| Popis: |
Archaeological watching brief comprised the monitoring of groundworks required for the installation of the ANPR Parking Managment scheme at seven council owned public car parks. The groundworks related to the provision of new pay ports, barrier gates and associated cable runs. The depth of groundworks were anticipated to vary between a nominal depth of 250mm and 600mm bgl (below ground level) The extent of all groundworks and exposed archaeology was mapped using a GNSS/GPS. Following machine excavation all exposed surfaces were inspected by an archaeologist. All exposed features and structures were recorded in plan and section. Where archaeological remains were encountered above the agreed formation level, machine excavation was temporarily halted to allow the remains to be investigated further, and where necessary, excavated by hand. All groundworks were monitored to ensure ground disturbance was minimised to prevent damage to any archaeology present. Significant archaeological remains of medieval date were exposed at three locations. This comprised part of the former medieval city wall (Historic England List Entry no 1003554) at St Radigund's Car Park, part of the medieval castle bailey wall (Historic England List Entry no 1005194) at Castle Row Car Park, and two segments of masonry walls potentially relating to the former Dean's Bridge (Kent HER: TR 15 NE 1726) at Queningate Car Park. Five of the locations had evidence for intensive post-medieval activity. This comprised a range of brick-built walls, floors, and levelling and demolition deposits, and could be equated with buildings shown on the Ordnance Survey map of Canterbury dated 1874. This included former properties fronting St Radigund's Street at St Radigund's Car Park, the former Eagle Brewery complex and later Payne-Smith school at Longport Car Park, the gasometer associated with the former Canterbury gasworks at Castle Row Car Park, the former Dane John Place terrace at Watling Street Car Park, and the former Star Brewery complex at Queningate Car Park. No archaeological features were recorded at Miller's Field Car Park and Pound Lane Car Park, where observed deposits comprised post-medieval ground levelling and cultivated garden soils. The archaeological works successfully met the principal objectives to ensure the preservation by record of the buried archaeological resource where the scheme would result in its permanent loss. Full investigation of the recorded archaeological remains was constrained by the limited depth and extent of the monitored groundworks. As a result, the recovered data, while contributing to the heritage knowledge of the city of Canterbury and the historic significance of each site, was not considered to hold sufficient research potential to warrant further analysis or publication. |
