Site Event/Activity record ECH6469 - Wistaston Green Lane, Crewe, Cheshire: Archaeological Evaluation

Archaeological evaluation was undertaken in 2017 on a site to the east of Wistaston Green Road, Wistaston, Crewe, in advance of a residential development. The site totals approximately 7.5 hectares split over two areas and the two evaluation trenches were located on the larger of the two areas. The site occupies undulating former arable and pasture fields which slope down to the north where Wistaston Brook is located. A heritage statement produced in 2010 (ECH 5875) identified a building on the tithe map of 1840 with the accompanying apportionment labelled 'Garden'. It also appears to be present on Burdett's map of 1777, indicating that it was built prior to 1777. It is not present on Ordnance Survey first edition mapping of 1876, so had potentially been demolished by this date. Also identified was a barn complex constructed between 1819 and 1831 and thought to be associated with the original buildings at Lttle West End. It was extended in the twentieth century and two additional buildings had been built by 1961. All three buildings were demolished between 1991 and 2006. Consequently, it was considered that there was high potential for archaeological remains associated with these buildings to survive. A site walkover survey identified broad and narrow ridge and furrow earthworks as well as building platforms and field boundaries. Also a geophysical survey undertaken in March 2017 (ECH 6369) identified weak circular trends potentially representing features of archaeological interest, other features detected included ridge and furrow cultivation and a former field boundary. In July 2017 the evaluation comprised two areas of excavation. Trench 1, an area of strip, map and record measuring 20m square, investigated the site of the 'Garden' building, whilst trench 2, 50m long and 4m wide, targeted the circular trends identified through the geophysical survey. Whilst trench 2 did not encounter any features of archaeological interest, remains of a building platform were recorded in trench 1 along with finds ranging in date from the late seventeenth to early nineteenth centuries, with the majority of an eighteenth century date. The absence of any foundations indicate that the building was a relatively insubstantial structure potentially a greenhouse or other garden structure. A ditch to the east of the 'Garden' building probably represents the remains of a boundary, also a cobbled surface was recorded to the west of the building. (1)