Site Event/Activity record ECH6306 - Archaeological Watching Brief at Rookery Grange, Nantwich

The results of the programme archaeological monitoring identified the extant remains of the Roman road from Nantwich to Middlewich with associated flanking roadside ditches, and the remains of a medieval or Post‐medieval ridge and furrow plough system in the form of furrows, a headland and a field boundary/drainage ditch. The Roman road was in poor condition due to extensive modern ploughing which had scattered much of the stone surface of the road into the fields either side. This had also obscured much of the associated flanking ditches, the remains of which were fairly ephemeral. Due to the shallow nature of the ditches and the poor preservation of the stone surface it is possible that these features were very heavily truncated and would originally have been quite robust, so the stone surface uncovered could have originally been a foundation layer to a more substantial road above. The recovery of medieval or late medieval pottery sherds from the road surface could date from the initial ploughing of the area, rather than representing a continuing use of the feature, as they were very abraded fragments despite being found directly on the road surface. The later plough system comprised furrows, a headland and a ditch and respected the alignment and position of the Roman road implying this was still an extant feature forming a natural field boundary. However, the alignment of the furrows was perpendicular with the Main Road, Worleston which lies to the west, indicating that by this time, that had become the main roadway through the landscape. The wall foundation probably represented a modern outbuilding associated with the main house or old stable block. The Late Upper Palaeolithic flint is likely to represent an accidental loss given the lack of similar dated finds in the vicinity, however it could also be representative of Roman votive activity in the area