Site Event/Activity record ECH3699 - Halton Castle, Runcorn, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief During Consolidation Works to the Curtain Wall (G1380)

As part of a programme of consolidation works of the curtain wall at Halton Castle undertaken between 1994-7 (see also ECH3697, ECH 3696, ECH3700), a watching brief was undertaken in May 1997 during the re-erection and consolidation of a further two sections of the nineteenth century curtain wall; section 5, located to the south-west of the tower on the northern side of the upper bailey, and section 12, situated at the north-east side of the lower bailey. This involved the excavation of the foundation courses inside and against the curtain wall. On excavation of the ground on the internal face of section 12 of the wall, medieval masonry was exposed, consisting of squared blocks of ashlar masonry, 0.75m in height. One of the blocks to the south of this section bore a mason's mark consisting of a small cross. The excavation of the interior and dismantling of section 5 of the wall in the upper bailey was not monitored, but the mason's reported that the makeup of the wall was entirely of soil and rubble with no medieval remains apparent. (1)