This collection comprises images and reports from a watching brief on land at Tulip Mews, Heddon-... more This collection comprises images and reports from a watching brief on land at Tulip Mews, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland, commissioned and undertaken by Wardell Armstrong. During the watching brief substantial remains of Hadrian's Wall and a Medieval corn dryer were recorded and these led to targeted excavations
In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary... more In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary School, Edinburgh. The archaeological excavation revealed four phases of activity; Phases 1 and 2 comprised coffined and uncoffined human burials. The lack of infectious pathognomic skeletal lesions, the dating of the finds, the dendrochronological analysis of the coffin wood and technological data, along with the known historic land-use of the area, all indicate that the burial ground relates to the 1645 outbreak of plague in Leith. Dendrochronological analysis revealed a terminus post quem felling date of c 1640 for the coffin wood, while analysis of the coffins’ manufacture revealed hasty construction methods. Phase 3 comprised a series of waste disposal pits of 19th-century date. Phase 4 comprised levelling deposits, which were likely associated with the construction of the school and the demolition of the 19th-century smallpox hospital located to the north of the site. A total of 8...
This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken by Wardell Armstrong ... more This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken by Wardell Armstrong LLP on land at Fairhill, Penrith, Cumbria. The investigation at the site has provided the opportunity to examine a section of the Roman road between Brougham and Old Penrith, which revealed details of the road construction and evidence for the continued use of the route into the 18th century. The work also revealed evidence for roadside activity, which comprised a number of cobbled surfaces and several cut features. Whilst the exact function of this has been difficult to interpret, such activity located alongside Roman roads is not well documented within the region, particularly away from forts and major settlements. The findings of the investigation at Fairhill have provided important details about the route and will add to the growing body of literature on the Roman road infrastructure within the county.
This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in
2016 by Wa... more This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in 2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken at the former Parcels... more This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken at the former Parcels Office on Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, which was conducted in advance of the con version of the listed railway arches and the construction of a new hotel. The archaeological investigations have provided evidence of activity on the site from the Roman period through to the early twentieth century. This evidence suggests that the site was situated on the periphery of the civilian settle ment associated with the Roman fort of Pons Aelius. The site was not intensively occupied until the thirteenth century, a period which included small-scale tanning activities and the beginnings of what would become the fully established Westgate Street. Most significantly, the investigations have shown that significant archaeological remains can still occur, even in the most heavily urbanised areas. INTRODUCTI ON n 2010, North Pennines Archaeology Ltd were commissioned by Sleeperz Ltd to undertake a programme of archaeological investigation at the former Parcels Office, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne (centred on NZ 424870 563900; fig. 1). The project was carried out prior to and during the development of the listed railway arches and the construction of a new hotel. The site is situated within a triangular piece of land that was previously in use as parcel offices from 1906 until 1991 and is located within the historic parish of St. John, approximately 50 m east of Newcastle Central Station and 100 m north of the River Tyne. The area is well known for its archaeological potential, being situated close to Hadrian's Wall, the Roman fort of Pons Aelius and the remains of a medieval castle. The sites location led Jennifer Morrison of the Tyne and Wear Specialist Conservation Team to request a programme of archaeological excavation and monitoring prior to, and during the develop ment. The first phase of work included the excavation of two open areas, which measured 62 m 2 and 88 m 2 , totalling an area of 150 m 2 , and a contemporaneous watching brief on the site of the former Parcels Office. The second phase of archaeological work consisted of a structured watching brief, which monitored all works within the listed railway arches and the installation of new services for the newly constructed hotel. This paper presents the results of this archaeological work and an interpretation of the evidence in the context of the wider area of the site.
'Great fears of the sickness here in the City...God preserve us all', 2019
In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary... more In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary School, Edinburgh. The archaeological excavation revealed four phases of activity; Phases 1 and 2 comprised coffined and uncoffined human burials. The lack of infectious pathognomic skeletal lesions, the dating of the finds, the dendrochronological analysis of the coffin wood and technological data, along with the known historic land-use of the area, all indicate that the burial ground relates to the 1645 outbreak of plague in Leith. Dendrochronological analysis revealed a terminus post quem felling date of c 1640 for the coffin wood, while analysis of the coffins’ manufacture revealed hasty construction methods. Phase 3 comprised a series of waste disposal pits of 19th-century date. Phase 4 comprised levelling deposits, which were likely associated with the construction of the school and the demolition of the 19th-century smallpox hospital located to the north of the site.
A total of 81 individuals were interred at the site. Adults represent 68.3% while non‐adults represent 31.7%. All age groups were present except neonates. Artefacts including keys, coins, sewing kits and combs were recovered. That the bodies were interred seemingly fully clothed and the corpses not rifled prior to burial strongly indicates a fear of the diseased corpse. The presence of everyday items on the bodies may also indicate a more sudden death outside the sick bed, possibly indicating the occurrence of septicaemic plague.
Frequent occupation and attrition-related skeletal and dental pathologies indicate lives characterised by poverty and toil. Strontium analysis revealed that almost all individuals were local to Leith; several individuals had rosary or paternoster beads, indicating a likely Catholic affiliation, which would have been risky given that the pro-Presbyterian Covenant was signed in Leith in 1638. In contrast to older children, the younger children were interred in coffins, indicating differing views on the treatment of the body.
This article presents the results of two archaeological investigations undertaken on land at Scot... more This article presents the results of two archaeological investigations undertaken on land at Scotby Road, Durranhill, Carlisle, which revealed signifi cant evidence of occupation during the late Neolithic and Romano-British periods, as well as limited evidence for activity during the middle Neolithic, Bronze Age and possibly Iron Age.
A previous programme of archaeological assessment and evaluation at this site had revealed the pr... more A previous programme of archaeological assessment and evaluation at this site had revealed the presence of a Roman enclosure and possible Bronze Age activity. Nearly eighty similar enclosures have been detected as cropmarks on aerial photographs within Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Lancashire, but very little archaeological investigation has so far taken place. Further excavation of the Southworth site was undertaken in 2013 in advance of proposed quarrying and landfill operations. This covered an open area measuring c 0.5ha, targeted over what remained of the enclosure, which was confirmed to be a rural settlement of second century AD date. Other plough-truncated features were recorded within and beyond the enclosure. The features outside the site may be medieval, but there was no evidence of prehistoric activity. The project has highlighted the destructive nature of agriculture at the Southworth site, with implications for the future management of similar sites across the region.
This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology at Peter Gate, Cumwhinton, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work has revealed significant evidence for pottery manufacture on, or very close to, the site which appears to have been established during the late twelfth century. This is significant as almost no other production sites are known in north Cumbria, especially outside the urban centre of Carlisle and the medieval ceramic traditions as a whole within the rural hinterlands of Carlisle remain poorly understood. One of the other significant outcomes of the excavation was the discovery of a substantial post-medieval corn-drying kiln.
Environmental analysis has revealed evidence for medieval and post-medieval cropping activity, corn-field weed ecology and construction methods associated with the corn-drying kiln, as well as the final function of the kiln, which was used for milling rather than threshing or brewing.
This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology on land at Low Crosby, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
This collection comprises images and reports from a watching brief on land at Tulip Mews, Heddon-... more This collection comprises images and reports from a watching brief on land at Tulip Mews, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland, commissioned and undertaken by Wardell Armstrong. During the watching brief substantial remains of Hadrian's Wall and a Medieval corn dryer were recorded and these led to targeted excavations
In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary... more In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary School, Edinburgh. The archaeological excavation revealed four phases of activity; Phases 1 and 2 comprised coffined and uncoffined human burials. The lack of infectious pathognomic skeletal lesions, the dating of the finds, the dendrochronological analysis of the coffin wood and technological data, along with the known historic land-use of the area, all indicate that the burial ground relates to the 1645 outbreak of plague in Leith. Dendrochronological analysis revealed a terminus post quem felling date of c 1640 for the coffin wood, while analysis of the coffins’ manufacture revealed hasty construction methods. Phase 3 comprised a series of waste disposal pits of 19th-century date. Phase 4 comprised levelling deposits, which were likely associated with the construction of the school and the demolition of the 19th-century smallpox hospital located to the north of the site. A total of 8...
This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken by Wardell Armstrong ... more This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken by Wardell Armstrong LLP on land at Fairhill, Penrith, Cumbria. The investigation at the site has provided the opportunity to examine a section of the Roman road between Brougham and Old Penrith, which revealed details of the road construction and evidence for the continued use of the route into the 18th century. The work also revealed evidence for roadside activity, which comprised a number of cobbled surfaces and several cut features. Whilst the exact function of this has been difficult to interpret, such activity located alongside Roman roads is not well documented within the region, particularly away from forts and major settlements. The findings of the investigation at Fairhill have provided important details about the route and will add to the growing body of literature on the Roman road infrastructure within the county.
This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in
2016 by Wa... more This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in 2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken at the former Parcels... more This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken at the former Parcels Office on Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, which was conducted in advance of the con version of the listed railway arches and the construction of a new hotel. The archaeological investigations have provided evidence of activity on the site from the Roman period through to the early twentieth century. This evidence suggests that the site was situated on the periphery of the civilian settle ment associated with the Roman fort of Pons Aelius. The site was not intensively occupied until the thirteenth century, a period which included small-scale tanning activities and the beginnings of what would become the fully established Westgate Street. Most significantly, the investigations have shown that significant archaeological remains can still occur, even in the most heavily urbanised areas. INTRODUCTI ON n 2010, North Pennines Archaeology Ltd were commissioned by Sleeperz Ltd to undertake a programme of archaeological investigation at the former Parcels Office, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne (centred on NZ 424870 563900; fig. 1). The project was carried out prior to and during the development of the listed railway arches and the construction of a new hotel. The site is situated within a triangular piece of land that was previously in use as parcel offices from 1906 until 1991 and is located within the historic parish of St. John, approximately 50 m east of Newcastle Central Station and 100 m north of the River Tyne. The area is well known for its archaeological potential, being situated close to Hadrian's Wall, the Roman fort of Pons Aelius and the remains of a medieval castle. The sites location led Jennifer Morrison of the Tyne and Wear Specialist Conservation Team to request a programme of archaeological excavation and monitoring prior to, and during the develop ment. The first phase of work included the excavation of two open areas, which measured 62 m 2 and 88 m 2 , totalling an area of 150 m 2 , and a contemporaneous watching brief on the site of the former Parcels Office. The second phase of archaeological work consisted of a structured watching brief, which monitored all works within the listed railway arches and the installation of new services for the newly constructed hotel. This paper presents the results of this archaeological work and an interpretation of the evidence in the context of the wider area of the site.
'Great fears of the sickness here in the City...God preserve us all', 2019
In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary... more In 2016, Wardell Armstrong undertook an archaeological excavation at St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary School, Edinburgh. The archaeological excavation revealed four phases of activity; Phases 1 and 2 comprised coffined and uncoffined human burials. The lack of infectious pathognomic skeletal lesions, the dating of the finds, the dendrochronological analysis of the coffin wood and technological data, along with the known historic land-use of the area, all indicate that the burial ground relates to the 1645 outbreak of plague in Leith. Dendrochronological analysis revealed a terminus post quem felling date of c 1640 for the coffin wood, while analysis of the coffins’ manufacture revealed hasty construction methods. Phase 3 comprised a series of waste disposal pits of 19th-century date. Phase 4 comprised levelling deposits, which were likely associated with the construction of the school and the demolition of the 19th-century smallpox hospital located to the north of the site.
A total of 81 individuals were interred at the site. Adults represent 68.3% while non‐adults represent 31.7%. All age groups were present except neonates. Artefacts including keys, coins, sewing kits and combs were recovered. That the bodies were interred seemingly fully clothed and the corpses not rifled prior to burial strongly indicates a fear of the diseased corpse. The presence of everyday items on the bodies may also indicate a more sudden death outside the sick bed, possibly indicating the occurrence of septicaemic plague.
Frequent occupation and attrition-related skeletal and dental pathologies indicate lives characterised by poverty and toil. Strontium analysis revealed that almost all individuals were local to Leith; several individuals had rosary or paternoster beads, indicating a likely Catholic affiliation, which would have been risky given that the pro-Presbyterian Covenant was signed in Leith in 1638. In contrast to older children, the younger children were interred in coffins, indicating differing views on the treatment of the body.
This article presents the results of two archaeological investigations undertaken on land at Scot... more This article presents the results of two archaeological investigations undertaken on land at Scotby Road, Durranhill, Carlisle, which revealed signifi cant evidence of occupation during the late Neolithic and Romano-British periods, as well as limited evidence for activity during the middle Neolithic, Bronze Age and possibly Iron Age.
A previous programme of archaeological assessment and evaluation at this site had revealed the pr... more A previous programme of archaeological assessment and evaluation at this site had revealed the presence of a Roman enclosure and possible Bronze Age activity. Nearly eighty similar enclosures have been detected as cropmarks on aerial photographs within Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Lancashire, but very little archaeological investigation has so far taken place. Further excavation of the Southworth site was undertaken in 2013 in advance of proposed quarrying and landfill operations. This covered an open area measuring c 0.5ha, targeted over what remained of the enclosure, which was confirmed to be a rural settlement of second century AD date. Other plough-truncated features were recorded within and beyond the enclosure. The features outside the site may be medieval, but there was no evidence of prehistoric activity. The project has highlighted the destructive nature of agriculture at the Southworth site, with implications for the future management of similar sites across the region.
This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology at Peter Gate, Cumwhinton, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work has revealed significant evidence for pottery manufacture on, or very close to, the site which appears to have been established during the late twelfth century. This is significant as almost no other production sites are known in north Cumbria, especially outside the urban centre of Carlisle and the medieval ceramic traditions as a whole within the rural hinterlands of Carlisle remain poorly understood. One of the other significant outcomes of the excavation was the discovery of a substantial post-medieval corn-drying kiln.
Environmental analysis has revealed evidence for medieval and post-medieval cropping activity, corn-field weed ecology and construction methods associated with the corn-drying kiln, as well as the final function of the kiln, which was used for milling rather than threshing or brewing.
This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology on land at Low Crosby, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
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Papers by Megan Stoakley
2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The
work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British
field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time
the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the
Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
A total of 81 individuals were interred at the site. Adults represent 68.3% while non‐adults represent 31.7%. All age groups were present except neonates. Artefacts including keys, coins, sewing kits and combs were recovered. That the bodies were interred seemingly fully clothed and the corpses not rifled prior to burial strongly indicates a fear of the diseased corpse. The presence of everyday items on the bodies may also indicate a more sudden death outside the sick bed, possibly indicating the occurrence of septicaemic plague.
Frequent occupation and attrition-related skeletal and dental pathologies indicate lives characterised by poverty and toil. Strontium analysis revealed that almost all individuals were local to Leith; several individuals had rosary or paternoster beads, indicating a likely Catholic affiliation, which would have been risky given that the pro-Presbyterian Covenant was signed in Leith in 1638. In contrast to older children, the younger children were interred in coffins, indicating differing views on the treatment of the body.
Environmental analysis has revealed evidence for medieval and post-medieval cropping activity, corn-field weed ecology and construction methods associated with the corn-drying kiln, as well as the final function of the kiln, which was used for milling rather than threshing or brewing.
has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The
work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British
field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time
the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the
Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
A total of 81 individuals were interred at the site. Adults represent 68.3% while non‐adults represent 31.7%. All age groups were present except neonates. Artefacts including keys, coins, sewing kits and combs were recovered. That the bodies were interred seemingly fully clothed and the corpses not rifled prior to burial strongly indicates a fear of the diseased corpse. The presence of everyday items on the bodies may also indicate a more sudden death outside the sick bed, possibly indicating the occurrence of septicaemic plague.
Frequent occupation and attrition-related skeletal and dental pathologies indicate lives characterised by poverty and toil. Strontium analysis revealed that almost all individuals were local to Leith; several individuals had rosary or paternoster beads, indicating a likely Catholic affiliation, which would have been risky given that the pro-Presbyterian Covenant was signed in Leith in 1638. In contrast to older children, the younger children were interred in coffins, indicating differing views on the treatment of the body.
Environmental analysis has revealed evidence for medieval and post-medieval cropping activity, corn-field weed ecology and construction methods associated with the corn-drying kiln, as well as the final function of the kiln, which was used for milling rather than threshing or brewing.
has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.