Report of the Archaeological Investigations of the New Castle Court ...

NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE PLAZA
NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE
3.0 FIELD RESULTS
identified at subsoil interface. Thirteen of the 56 post holes, or approximately 23 percent, were
sampled or fully excavated during the current fieldwork and only feature 31 contained a
diagnostic artifact of yellow Staffordshire.
Feature 8
Feature 8 was originally identified during the 1995 fieldwork and the portion of this feature
located within EU 4 was bisected during the current archeological work. The feature appeared at
the top of the lower sand layer. Aggregate measurements of the feature are 1.2 by 0.9 ft., with a
total of depth of 0.7 ft. A single pipe bowl fragment was recovered from the feature matrix.
Feature 9
Feature 9 was identified at the top of the lower sand layer within EU 1 and measures
approximately 2 by 1.4 ft. and appears roughly rectangular in plan (Plate 17). The dissected
feature extends 1.65ft. into the underlying subsoil, for an overall depth of approximately 1.95 ft.
from the top of the base sand. Eighteen artifacts were recovered from this partially excavated
feature, including one chalcedony flake, bone, oyster shell fragments, a hand painted underglaze
porcelain sherd, sand tempered mortar, one pipe stem fragment, clear bottle glass, unidentified
cut/wrought nails, and window glass. Brick fragments were discarded from the feature.
Unfortunately, no diagnostic artifacts were recovered.
Feature 10
Feature 10 is a square cut post hole located along the eastern edge of EU 1. Identification of this
post hole, which appears to have been cut by Feature 9, occurred at the top of the subsoil. The
portion within EU 1 was excavated to a depth of 0.2 ft. into the surrounding subsoil. The west
bisection yielded four artifacts including an oyster shell, two redware sherds, and one
Staffordshire sherd. These artifacts were collected while brick fragments were discarded in the
field. Based on the recovery of the Staffordshire ceramic, the assemblage TPQ is 1670.
Feature 14
Feature 14 is a square cut post hole identified at the top of subsoil within EU 1. It measures 1 by
0.7 ft. and continues 0.32 ft. into the substrata (Plate 17). A total of five artifacts were recovered
including three olive green bottle fragment from the feature cleanup and two nail fragments from
the east half bisection.
Feature 15
Feature 15 is a square cut post hole measuring 1 by 0.8 ft. and extending 0.2 ft. into the natural
subsoil (Plate 17). This feature was identified in EU 1 at the top of the subsoil and appears to be
cut by Features 14 and 16. No artifacts were recovered from the east bisection.
Feature 16
Feature 16 was identified in EU 1 at the interface with the subsoil. It is roughly rectangular in
plan view and its measurements are 1.3 by 0.95 ft. (Plate 17). The eastern half was excavated and
its depth extends 0.55 ft. into the surrounding subsoil. Two olive green bottle glass fragments
were recovered from the excavated portion.
Feature 26
Feature 26 was identified at the subsoil interface in the northeast corner of EU 4. The portion
within this unit, measuring 0.7 by 0.45 ft., was fully excavated to a depth of 0.5 ft. A total of three
artifacts were recovered including a glass stemware base, one pipe stem fragment, and a nail.
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