Monument Type(s):

• BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

This site represents: a building of medieval date.

Related records

Associated Finds

• FSA537 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA416 - FLOOR TILE (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA541 - VESSEL (16th century to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1500 AD to 1913 AD)

Associated Events: None recorded

Description

Della Porta site, 1926. Excavations prior to redevelopment in 1926-7 revealed the sandstone walls of a medieval building, the subject of a number of separate reports. A W Ward's account of 1947 describes it as having been found 'deep down in the excavations under three very old cottages on the west side of Phillip's Passage'; the end wall was reported to be 'about 65 feet from the High Street frontage, and the long wall ran for a distance of 30 to 35 feet in a south-westerly direction towards Princess Street'. 'There were two small niches, several feet apart, in the long wall, with pointed, arched heads; this wall was said to face Old St Chad's. The excavations took place in running sand to a depth of 16.5 feet (5.03m) without the foundations being reached [<1>]. This appears to have been the building reported by H E Forrest at the time of the redevelopment; he noted the discovery of a stone building well back from the High Street frontage, its walls truncated but continued towards the frontage in brick, with a 'splayed opening ' facing east well below ground level. Within, the workmen found a number of glazed floor tiles including one exceptionally large one, bones identified as sheep and horse, and quantities of 18th-century glazed earthenware [<2>]. An anonymous note refers again to the 'deeply splayed window on the east side' and to the tiles found within [<3>]. Note: although not explicitly stated, this building appears to have lain alongside Phillips's Passage, in a way more or less identical to the principal range of the Golden Cross Inn, alongside the next but one passage to the east, and to have been rebuilt as or colonised by the three cottages <5>

<01> Ward A W, 1947, The Shrewsbury of 1772, p12 (Monograph). SSA10351.

<02> Forrest H E, 1926-Sep-02, Excavations in High Street (Article in serial). SSA10349.

<03> Anon, 1927/ 1928, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological Society, px (Volume). SSA3249.

<04> Ordnance Survey, 1960, Ordnance Survey Record Card SJ41SE101 (Card index). SSA5684.

<05> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis, 17/02/1997 (SMR comment). SSA20432.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.