Monument record 435/0/7 - Roman buildings and deposits, Wilderspool

Evaluation in area around the Scheduled Monument of Wilderspool Roman settlement in 1992. 13 trenches were excavated as a result of proposals to construct a retail store with access routes and carparking. 8 trenches produced evidence of Roman finds or deposits in the form of beam slots, post holes, pits and sandstone rubble. The Roman settlement at Wilderspool, was probably a purely civilian settlement, housing a largely industrial community. It though to have been possibly occupied from the end of the first century AD to the third century AD. The settlement grew up around the area where the river Mersey was at its lowest allowing the crossing of river by ford. It would also have been the best place for ships to offload their cargoes and is believed to have become a port and an industrial town. The area has been under archaeological investigation since the 18th century when the building of Wilderspool house and the later brewery revealed a number of roman finds. 19th century quarrying for sand produced a large amount of roman finds and the cutting of the Manchester Ship canal in 1887-94 revealed more of the archaeology of this site, establishing that the area was a centre for roman industrial production of pottery, glass, iron and bronze work. In the 1980’s a series of trial excavations were carried in advance of further building work but few objects were recovered, the 19th century quarrying having disturbed the topsoil.