| Title: |
Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster, Lancashire: Archaeological Watching Brief |
| Series: |
Greenlane Archaeology Ltd unpublished report series
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| Biblio Note |
This report was uploaded to the OASIS system by the named Publisher. The report has not been reviewed by the relevant HER. The report has been transferred into the ADS Library for public access and to facilitate future research.
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| DOI |
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| Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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| Abstract: |
An archaeological watching brief was conducted during the course of groundworks associated with the construction of a link building between the former Sunday School building, chapel, and former Warden's House at Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster. The work was carried out in two stages: Phase 1 (23rd June 2023) principally recorded services in the corridor to the east of the Sunday School building and north of the former Warden's House, whilst Phase 2 (18th to 20th September 2023) recorded features in the area of a disused burial ground and along the retaining wall. During Phase 1 no significant archaeological features were recorded. Structures against the retaining wall and the extension of the former Warden's House were subsequently demolished (prior to Phase 2 of the watching brief). The watching brief during Phase 2 recorded two linear ditches of unknown purpose with an industrial-type fill in the area of the disused burial ground. The underlying layer in this area was presumably the 'burial soil' of the disused burial ground, which was noted to be mixed and contained disarticulated human remains c0.6m below the current ground surface; however, no intact burials were present to the depth of excavation (c0.6m to 0.7m below the current ground surface in this area). Close to the corner of the chapel a concentration of clay tobacco pipe stems was recovered from this layer. A thick layer of re-deposited firm reddish brown clay was present to the north side of the area; this was probably placed here between c1890 and c1910 when the retaining wall and track to the north side of the chapel were altered. The high east/west retaining wall split the site over two levels and various north/south sections of wall were noted during its removal. The available mapping evidence strongly suggests that they had become defunct at around the same time (between 1890 and 1910). These sections of wall include elements that related to the south side of a former timber yard (itself replaced by the former Warden's House by 1910). The wall line of the yard could conceivably be shown on earlier maps of Lancaster, with gardens or allotments to the north side, although this is less certain. Another section of wall exposed to the south side of the retaining wall probably formed a coherent structure on the same alignment as one demolished to the north, though it may only have been short-lived as it is not shown on any maps. This structure was probably contemporaneous with the others and it too presumably became defunct by 1910, if not before. All of the finds from the site date from the post-medieval and early modern periods, i.e. the later 17th to 20th century. The George III coin find is of interest simply because it is close in date to the construction date of the chapel (the datestone indicates it was built in 1772 and the coin dates from 1799). The most significant finds recovered comprise a large assemblage of clay pipe fragments and associated material, the majority of which were 19th century in date, which clearly represent waste from a kiln, and were evidently dumped on the site with other industrial waste. These represent very rare physical evidence for clay tobacco pipe manufacture Lancaster, which is largely only attested in documentary sources and examples of marked clay pipe. |
| Author: |
Daniel W Elsworth
Thomas Mace
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| Publisher: |
Greenlane Archaeology Ltd
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| Year of Publication: |
2023
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| Locations: |
| District: |
Lancaster |
| County: |
Lancashire |
| Country: |
England |
| Parish: |
Lancaster, unparished area |
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Grid Reference: 347542, 461514 (Easting, Northing)
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| Subjects / Periods: |
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| Identifiers: |
| OASIS Id: |
greenlan1-521891 |
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| Source: |
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| Relations: |
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| Created Date: |
08 Jan 2024 |
