Site Event/Activity record ECH6235 - Land at Cholmondeley Road, Wrenbury, Cheshire: Metal Detecting Survey

A metal detecting survey on land at Cholmondeley Road, Wrenbury undertaken in advance of a proposed residential development. At the time of the survey the fields contained short grass ideally suited for metal detecting. A total of 271 finds were recorded during the metal detecting survey. These comprise 1 silver, 134 copper alloy, 92 lead/lead alloy, 29 iron and 15 other metal (e.g. aluminium, tin). The earliest identifiable item was a Romano-British bow brooch dated between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Fourty-seven coins were found, the earliest of which can be dated between 1645-6 AD. The majority of the other coins were 19th or 20th century in date. Twenty-two buttons were found along with a number of buckles. Textile working is represented by spindlewhorls and thimbles. Nine spherical lead shot were recovered. With the exception of the brooch and possibly some of the spindlewhorls, all of the finds are post-medieval in date. The presence of a Romano-British brooch within 150 m of a known Romano-British settlement is not unexpected and is likely to be a stray find within the topsoil. The medieval and post-medieval objects are of a largely utilitarian domestic nature. However, the lead shot is suggestive of some military action in the vicinity, perhaps a Civil War skirmish. The finds have no distinguishable cluster. The small assemblage of medieval finds was situated towards the northern end of the survey area, towards the historic core of the village. Beyond this there is no obvious spatial pattern.