EDO6523 - Land rear of Assembly Rooms; evaluation 2018

Archaeological investigations were commissioned by JC and RH Palmer Ltd in relation to a planning application for new dwellings. The site covered 0.14 ha and comprised former allotments with areas of hard standing. Two trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator using a wide toothless bucket to the level of archaeological deposits or natural geology. Trench 1 measured 10m by 1m by a depth of 1.1m. No archaeological cut fearures were revealed and a small quantity of medieval and post-medieval pottery recovered. Trench 2 measured 10m by 1m by a depth of 1.1m. Modern dumped material was found but there were no archaeological cut fearures revealed and a small quantity of medieval and later pottery recovered. The pottery assemblage mainly comprised Donyatt-type or south Somerset pottery sherds, all bar one undiagnostic and ranging in date from 12th to 14th century. Two sherds were wheel-thrown giving a 14th century or later date. One sherd was a wheel thrown rim of a cooking pot. The post-medieval pottery comprised 5 sherds from either Holnest or south Somerset and included 3 vessel bases, one with a pooled lead glaze. A likely date of 17th to 19th century was assigned to these. There was no evidence for any in-situ archaeological deposits in either trench and the sherds were thought likely to derive from agricultural activity such as manuring.