Site Event/Activity record ECH5965 - Archaeological Evaluation Trial Trenches at No.2 Jordan gate, Macclesfield, Cheshire

Programme of archaeological evaluation at land to the west of Jordangate and to the north of King Edward Street, Macclesfield. Part of predetermination of an application for the construction of a single storey office. As part of the evaluation four trenches were excavated within the footprint of the proposed development. Trench 1 produced a brick wall belonging to a former garage on the site. Trench 2 was completely sterile aside from a modern drain at the eastern end. It was shown that glacial sand existed immediately below the car park surface at this location. Trench 3 was highly disturbed through the excavation of a large post-medieval dumping pit and showed that much of the land had been raised at this point, presumably to create a level building platform in the post medieval period. Trench 4 produced a dry bonded sandstone wall of undeterminable age running from east to west across the trench. This corresponds with a stable block shown in the town plan of 1871, though recovered artefacts from contexts around the wall appear to date to the late 17th and early 18th century's. To the south of the wall the area had been disturbed by two inter-cutting post-medieval dumping pits and to the north a modern ceramic land-drain ran parallel with and respected the sandstone wall line. The site has shown its potential for the preservation of buried archaeological remains and it is recommended therefore that an archaeological excavation is undertaken at the site prior to the construction of the office building to ensure any buried remains are recorded prior to being removed.