Site Event/Activity record ECH3629 - An Archaeological Watching Brief at 10-16 High Street, Nantwich, Cheshire.

Archaeological watching brief undertaken in 1996 during groundworks associated with the construction of a link extension to the rear of 10-16 High Street, Nantwich. The results demonstrated that deep, well stratified archaeological deposits, rich in both organic and ceramic material and datable to the medieval and early post medieval periods, survive. The remains of a well-laid 16th century cobbled surface were noted, together with earlier pit groups. Additionally, a potential substantial ditch feature, perhaps dating from the 12th century, was recorded and may relate to the Castle moat (179/2). The dimensions of the cut indicate a feature on a similar scale to the ditch located during the 1978 excavations on the west side of the car park which was tentatively interpreted as part of the moat. The fills of the cut contained 13th/14th century pottery, these could conceivably represent the date of the primary fills of a castle ditch that had fallen out of use. However, this cut lies approximately 20m to the south of the potential moat alignment, so may have had a different function. (1)