Data from Trial Trench at Mass House Car Park, Birmingham, West Midlands, 2019-2023 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., MOLA Headland Infrastructure, Headland Archaeology Ltd, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5284/1126682. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © High Speed Two Ltd. unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
Primary contact
High Speed Two Ltd.
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Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6GA
United Kingdom
Tel: 08081 434 434
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 5645
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1126682
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises of reports, images, spreadsheets, site records and CAD data from an archaeological evaluation at the site of Mass House Car Park, Birmingham, which will form part of the HS2 terminus at Curzon Street, Birmingham. The work was carried out by MOLA-Headland Infrastructure (MHI) between September 2019 and March 2023, and comprised the machine excavation of 7 trenches.
Project Summary
The evaluation revealed that 19th century structural remains and associated demolition deposits were present across the entire site. Comparison of the trench plans with historic OS mapping showed that many of the walls on site correlated directly to the structures depicted. Perhaps most notably, two walls and a surface appeared to be coincident with the site of a former ‘Hide, Skin and Fat Market’ seen on the cartographic sources.
Re-Use Value Statement
The evaluation did not uncover any archaeological evidence contributing towards Objectives KC5, KC14, KC30, KC31 and KC40.
Medieval features were identified during earlier archaeological evaluations near the site (Hayes 2006). The lack of medieval features identified during the 2019 evaluation suggests that 19th century development has likely truncated any earlier features that may have once been present within the evaluation trenches.
The various structures observed on site appeared to date the mid-late 19th century, around the same time as the railway line was built (1849-1855) and subsequently widened (1894). Whilst the function of most of the buildings is unknown, their development is potentially related to that of the railway. Hide, Skin and Fat Markets, such as the one identified on the early OS mapping, would have relied on a constant supply of carcasses and a distribution network for the final product. Certain features of the structures on the site, such as the glazed walls, suggest the structures appeared to be purpose built. It seems likely that these were constructed at this location to take specific advantage of the increased supply and distribution that the newly constructed railways could provide, superseding the network originally provided by canals.
No further work is recommended on the finds.
