Monument Type(s):

• CELLAR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• UNDERCROFT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

This site represents: an undercroft of medieval date, a cellar of medieval date. The site is protected by Grade II Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA3577 - 1996 cellar visit to 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury as part of UAD by SCCAS
• ESA8011 - 2011 Building survey of cellars at 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury by Richard K Morriss

Description

UAD field visit 60081 identified a largely modernised cellar at the rear of these premises, adjoining the east boundary to the site (i.e. part of the former no.40). Although rendered and/or painted the (west and east) side walls appear to be of large finely-jointed blocks of Grinshill stone, with diagonal tooling and some bankers' marks visible on the east wall. Block sizes: c.300 x 300mm; 300 x 400mm; 300 x 500mm. A possible return wall at the north (street) end was identified, but the rear (south) end wall is modern brick. Floor frame over is modern. Current use as main beer cellar. This appears to represent a very small (c.6.2 by 4.5m) medieval undercroft or cellar to a building at right-angles to the street, set back c.14m from the frontage <2>

In 2011, following on from outline building analysis (see ESA6749), a programme of recording was undertaken of the medieval cellarage at Nos 39-40 High Street. This mainly recorded the medieval masonry present under no 40. Inspection was carried out after some removal of render and plaster from the walls. This established that the medieval work is both extensive and of at least two distinct phases of different quality masonry work. There is a cellar at the south
end of the site lined with high quality Grinshill stone masonry (PRN 62371), whilst the rest appears to be of poorer Keele-bedded sandstone. No obvious re-use of masonry was identified, so it is assumed that the cellars are mainly of medieval origins. <3>

<01a> Baker Nigel J, 1996, SUAD Field Visit Records File (Field recording form). SSA22030.

<01> Baker Nigel J, 1996, UAD Field Visit File I (Field recording form). SSA10337.

<02> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis, 29/01/1997 (SMR comment). SSA20432.

<03> Morriss Richard K, 2011, 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire: an outline architectural & archaeological analysis of the cellars (Field survey report). SSA29099.

Sources

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