Series: Oxford Archaeology North unpublished report series

An archaeological building survey of Number One Cable Street, Lancaster (SD 4761 6198) was undertaken by Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) in response to the request of the Lancaster City Archaeologist. A level III-type survey was carried out which consisted of a physical inspection of the building combined with written and photographic records, detailed floor plans, and drawings of the principal elevations. The building is known to have been owned by Captain Henry Fell, and partially built in c1759 by Richard Gillow. It was constructed in an area of Lancaster that was rapidly expanded during the growth of the city in the eighteenth century, and was connected to the quay at this point. The investigation of the structure identified three principal phases of construction. The earliest of these related to the north end of the building, and consisted of a relatively small, two-storey house divided into small rooms. A datestone of 1701 and the initials H and A F might suggest that an ancestor of Captain Henry Fell who shared the same name built this early house. The second phase comprised the construction of the ornate, south front; which was a three storey, classically inspired block, and also probably incorporated all of Number Three. The third phase relates to the modern use of the building, in particular the reduction of the front (south) end to 1½ storeys and the removal of internal walls. Number One Cable Street is an extremely significant building in terms of the development and expansion of Lancaster. If the datestone of 1701 does relate to the initial phase of construction it demonstrates how Green Ayre was beginning to be developed at a very early date. Seventeenth century maps show the area as open marsh, while the earliest maps of the eighteenth century show Cable Street to be well developed. Number One Cable Street is therefore important as a pioneer of this new phase of expansion to the east.

In July 2011, Oxford Archaeology North was commissioned by Salford City Council, to undertake a programme of archaeological building recording at properties on the corner of Chapel Street and Greengate, Salford, in advance of a major programme of public realm works. This area is known to have been the focus for human activity from the medieval period onwards, and the extant structures, which were due for demolition as part of the regeneration project, comprised several phases of post-medieval construction. The earliest structure was quite probably the two small single-fronted shops at the northern end of the Greengate frontage (5-7 Greengate). These three-storey cellared properties retained significant original features, on all except the ground floors, including staircases and timber-framed partition walls. It is not inconceivable that these Georgian-style properties represent those illustrated on Green's map of Manchester, dating to 1787-94. They were almost certainly constructed as shops at ground floor level, but appear to have provided accommodation on all other floors, including the cellars. These appear to have been constructed as two-roomed dwellings, although they could easily have been used as single-room dwellings during periods of intense housing pressure during the mid to late-nineteenth century.

Oxford Archaeology (OA) North were commissioned by Mrs. Sarah Welsh and Mr. Paul Atkinson to conduct a programme of archaeological evaluation by trial trenching on land associated with and to the rear of 11 Little Poulton Lane, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire, in order to evaluate the land ahead of potential development. This was required as part of conditions associated with the outline planning application for the construction of two residential dwellin gs on the plot, and required due to the sites proximity to previously investig ated archaeological assets of primarily Romano-British, but also Medieval origin elsewhere in the immediate environs of Poulton-Le-Fylde. T he field work was conducted during the course of two days, commencing on 12th March 2018, and concluding the following day. Five trenches were excavated and recorded in order to ascertain the presence (or absence) of archaeological features that may be impacted by the proposed development of the site. The purpose of this was to inform the planning application as to the likelihood and extent of any such impact and ascertain the need for further mitigation. Only one of the five trenches contained evidence of archaeological rema ins and this report outlines the results of these findings.

Proposals to develop No 18 York Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire (NGR SD 745 420) were judged to affect the original character of this Grade II Listed building (which is within the Clitheroe Conservation Area) and an archaeological condition was attached to the planning consent given by Ribble Valley District Council. OA North produced a project design for an archaeological building investigation (Appendix 1) in response to a verbal brief issued by the Lancashire County Archaeological Services (LCAS), which was subsequently approved. The Ashworth Burke Partnership acting on behalf of The Grand (part of the Oasis UK Charitable Trust) commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to undertake an English Heritage Level III-type building investigation, prior to development works. The subsequent map regression analysis and building investigation has revealed that the town house dates to at least 1847, when it is illustrated on the earliest available Ordnance Survey map which is of this date. It was apparent that the general layout of the house had not altered greatly since its construction and the only major changes were the addition of a rear extension and some minor changes to some of the internal rooms. There appeared to be three phases of building and alteration at 18 York Street commencing with the construction of the house sometime prior to 1847, and possibly some decades earlier than this. Phase two included the addition of the rear extension, which according to map evidence dated to between 1886 and 1912. Phase three consisted of minor modifications to some of the internal rooms and late twentieth century alterations During the building investigation, no significant archaeological features or historical evidence was discovered which warrant further investigation. A recommendation has been made for a number of original features to be preserved in situ including a hob grate fireplace, a range in the kitchen, and original window, door and oven in the basement.

Following a request by Ms J Nightingale, Oxford Archaeology North undertook an archaeological watching brief during the excavation of wall footings for a conservatory extension to the dwelling at 19 Water Street, Ribchester, Lancashire (SD 6506 3588). The work was undertaken on 3rd May 2005. The site lies within the garden to the rear of the dwelling, and within the area of the Roman vicus - the civilian settlement (designated as Scheduled Monument LSM55), approximately 220m north-east of the Roman fort and 150m to the north of the Roman bathhouse. The site is also located on a main thoroughfare through the village. Therefore, there was high potential for Roman, medieval and post-medieval remains in the vicinity.

A planning application (1/08/01253/CU) was submitted to Lancaster City Council for the conversion of a barn attached to a cottage at 2 Lancaster Road, Overton, Lancashire (NGR SD 43703 58087). The building lies at the north-eastern end of the medieval village of Overton and is depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition 1:10,560 mapping of 1848, where it appears to be part of a small farmstead of two parallel rows of buildings. Lancashire County Archaeology Service (LCAS) recommended a buildings investigation of English Heritage Level II/III standard before conversion. An examination was made of cartographic sources, in order to place the results of the building investigation into an historical context. A written description was made of all principal building elements, both internal and external, as well as any features of historical or architectural significance. A photographic archive was also compiled to produce black and white prints, and colour slides. The barn was concluded to be part of a small farmstead, possibly constructed in the early-mid nineteenth century, altered in the twentieth century and surviving evidence reveals former stalls suggesting a livestock use. No recommendations for further investigative work were made.

An archaeological desk-based assessment was undertaken by CgMs Consulting in advance of a proposed development by McCarthy and Stone Ltd on land at 23-31 The Village, Wigginton (NGR SE 601 585). This identified high archaeological potential for the site. As a result, the City of York Archaeologist requested that an archaeological evaluation should be undertaken to inform the planning process. Oxford Archaeology North undertook the evaluation trenching from 6th to 14th November 2006. The evaluation initially comprised five 2m wide trenches. Nevertheless, due to significant archaeological remains identified, two trenches were expanded to a width of 4m and 5m. The majority of archaeological remains were encountered in Trenches 1 and 2, where a series of pits were excavated. They produced pottery dating from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries, together with organic domestic refuse, including a wooden stool. A possible robber trench contained a series of water-worn boulders that may be the remains of foundations, and produced fragments of pottery dating from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries. The remains of a possible midden, identified in the north-west-facing section of Trench 1, produced ceramic building material dating from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries from the upper layers, while the lower deposits contained pottery dating from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries. Trench 3 revealed the remains of possible burgage plot boundaries, which contained pottery from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries, and delineated the south-western extent of associated features. Two pits identified in Trench 4, dated from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries, and probably relate to minor activities taking place outwith the main settlement. Assessment of the pottery indicated that the majority of the assemblage was of local manufacture, mostly derived from York, and comprising domestic vessels.

Both Listed Building Consent and planning permission (3/2010/0090 and 3/2010/0091) has been granted by Ribble Valley Borough Council for the demolition of existing rear out-buildings and construction of a new extension at 29 Church Street, Ribchester (SD 6497 3528), together with internal alterations and general repairs to update the house to modern living requirements/standards (Fig 1). Due to the archaeological sensitivity of the area, the site lies within the limits of Ribchester Roman fort and associated settlement (Ancient Monument No 14255), Lancashire County Archaeology Service (LCAS) recommended that any groundworks required as part of the proposed development should be the subject of an archaeological watching brief. This work now forms a condition of both the listed building consent and planning permission.

An archaeological building investigation of numbers 3-5 Damside Street, Lancaster (SD 4778 6181), was undertaken by Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) in response to a request by Lancashire County Council Archaeology Sevice. This was due to a proposal to redevelop the building for residential use by Cable Street Developments. A Level II-type survey was carried out, which consisted of a physical inspection of the fabric combined with written and photographic records, as well as the production of plans of the principal floors and a cross section. The site is situated on the edge of the medieval city of Lancaster, in an area that saw rapid and large-scale expansion during the mid-eighteenth century at which time Lancaster became one of the wealthiest sea-ports in England. It is not known when the site was first occupied but a building is shown in approximately the position of 3-5 Damside Street as early as 1610. This is unlikely to be the present structure however, as in 1778 there is nothing shown in this position at all. The investigation of the structure revealed three main phases of development. The building is an interesting property in the context of the development of this part of Lancaster being, as it is on the edge between the old town to the west and south and the new town of the eighteenth century to the north. It seems likely that it dates to the end of the eighteenth century or beginning of the nineteenth century, although this is not certain and some aspects of its appearance seem earlier. Certainly there is evidence for early activity in this area, and a collection of artefacts found on site uncovered by recent excavation range in date from the thirteenth to nineteenth centuries. It is recommended that a watching brief or evaluation should be undertaken in advance of redevelopment, depending on the extent of future ground work, but that there is no need for further examination of the building itself.

In October 2009, Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) carried out an archaeological watching brief on behalf of Building Health and Safety Ltd, during foundation trenching for two new build properties at 30 Egerton Road, Monton, Eccles, Greater Manchester (NGR SJ 76806 99953) on the site of a previous one-storey dwelling and its surrounding land. In order to secure archaeological interests, an archaeological condition was attached to the planning consent for the development intended to assess the nature, extent, and significance of buried archaeological remains that may be impacted by the development work. To this effect, a formal brief was prepared by the Assistant County Archaeologist for Greater Manchester outlining the requirements of the work. A project design was prepared by OA North in accordance with the brief and approved by the Assistant County Archaeologist prior to the commencement of the work. The single-storey dwelling was still upstanding on the site at the commencement of the site work, and was demolished prior to any intrusive groundworks. The footprint of the building and a number of ephemeral garden features were also still visible. No archaeological deposits or features were exposed during the excavation of the foundation trenches, but post-medieval ceramic fragments were recovered from the subsoil layer. Although a good geological stratigraphy was observed on the site, no features other than the foundation trenches of the previous dwelling were present.