St Mary’s Bridge (AMA 5)
A single hand excavated trench targeting an easterly oriented wall was scheduled for the St Mary’s
Bride (AMA 5) area. Evidence from cartographic sources demonstrates a reasonably high density of structures which are believed to have been domestic in nature.
Trench 501
The earliest structural element was a northerly aligned sandstone wall which was bonded with gritty sand and extended from under the southern extent of the trench at a depth of 0.44m from the modern ground surface. The sandstone wall, which measured 0.56m in depth, is uncharacteristic of other structural features which have been identified throughout this evaluative process. Although it difficult to estimate an associated date for this structure based on such a partial observation, the depth and character of the material used and method of construction tentatively hint at a possible post-medieval date.
Figure 1. Trench 501 looking west
The sandstone wall was disturbed by the construction cut for an easterly oriented brick wall located in the centre of the trench. The position of the brick wall is suggestive of the feature which is present on the historic mapping. A clayey silt, rich in ceramic building material, appears to have been deposited on either side of the wall to fill the remaining void in the cut.
The final features of archaeological interest were a brick and granite set surface only 45mm below the modern ground surface. The brick surface was to the south of the wall with the granite sets occupying the northern side of the division. Layers of ash beneath the bricks indicate a more invested effort to stabilise the ground. The extra level of commitment required to create a more durable structure tentatively hints at a more domestic/industrial or internal use. The more ephemeral nature of construction used to lay the granite sets suggests that it may have acted as an external surface.

The remains were heavily disturbed to the east by the construction cut for the current flood defence but still exist at a lower horizon. This suggests that preserved structural remains may exist beneath the current flood wall.
Duke Street South (AMA 7)
Figure 2. Sandstone wall in the base of Trench 501
The seven trenches in AMA 7 are expected to define structural remains associated with the Britannia
Foundry and Engineering Works and Coal Wharf. The results will be used to inform the investigation of the condition of sub-surface remains, inaccuracies in historic mapping as well as past land-use and development. Each of the trenches, with the exception of Trench 707, has been targeted on features present on 1884 OS mapping.
The results so far appear to suggest that the area to the south of Trench 704, south-east of Trench
705 and surrounding the enclosure which Trench 706 is in the centre of, may have served one of two purposes. It was either a waste ground which was barely utilised and received demolition material during the redevelopment of the larger industrial area or it contained earlier industrial buildings or cellaring which were demolished by the time the other structural remains in the trenches were constructed. The historic mapping hints at the former interpretation.
Trench 702
The placement of Trench 702 was intended to identify an easterly oriented structure which may have been associated with the 19 th century coal wharf. Conversely, a wall or potential surface broadly aligned north to south was revealed. As only a small portion of the structure was uncovered during the excavation a firm interpretation cannot presently be inferred.

Figure 3. Trench 702 looking south
Beneath the structure was a concrete surface. This sealed a compacted slag type material and an orange ferrous object. It is unclear what the ferrous material but it does not appear to be a rail which may have been associated with the small-scale railway to the west. The opportunity to monitor this area in future, in combination with documentary research and map regression may assist with a more pleasing interpretation of past events surrounding this locality.
Figure 4. Westerly facing photograph of orange ferrous material in Trench 701.

Trench 703
The historic mapping around this part of Duke Street does not clearly demonstrate what the nature of this particular area is. Trench 703 therefore has the opportunity to explore if the industrial buildings and activities extended westerly to incorporate this part of the landscape or is the focus was more domestic in character.
Figure 5. Photograph of Trench 703 looking north
Targeting an easterly wall present on the 1884 OS map, Trench 703 was oriented northerly to avoid extant services. Contrary to the mapping, a north-easterly oriented brick was with a 90 return was identified. The bricks used in the construction of the structure appear to be of a more professional construction than those identified from 19 th century contexts indicating a more recent build. The cut for the wall was identified cutting through a tarmac and concrete surface which appeared to be of a more 20 th century style. In conclusion, it seems that the structural remains identified in Trench 703 were constructed subsequent to those evident on the historic mapping. Further documentary research and map regression will contribute towards a better understanding of these structures.