NHER 67109 (Monument record) - Medieval to post-medieval pits and 19th-century crypt

June-October 2017. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of new public house.
The reduction of the site to the desired formation level exposed a number of pits and post-holes, the majority of which lay in the western half of the site. Most of the pits contained high medieval pottery and they also produced a number of other finds of probable medieval date, including brick fragments, a possible floor tile and pieces of fired clay likely to represent the remains of oven domes or hearth lining. At least some of this material was though probably residual, as several of these features also contained finds of late medieval/early post-medieval and/or post-medieval date. Samples taken from the fills of three of these pits all contained small assemblages of charred cereal grains and other charred plant macrofossils, as well as ferrous spheres and flakes likely to represent hammerscale from ironworking. None of the possible post-holes produced any dating evidence.
There was evidence for considerable recent disturbance in the eastern half of the site, with over 1m of made ground present. This material contained finds of predominantly 19th-century date suggesting it was related to a Methodist chapel known to have occupied the site until the mid 20th century (NHER 67108). This building had been constructed in 1843 and had replaced an earlier hall on the same site that had been built in 1807. Two north-to-south aligned flint and brick walls were likely to have been associated with these buildings. An examination of the Ordnance Survey 1:500 Town Plan map of 1885 (S1) suggests that the westernmost of these walls was probably the back wall of the later chapel. Also likely to have been associated with the later, larger hall was a brick barrel-vaulted crypt, which appeared to have been previously re-opened (its entrance being blocked by brickwork that was much cruder than that seen in the rest of the structure). It contained two burials, both of which were within wooden coffins with brass and ironwork fittings. Although nameplates were present these were indecipherable. Little could be gleaned from the remains themselves, which were in extremely poor condition. It was though noted during their exhumation that one individual was taller and possible wearing some form of hat. The remains were reinterred in a local cemetery.
Also recorded within the footprint of the later chapel was a circular brick-lined well, the uppermost fill of which contained possible hearth waste and 19th-century pottery.
A brick-built cistern of likely 19th-century date probably relates to a 'pump' marked on (S1) within a yard to the rear of the property immediately south of the Methodist chapel.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited. See local press articles (S2) and (S3).
P. Watkins (HES), 29 May 2023.