Site Event/Activity record ECH4747 - Stapeley Water Gardens, Nantwich, Cheshire East: Metal Detecting Survey

A metal detector survey was carried out across the fields around Stapeley Water Gardens, Nantwich by WYAS in association with local metal detectorists. The aim of the exercise was to locate areas of archaeological potential that would warrant further archaeological mitigation. In the event, although c 300 artefacts were recovered (largely post-medieval in date), there were no particular concentrations of material that might warrant further investigation. The majority of the finds discovered within the survey area were of a post-medieval date, although a number of medieval objects were found, most notably the medieval ampulla discovered in Block C3. No finds were identified of a Roman or Iron Age date, although a number of metal objects were discovered which could not be dated or their original form identified. The majority of the finds dated to the post-medieval period, and included numerous musket and pistol balls, possibly dating to the Civil War, perhaps indicating the site of a small skirmish in the area during this period. There were no clear concentrations of musket and pistol balls, however, and they were generally distributed relatively evenly across the survey area. Other post-medieval finds included buckles and harness fittings, lead weights and some pottery. The most numerous type of finds were coins, most of which dated to the Georgian period (1714-1830). The earliest identifiable coin was from the reign of William III (1689-1702), and a number of Victorian coins were also discovered, as well as many modern coins. The distribution of finds does not provide any certain indication of areas of activity relating to individual periods, and may rather reflect the random loss, dumping or accidental deposition of material across the site. The top soil across much of the survey area certainly appears to have been disturbed by previous agricultural activity, or building and garden landscaping, particularly on its north-eastern side, which would have contributed to the process of re-deposition of finds within it. The largely post-medieval nature of the finds within the site also does not necessarily reflect the potential for the survival of sub-surface (non-metallic) archaeological remains within the survey area.