Monument record BSE 465 - Medieval and post medieval pits ditches

An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to the construction of two houses on land between 63 and 66 Cannon Street. Two trenches were excavated and medieval, post-medieval, and undated features were recorded including pits, postholes, a drain, and a ditch. A wide range of finds including pottery, metal artefacts, animal bones, and plant remains were recovered (S1).

A small archaeological strip map and sample was carried out at a later date. The strip, map and sample area was located between Trench 1 and Trench 2 where the densest archaeology was identified. A small number of well-preserved features were found including two medieval postholes, two medieval or post-medieval ditches along with three post-medieval square cut trenches and gullies and a tree throw containing Neolithic struck flint. The additional features seen in the strip, map and sample site help show that the area was most likely used as open fields up to the late medieval period with a possible barn seen. In the early postmedieval period the activity increased, showing signs of domestic activity and occupation with finds of building materials (CBM) and domestic refuse within associated features. The tree throw found containing Neolithic struck flint shows that this area was utilised in the prehistoric periods with potentially more substantial activity outside of the site boundary (S2).