Building record 14988 - The Lamb Hotel, Hospital Street, Nantwich

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1263790 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Grade II Listed. 1861. Red brick with stone dressings; 3 storeys; centre projects with 3 windows, the central of 3 lights, each having painted stone surround with pulvinated frieze and, cornice; a 2-windowed bay projects at each side; ground storey windows have stone surrounds with semi-circular heads and keyblocks, Tuscan column portico; doorway with arched head, a pair of 6-panelled doors and steps up; stone floor bands; quoins at sides; moulded. Stone eaves; slates. Narrow 4-storeyed wing on left-hand side with square-headed covered-way leading to yard.

<2> Giffords Consulting Engineers (Chester), 2003, The Lamb Hotel, Nantwich. Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, R2469 (Client Report). SCH4468.

An archaeological desk-based assessment was undertaken for the Lamb Hotel, Nantwich, in advance of redevelopment. The record of a hotel with the name 'Lamb Hotel' can be traced back to 1714 through documentary sources, but there is also record of an earlier Mansion House on the site that became a tavern in 1552. The latest re-building of the hotel is recorded as 1861. On the western side of the hotel a long, timber-framed building is depicted on nineteenth century prints, it was known as the 'Old Barn' and was used by the Lamb as a public theatre, it was demolished in 1883.

<3> Gifford and Partners, 2003, The Lamb Hotel, Nantwich. An Archaeological Evaluation, R2484 (Client Report). SCH4500.

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken in August 2003 at The Lamb Hotel, Nantwich, prior to a proposal for development. Four trenches, totalling 60 sqm, were excavatated (5% of the development area). The evaluation revealed archaeologically sensitive deposits in all trenches extending to a depth of 2.6m and sealed beneath brick rubble and other modern (late nineteenth and twentieth century) layers, also surfaces of 0.2 - 0.65m depth, with service trenches and pits cutting to greater depths at various points.

The most significant finds were 68 pottery sherds of thirteenth and fourteenth century date, preserved structural timbers from trees felled between 1286 -1322 AD, and a stave from a lare tub of late twelfth or early thirteenth century date. A quantity of animal bone was also found, and by association, dates to the same period. These remains were found in a thick accumulation of organic-rich soft clay silts which appear to extend over the entire area investigated. Later features were found to have been cut into these deposits with pottery and animal bone of fifteenth to eighteenth century and later date present. A significant boundary was represented by a sequence of at least three phases with upright timbers, large stone blocks, and bricks.

The preserved timbers included a probable in-situ sill beam with mortise hole, recorded at 38.8m AOD; possible burnt ends could be seen in the surviving vertical members and it is therefore possible that this find is part of a medieval building which burnt down, perhaps during the Great Fire of Nantwich of 1583. The wooden tub was at a lower level at 37.84m AOD, although timbers (planks?) above this were at a height of 38.05m AOD. The deposit in which these timbers have been preserved was a soft silty clay, containing a high percentage of small pieces of wood and some pebbles, extending to 0.4m above the level of the preserved timbers. This deposit had accumulated above a layer of firmer clay with good preservation of organic remains, on which the sill beam timbers were resting.

It was not possible to excavate to the base of the deposits within the narrow confines of the evaluation trenches. Use of a hand auger, however, provided information on the overall depth of cultural deposits extending to 2.7m below the surface.

<4> Gifford and Partners, 2004, The Lamb Hotel, Nantwich - An Archaeological Watching Brief, R2545 (Client Report). SCH4599.

An archaeological watching brief was carried out during the construction of an extension to the hotel. An earlier evaluation had demonstrated the exceptional quality of the archaeological deposits on the site with deep accumulations of organic material dating from at least the early 13th century. The new building had been designed to minimise the disturbance of these remains and excavation was restricted to the ring beam of the new building and the excavation of a new lift shaft pit and the drain runs. Quantities of pottery and animal bone were recovered together with samples of the waterlogged deposits. Analysis of this material revealed that the accumulation consisted of burnt material and domestic refuse, which had continued to pile up in the medieval and early post-medieval town.