roman features, a ditch and a well. The well-built sandstone lining of the well was set in a large construction pit, and included worked stone, possibly from an earlier building. It may have been built in the 2nd century AD; the upper fills of the well were excavated, producing a finds assemblage of the late 4th century.

Building materials from the well fill included a fragment of a Cotswold stone column, tesserae and painted wall plaster, much of which had been burnt. A large pottery assemblage, glass vessel fragments and several coins were also present. The evidence suggests the presence of a substantial and high status building in the immediate area, which could have been destroyed by fire late in the Roman period.

14/24 The Butts - At 14/24 The Butts, extensive excavation by Birmingham Archaeology in advance of redevelopment recorded Roman ditches and pits, some of them apparently industrial, and a compacted stone surface, probably a road. Work continues at this site, and also at 8/12 The Butts (Mike Napthan Archaeology).

Portland Street - South of the city centre, evaluation by Oxford Archaeology of a site on both sides of Portland Street revealed evidence of activity of the late Saxon or medieval periods, and a dump of worked stone, probably medieval. This project also assessed the 19th century buildings of Albion Mill.

Crown Hotel, Broad Street - A major refurbishment of the Crown Hotel in Broad Street is underway. A detailed record of the remaining historic structural elements has been made (Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service). These include a medieval stone building at the Angel Street end of the site (first recognised in the 1970s and reported in Medieval Worcester) and part of a medieval stone undercroft at the Broad Street frontage. In between are remains of 16th or 17th century timber framing as well as a complex sequence of 18th and 19th century alterations.

Evaluations and watching briefs have also taken place in the city centre at College Street (the 'Cathedral roundabout'), Sidbury, Cornmarket, Farrier Street, Sansome Street, Broad Street, Newport Street, New Street, High Street, and The Tything, and also at several locations in association with sewer relining. Many of these are 'work in progress' and will be reported on in future issues.