Site Event/Activity record ECH6950 - Archaeological Desk Based Assessment: The Panorama Hotel, Halton

A desk based assessment, also a site visit, were undertaken in 2021 for land at the former Panorama Hotel, Halton (at the junction of Main Street and Castle Road), prior to proposed redevelopment. The area around Halton has been occupied since at least the Early Medieval period, with Halton Castle established by the latter part of the 11th century. Initial activity was centred on the crest of the hill, where the castle and church stand, with settlement at the base of the outcrop establishing shortly thereafter. By the later 16th century and 17th the castle started to fall into disrepair. Historic mapping shows that the site area has been developed since at least the early 19th century, with a house and gardens well established by the mid 19th century. By the late 1960s the house had become the Panorama Hotel, sited on a series of terraces, closing in the early 21st century. Previous archaeological works on the site recorded garden soils in the southern area and evidence of demolished 19th century structures in the north, with cellars present for the hotel. Previous evaluation and watching brief works carried out on the site show that Post Medieval and modern development have likely truncated any potential historic soil layers, leaving only potential negative rock cut features. Following demolition and site clearance, and based on previous works, it is thought that there is a low potential for surviving archaeological features on the site. (1)