Post by Toby on Jul 26, 2005 19:47:30 GMT 1
Diary by Richard S. (many thanks)
Week 2
With the weather once again on our side, progress remained good this week, including the opening of the new Trench 4. In addition to on-site activity, this week also saw work in the City archives. Plans, records, photographs and even a contemporary scrapbook of cuttings concerning the Exhibition Centre were found, and confirmed the purpose of the walls in Trench 1, as well as helping to place each of the trenches into the context of the building.
Trench 1
The final demolition deposits were removed from around the foundation walls, which were cleaned, recorded and photographed. Being only two courses high, and sat directly onto the clay beneath, the disturbance of the Exhibition Centre on the earlier archaeology may be less than we had expected.
The walls were removed, exposing the clay used to level the site before the construction of the Exhibition Centre. Into this, an unknown and irregularly shaped feature appears to have been cut, though its purpose is unknown. Finds this week include an unusually intact clay pipe with decorated bowl and attached stem.
Trench 2
Continuing the excavation of the large levelling deposit occupied the first half of the week, before the trainees were relocated into other trenches, where the archaeology was more immediately accessible. Work on this trench was put on a temporary pause by the end of the week as a result.
Trench 4
Underneath topsoil and modern rubble deposits, a layer of roof tiles was uncovered. This was thought to be from the demolition of a medieval building on the other site of the standing wall. One of these roof tiles was imprinted with the paw print of a dog. In addition, the concrete edge of the outbuildings of the Exhibition Centre was identified.
Trench 6
Leaving the pipes intact for the present, the path layers were removed first this week. In the process, a further three pipes were revealed - these were probably earlier, relating to the Exhibition Centre. In the backfill for one of the pipes, a blue glass bead was found by one of the trainees, possibly Roman in date.
Trench 7
Work started this week on two paths, both cut by the modern pipe excavated last week. The wall discovered last week was fully uncovered on either side. Underneath the paths was a deep deposit of garden soil from the site’s use prior to the construction of the Exhibition Centre. A large well-preserved clay pipe with a Masonic symbol was uncovered among Roman and medieval pottery from the garden soil.
Week 2
With the weather once again on our side, progress remained good this week, including the opening of the new Trench 4. In addition to on-site activity, this week also saw work in the City archives. Plans, records, photographs and even a contemporary scrapbook of cuttings concerning the Exhibition Centre were found, and confirmed the purpose of the walls in Trench 1, as well as helping to place each of the trenches into the context of the building.
Trench 1
The final demolition deposits were removed from around the foundation walls, which were cleaned, recorded and photographed. Being only two courses high, and sat directly onto the clay beneath, the disturbance of the Exhibition Centre on the earlier archaeology may be less than we had expected.
The walls were removed, exposing the clay used to level the site before the construction of the Exhibition Centre. Into this, an unknown and irregularly shaped feature appears to have been cut, though its purpose is unknown. Finds this week include an unusually intact clay pipe with decorated bowl and attached stem.
Trench 2
Continuing the excavation of the large levelling deposit occupied the first half of the week, before the trainees were relocated into other trenches, where the archaeology was more immediately accessible. Work on this trench was put on a temporary pause by the end of the week as a result.
Trench 4
Underneath topsoil and modern rubble deposits, a layer of roof tiles was uncovered. This was thought to be from the demolition of a medieval building on the other site of the standing wall. One of these roof tiles was imprinted with the paw print of a dog. In addition, the concrete edge of the outbuildings of the Exhibition Centre was identified.
Trench 6
Leaving the pipes intact for the present, the path layers were removed first this week. In the process, a further three pipes were revealed - these were probably earlier, relating to the Exhibition Centre. In the backfill for one of the pipes, a blue glass bead was found by one of the trainees, possibly Roman in date.
Trench 7
Work started this week on two paths, both cut by the modern pipe excavated last week. The wall discovered last week was fully uncovered on either side. Underneath the paths was a deep deposit of garden soil from the site’s use prior to the construction of the Exhibition Centre. A large well-preserved clay pipe with a Masonic symbol was uncovered among Roman and medieval pottery from the garden soil.