Source/Archive record SCH8750 - The Cheshire Cheese PH, 29 Main Street, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 7AZ: Archaeological Evaluation

An archaeological excavation was undertaken in 2019 on land to the west of The Cheshire Cheese Public House in support of a residential development comprising six new dwellings, also the conversion and refurbishment of the public house itself. The archaeological potential is focused on the fact that the site lies within Frodsham’s area of Archaeological Potential, as defined during research conducted by the Cheshire Historic Towns Survey, which reflects the presumed extent of the settlement of Frodsham in the medieval and post medieval periods. During these periods, the street frontages are the locations most likely to have been occupied by dwellings and a 25” ordnance survey map of c.1880 shows the present public house and outbuildings whilst the tithe map of 1846 shows an earlier structure occupying the present building’s footprint, with further structures to the east in what is now the car park. The tithe apportionment describes the structures as “homesteads” and they are best interpreted as domestic dwellings with long thin plots to the rear. The archaeological evaluation identified a single feature - a single square, brick-built fire pit belonging to a row of former post medieval dwellings which once fronted the site. This had a flat stone base, measured 0.45m², and was the only remaining structure found during the excavation, showing that demolition of the post medieval houses had all but removed them in their entirety. Covering this fire pit was a large spread of bricks which acted as an aggregate for the fly-ash which was pressed down above it. These bricks were almost certainly imported from another site as well as the fly ash and both were employed to level the area in advance of it being utilised as a car park, this is supported by the presence of modern plastic beneath the brick which suggest that they arrived in the area within the last forty years. Five individual artefacts were recovered during the excavation phase; two examples of clay pipe stems, a single sherd of Victorian blue transfer ware and two examples of Annular ware.