2001_000

University of Leicester Archaeological Services 

Archaeological Services ULAS 

Annual Report 2001

Annual Report 2001 

How long ago was that Putting dates to periods 

Palaeolithic – Old Stone Age – 500,000 BC-9500 BC 

First hunter gatherer groups. Climatic changes 

Mesolithic – Middle Stone Age – 9500 BC-4500 BC 

Hunter gatherer groups. Climate getting warmer 

Neolithic – New Stone Age – 4500 BC-2000 BC 

The first farming communities 

Bronze Age – 2000 BC-700BC 

First use of metals 

Iron Age – 700 BC-AD43 

Introduction of iron-working 

Roman – AD 43-AD 410 

Roman occupation of Britain 

Anglo-Saxon – AD 410-1066 

Saxon and Scandinavian migration 

Medieval – 1066-1500 

Norman Conquest to the first Tudor kings 

Post-medieval – 1500-1800 

Tudor - Stuart - Georgian periods 

Modern – 1800-present day 

Industrial to nuclear age


University of Leicester 

Archaeological Services 

ULAS 

Annual Report 

2001 


University Road 

Leicester LE1 7RH 

Tel: 0116 252 2848 

Fax: 0116 252 2614 

On the Internet 

www.le.ac.uk/ulas


Institute of Field 

Archaeologists 


Archaeological Services 

ULAS 

Contents 

1 Introduction 1 

2 Living on the Edge – The Environs of a Neolithic Causwayed Enclosure 2 

3 Roman Leicester Revealed – The Stibbe Buildings Evaluation 5 

4 Sawgate Bridge Rediscovered 8 

5 The Hospital of St John the Baptist 10 

6 Leicester Abbey Revisited 12 

7 One Man and Two Boats 15 

8 Civil War Siege – Excavations at Mill Lane 16 

9 A Palace of Dreams – Recoding a 1930s Cinema in Northampton 18 

10 A South Wales Blast Furnace – Twentieth-Century Heavy Industry 20 

12 ULAS Staff 2001 22 

13 Publications and Conferences 2001 24 

14 Outreach 2001 25 

15 Archaeological Projects 2001 26 

14 ULAS Clients 2001 29


Introduction 

The past year has been one of major achievement for 

both the University of Leicester Archaeological Services 

and the School of Archaeology and Ancient History, to 

which it is attached. As is immediately apparent from 

this report, ULAS continues to provide a high standard 

of service, as a professional archaeological contracting 

unit, to a large number of satisfied customers. At the 

same time ULAS staff contribute to (and are supported 

by) the academic wing of the School. The School was 

assessed for both its Research output and its Teaching 

and Learning quality in 2001 and came through both 

exercises with flying colours, with top ratings of 5A for 

research (only 5* is higher) and 24/24 for its teaching 

quality. Several ULAS staff were cited in the Research 

submission and no less than ten ULAS staff have 

contributed their expertise to the School’s teaching 

programme in the last year. Similarly, academic advisors 

from the School’s core staff are routinely attached to 

major ULAS field projects to make the most of a twoway 

exchange of expertise within the School. This 

symbiosis between academic school and professional 

archaeological unit has been a major factor in the success 

of ULAS and gives the latter an edge over many of its 

professional competitors. 

ULAS had a quality audit of its own in the autumn, with 

a validation visit by the IFA (Institute of Field 

Archaeologists) – the body that serves the professional 

archaeology community. The visit passed off very 

successfully, with the IFA re-confirming its validation 

of the services ULAS offers. Those commissioning work 

can do so confident in the knowledge that ULAS meets 

exacting professional standards. In addition, as part of 

their overall strategy for 

offering their staff opportunities 

for career development, and 

customers a better and better 

service, ULAS are also seeking 

validation this year under the 

Investors in People scheme. 

This involves enhancing the 

existing staff development and 

training structures and once 

again, this will help the unit maintain and build on its 

reputation for high quality and efficient project work. 

It is clear, from the list of projects undertaken, that ULAS 

is frequently active in several counties, but the focus of 

the work, understandably, remains Leicestershire and 

Rutland. After a ten-year period of limited activity, the 

past year has seen the start of a major new wave of 

construction and redevelopment in Leicester city centre. 

ULAS has already been involved in several of these sites 

and hopes to continue to contribute its local knowledge 

and long experience to excavations in Leicester over 

the coming few years. These are exciting times ahead 

and ULAS and the School intend to be at the forefront 

of archaeology for many years to come. 

David Mattingly 

Professor of Roman Archaeology 

Acting Head of School of Archaeology and Ancient History 

March 2002 

1


Living on the Edge – The Environs of a Neolithic Causewayed Enclosure 

In 1998, geophysical survey by ULAS located a major 

Neolithic monument at Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire 

– a causewayed enclosure dating from around 3000 BC– 

the first of its kind known from the county. The monument 

consisted of a circular open area, 

150m in diameter, originally 

enclosed by interrupted banks and 

ditches, and would have served for 

meetings and ceremonies for the 

early farming communities living in 

the surrounding Soar, Welland, Swift 

and Avon valleys. When the 

significance of the discovery had 

been established, the site was 

withdrawn from proposals for gravel 

extraction, and has now been 

designated a Scheduled Ancient 

Monument (SAM), providing 

protection from future development. 

Following survey and evaluation, a 

modified area was granted planning 

permission for gravel extraction, and 

three phases of archaeological work 

have been undertaken since the 

commencement of the quarry 

extension. 

Right: a Neolithic crouched 

burial with flint tool-kit at feet. 

Initially, archaeological monitoring was carried out during 

topsoil stripping for a tunnel, beneath the road, linking the 

new quarry with the existing one, a haul road and new areas 

allocated for extraction and landscaping. This was followed 

by trial trenching and excavation of features found by 

geophysical survey to the southwest of the monument. 

Further topsoil stripping was then monitored to the north 

and south-west of the monument. This has located 

archaeological remains of 

Neolithic, Bronze Age and 

Iron Age date in the areas 

surrounding the causewayed 

enclosure. 

The earliest features on the site 

are large numbers of ‘tree 

throws’ – round pits with 

distinctive dark crescents of 

silt on one side where fallen 

tree boles have rotted away. 

The trees would have been 

part of the natural landscape 

before the woodland was 

cleared and the causewayed 

enclosure was constructed. 

Contemporary evidence to the 

north and south-west of the 

Neolithic causewayed 

enclosure has been found. To 

the north were clusters of pits 

in groups containing flint and 

Neolithic pottery of the type known as Peterborough ware. 

Two of these were of particular interest containing, in 

addition to pottery and flint, large saddle querns (grinding 

stones) and charred deposits with identifiable cereal remains. 

These may have been ‘special deposits’ placed as offerings, 

or the querns may have been buried for re-use during 

2


seasonal visits to the site. A pit to the west of the enclosure 

contained slightly later Beaker style pottery of late Neolithicearly 

Bronze Age date. 

The area south of the enclosure had rather different 

Neolithic remains, including a circular monument and human 

burials – an inhumation (skeleton) in a crouched position 

and two cremations. 

The crouched inhumation burial lay at the base of a deep 

rectangular pit which was capped by a layer of 

burnt cobbles and stones. The burial was positioned 

with the head to the south-east. Bone survival 

was unusual in that it was either present in generally 

reasonable condition or there was very little trace 

of it. The pelvis, ribcage and spine and most of the 

left leg and arm (i.e. the lower side of the body) 

were missing. Although some of the skull had 

decayed badly, one side of the upper jaw was in 

good condition. Initial indications suggest that the 

burial was of a 30-35 year old male. 

Near the crouched burial were several Iron Age pits, dug 

perhaps 1500 years after the burial, some of which contained 

quantities of large burnt cobbles. Could these stones have 

come from a stone mound or cairn which had once covered 

the burial pit 

Trial trenching and excavation were carried out in two 

further areas of the quarry extension, targeting features 

located by geophysical survey, including a ring ditch and a 

small rectangular enclosure. The excavation confirmed the 

Enclosure 

Neolithic Pits 

A tool kit of five late Neolithic/early Bronze Age 

flints, which may have originally been in a bag, lay 

by the feet, a flint flake near the skull, and two 

pieces of animal bone with a flint flake were by 

the wrist. Charred remains of an oak plank had 

been laid on its edge along the length of the side 

of the pit to the north-west of the burial. The plank’s 

position in the pit corresponded with a natural layer 

of loose silt and gravel along one side, and it may 

have acted as shuttering. This could imply that 

the pit was dug some time before the body was 

placed in it, or that the body remained uncovered 

for some time before the pit was filled in. 

Right: map of the site showing the 

causwayed enclosure and other features. 

Late Neolithic Pits 

Causwayed Enclosure 

Enclosure 

Enclosure 

Circular Building 

Pit Alignments 

Ring-ditch 

Enclosure 

Cremation Burials 

Iron Age Pits 

Iron Age Pits 

Inhumation 

Area of Scheduled 

Ancient Monument 

Geophysical Anomaly 

Archaeological Feature 

Extent of Watching Brief/Excavation 

3


presence of the ring ditch with two narrow causeways to 

the north-west. On the basis of the geophysical surveys 

this had been interpreted as a ploughed-out circular Bronze 

Age barrow. However, although the ditches were extremely 

deeply cut, no burial was present nor any feature likely to 

have contained one. There was no surviving evidence of a 

mound or external banks, although the initial geophysical 

survey had indicated that banks might have been 

present. The ditch varied in depth, perhaps suggesting 

that it had originally been dug out by different groups 

of people. Few finds were present the only dating 

evidence being sherds of Neolithic Peterborough 

ware pottery suggesting that the site was in use 

around 3000-2500 BC. 

Two pit alignments, one crossing the ring ditch, were 

also located. Although not closely datable, these may 

be evidence of land division in the late Bronze-Early 

Iron Age. More 

tangible evidence of 

occupation occurred in 

the Middle to Late Iron 

Age, with a circular 

building, pits and 

enclosures to the south, 

and pits and an 

enclosure to the north 

of the monument. The 

circular building cut the 

upper layers of the ring 

ditch, suggesting that the monument was no longer visible 

at this time, with the banks or mound having eroded and the 

ditch now backfilled. By this time when the land was being 

divided up, it is unclear whether the causewayed enclosure 

was still visible as an earthwork. 

The work to date at Husbands Bosworth has shown that 

the causewayed enclosure was a focus of activity during 

the prehistoric period, with evidence of seasonal occupation, 

the construction of a circular monument – perhaps a local 

variation of a ‘henge’ – and burials, during the Neolithic. 

There appears to have been a decline in activity during the 

Bronze Age until a period of land division using pit alignments 

began, perhaps early in the first millennium BC. By the late 

Iron Age, the land was being settled more intensively with 

several enclosures and at least one circular building. It is 

Above: monumental ring-ditch overlain by 

remnants of Iron Age house (foreground). 

Left: a large saddle quern (grinding 

stone) recovered from one of the pits. 

uncertain when the causewayed enclosure ceased to be 

visible as a feature in the landscape. Further work may 

help to elucidate what influence this important monument 

had on evolution of the surrounding landscape. 

We would like to thank Lafarge Redland Aggregates and 

their consultants, Oxford Archaeological Associates, for their 

help and co-operation during this project. 

4


Roman Leicester Revealed – The Stibbe Buildings Evaluation 

In January and February 2001, ULAS 

excavated a series of trial trenches on the site 

of the former Stibbe Buildings on Great Central 

Street, Leicester. The site lies within the historic 

core of the Roman and medieval town and is 

earmarked for redevelopment, although no 

definite plans have been drawn up as yet. 

An initial desk-based archaeological 

assessment confirmed that there are known 

archaeological remains, of great significance, 

within the study area, including the possible 

north wall of the Roman macellum (market hall) 

and at least one other Roman building. Roman 

tessellated pavements, mosaics, painted wall 

plaster and masonry walls had all been 

previously recorded on the site. The Cyparissus 

Pavement, a mosaic on display at Jewry Wall 

Museum, may also have been found on this site 

in the 17th century. The site lies partially on the frontage of 

the medieval High Street, now Highcross Street. The deskbased 

assessment confirmed the locations of deep cellars 

associated with the former Victorian Stibbe Buildings, which 

are known to have caused a great deal of destruction to 

archaeological deposits. The report also demonstrated that 

in areas away from the cellars there was potential for their 

survival. 

Ten trenches were excavated across the site, mainly using 

a 360º mechanical excavator, with three located over the 

areas of the known cellars, in order to confirm the depths 

of the cellar floors. The remaining trenches were placed in 

areas where cellars were unconfirmed. 

Above: a plain tessellated Roman floor. 

The trench in the north-western corner of the site, on the 

Great Central Street frontage, uncovered Roman 

archaeological deposits, surviving 1m below the present 

ground surface, sealed by medieval garden soils and modern 

demolition debris. The Roman remains had been partially 

disturbed by medieval pits, modern wall trenches and a 

shallow cellar. The trench revealed a possible Roman road, 

aligned north-north-west, in the far western edge of the 

trench. This was bounded to the east by a series of gravel 

and sand layers, possibly yard surfaces. The remainder of 

the trench overlay at least two rooms and a corridor of a 

Roman building. Three wall lines, parallel with the possible 

5


road, were visible as medieval robber trenches (dated to 

the 11th -12th centuries), with two walls on a perpendicular 

alignment also hinted at, although unconfirmed. The main 

part of the trench overlay a single room with a sequence of 

floor layers that suggested a prolonged period of use and 

regular refurbishment during the Roman period. One of 

the floors was constructed of rough grey tesserae (mosaic 

N 

Great Central Street 

Possible layout of 

mosaic 

Building 1: 

corridor & three 

rooms 

Above: plan of the Stibbe site with Roman 

roads superimposed (grey). 

Building 2: 

mosaic & 

hypocaust 

Building 3: the 

macellum 

tiles). A second room to the south was indicated by a small 

patch of floor, made of red ceramic tesserae, with a very 

different sequence of floor layers beneath, when compared 

with those seen in the room to the north. Bounded by two 

of the robber trenches on the eastern side of these rooms 

was a particularly well-made grey tessellated floor, appearing 

to represent a corridor from which these other rooms would 

have been accessed. 

The trench could not be 

extended to the east due 

to the presence of a 

substantial modern 

concrete floor, so it was 

not possible to see what 

lay on the eastern side of 

the corridor. 

Highcross Street 

The trench in the 

northern part of the site 

had been disturbed by 

modern services. 

However, evidence for 

medieval rear-yard 

activity, in the form of 

numerous pits, was 

recorded. Areas of the 

base of the trench also 

revealed the remains of 

a Roman building with a 

stone-lined flue for a 

hypocaust (under-floor 

heating system), with 

mortar floors above. In 

the north side of the 

trench, above the flue, 

lay part of a mosaic of 

fine white, grey and 

black tesserae, and 

above this, the collapsed superstructure of the building. 

Vaughan Way 

6


Evidence for other mortar floors and a wall, since robbed 

of its stone, were also found within the trench. 

The two trenches in the middle of the site revealed wellpreserved 

medieval and Roman levels at a depth of around 

1m from the present ground surface. The excavation of 

medieval pits and part of a well exposed further evidence 

of the robbed walls 

and clay floor of a 

Roman building. 

Two small handexcavated 

trenches to 

the south-east 

provided evidence for 

post-medieval and 

medieval buildings. 

These would have 

fronted on to 

Highcross Street, and 

pre-dated those that 

were demolished in 

the mid-twentieth 

century, prior to the 

construction of 

Vaughan Way. 

The trench in the southern part of the site produced part of 

a substantial stone wall, with 0.5m deep footings, in its 

northern end. The wall was aligned close to east-west. A 

parallel wall, 2.8m to the south, was also seen surviving 

beneath the brick floor of the modern cellar. The top of this 

wall was level and suggests that it was a base for a 

‘stylobate’ – a horizontal course of stone blocks onto which 

columns would have been stood to form a colonnade. These 

walls may be part of the substantial stone structure seen 

during the Blue Boar Lane excavations to the south of the 

site in 1958. 

The evaluation has shown that particularly well-preserved 

archaeological remains exist within the area, close to the 

present ground surface. They may also survive beneath 

some of the modern cellar floors. At least two substantial 

Roman buildings were revealed. To the north, a room with 

a hypocaust (central heating system) and fine quality 

patterned mosaic floor, next to a corridor with rooms leading 

off it, was found, 

suggesting the 

presence of a high 

status town house. 

To the south, on the 

other side of a 

Roman street, lay a 

substantial stone built 

building, which may 

have been the town’s 

market hall – a large 

public building known 

as the macellum. 

Above: a glimpse of a fine patterned mosaic 

floor below a collapsed Roman building. 

During the medieval 

period it is likely 

that this area was 

mainly gardens or 

agricultural land, with 

buildings only on the frontage of Highcross Street and Friars 

Causeway, thus little structural evidence from the medieval 

period was revealed in the majority of the site area. 

We would like to thank Westmoreland Properties both for 

their help and co-operation, and for funding this project. 

7


Sawgate Bridge Rediscovered 

ULAS was commissioned by the Environment Agency to 

supervise the groundworks during the excavation of silt traps 

on Burton Brook and the river Eye, south of Melton 

Mowbray, and east of Burton Lazars. 

The site lies on Burton Brook, half a mile east of Burton 

Lazars where Europe’s largest leper colony and hospital 

stood for over 400 

years. The leper 

hospital was founded by 

Roger de Mowbray 

after he inherited the 

land from his father 

Nigel d’Aubigny in 

1138. This was 

documented in a charter 

dated to 1154-1162 

which records that 

Roger donated a 

hospital and a mill 

(presumably Man Mill 

at the nearby village of 

Brentingby). 

The brethren of the 

hospital soon became large landowners, as a result of 

numerous donations. Their management interest in the estate 

resulted in the creation of a large open-field system by the 

12th century, incorporating 2,800 acres of farming land. 

Excavations were carried out within this planned medieval 

landscape, at the site of a new silt trap, being constructed 

as part of a flood alleviation scheme. These unearthed the 

remains of a medieval stone bridge which was not only 

contemporary with the Leper hospital, but is even mentioned 

by name as ‘Salgate Brygge’ in 14th-century land surveys. 

The Saltgate bridge got its name from the Roman ‘Sawgate’ 

road on which it sat. This was one of the main routes from 

the east coast via which salt was traded into the interior of 

Britain. The road is 

thought to diverge from 

the Fosse Way at 

Syston to follow the 

ridge north-east to near 

Frisby-on-the-Wreake. 

Here it appears to turn 

east past Eye Kettleby, 

through Burton Lazars, 

crossing Burton Brook 

and on to Cord Hill and 

Thistleton. 

Above:excavation in progress; a multi-phase stonebuilt 

medieval bridge takes shape in the mud. 

The Bridge 

The excavation of the bridge showed that it had been built 

in several distinct phases. The first involved the laying of 

large cobbles in the base of the brook, which for several 

8


years may have sufficed as a ford crossing. At a later date 

a more substantial bridge was built of limestone. Evidence 

of this first stone construction was found only on the west 

bank of the brook, and consisted of a large D-shaped 

Although there is no direct evidence that Saltgate Bridge 

was built by or for the farming brethren of Burton Lazars 

hospital, it is clear that it was standing during the hospital’s 

heyday and would certainly have been an important crossing 

point, and instrumental in the day to day management of 

the planned farming landscape that the brethren had 

established. 

Thanks are due to the Environment Agency for their help 

and co-operation with this project. 

Left:Burton Brook in flood, the medieval 

bridge still spans the current course of 

the brook. 

abutment terraced into the bank of the brook. It is presumed 

that a wooden superstructure (which has since been lost) 

may have sat atop this structure and spanned the brook to a 

similar structure on the east bank. No evidence of a 

coresponding abutment was found during excavation, but it 

remains possible that this may lie just outside of the area of 

investigation or its stone may 

simply have been reused in 

the construction of later 

phases of the bridge. 

Following several years of 

flooding a third phase of 

construction was added, in 

the form of a well-hewn 

sandstone parapet, the 

squared blocks of which still bore clear tooling marks. Later 

the banks of the brook, just down-stream of the bridge, were 

consolidated with a broad layer of pebbles. 

Above: well-shaped blocks were used in the 

parapet of the bridge during the third phase of 

construction. 

9


The Hospital of St. John the Baptist, Lutterworth 

The hospital of St. John the Baptist, Lutterworth, 

Leicestershire, was founded on land known locally as ‘the 

warren’ during the reign of King John in 1218, and was 

dissolved in 1577. The hospital complex was a wealthy 

institution in its day, its revenue being greater than that of 

the contemporary parish church of St. Mary’s. Much of 

this wealth was doubtless generated by two mills, 

documented as belonging 

to the estate upon its 

dissolution in 1577, and 

from farming land at 

Gilmorton, Cotesbach, 

Shawell and Bitteswell. It 

is, however, unclear 

whether the hospital mills 

occupied the ‘warren’ site 

itself. 

In the 1890s, rubble and 

human bones were discovered during 

the construction of what is now the 

A426 main road. Not only had 

remnants of the hospital buildings been 

unearthed but, for the first time, there 

was evidence that the hospital had its 

own cemetery. 

Avove: one grave, two burials; these two burials 

were found one on top of the other in a ‘doubledecker’ 

style. The top grave contained 14thcentury 

floor tiles, the bottom one a coffin. 

A small team of excavators from ULAS had undertaken 

evaluative trenching of the land, now occupied by Mill Farm, 

in 1996 on behalf of the new landowners, Hallam Land 

Management, who were proposing to redevelop the site. 

The discovery of five graves confirmed the existence of 

the hospital cemetery, while spreads of cobbles also hinted 

at the presence of structures, although their character was 

unclear. 

In 2001 ULAS was commissioned to carry out more 

extensive work to ensure satisfactory recording of the areas 

of archaeological importance which 

would be affected by the proposed 

development. In particular a large 

area was stripped to better define 

the cemetery and the possible 

cobble structures. 

Twenty-two complete graves were 

identified in a very 

overgrown plot of land 

to the south of the 

farmhouse. There had 

been much disturbance 

to this cemetery in the 

years since its 

abandonment, including 

modern ditches and 

sand quarrying pits, 

which had clearly 

destroyed many more 

graves, judging by the 

large quantities of disturbed human bones in their backfills. 

The excavated graves all contained well-preserved 

skeletons, all but one of which were interred according to 

Christian tradition, with their heads at the west end of the 

graves. One individual, the only juvenile, was buried the 

other way round, with the head at the east. 

Despite the Christian rules banning the inclusion of gravegoods 

in burials of this date, some interesting artefacts were 

10


Above: some of the 

items found in the 

graves. 

and the remnants of some external mortared walls were 

also visible. Unfortunately, much of this structure had been 

destroyed by a modern farm building. Few datable finds 

were recovered although some fragments of floor tiles 

(similar to those found in the grave) were identified. It is, 

however, uncertain whether the 14th-century tile fragments 

were contemporary with the structure or whether they had 

been incorporated into its fabric at a later date. Additional 

cobble structures, including a long enclosure wall, were also 

identified within the excavation area. 

recovered from the grave fills. One individual was found to 

be wearing a very plain ‘penannular’ style brooch, 

commonly used as a fastening for clothing, while another 

was found with six 14th-century floor tiles, four of which 

were decorated with the Arms of Beauchamp. Although 

most of the burials appeared to be simple interments, without 

coffins (the bodies may simply have been wrapped in 

shrouds that have since rotted), one burial was found to 

incorporate a wooden coffin held together with iron nails. 

Interestingly this coffin burial was also the only double 

interment, found in ‘double-decker’ style below the burial 

containing the tiles. 

Detailed laboratory analysis of the skeletons indicated that 

the population consisted primarily of mature adult males, 

bearing the obvious signs of old age; arthritis was very 

common. Only one female and one juvenile, of 15 years, 

broke the trend. 

To the south-west of the cemetery area, a simple track 

was identified running in a north-west to south-east direction. 

This made use of small rounded pebbles embedded in clay, 

presumably to stabilise the ground and to prevent rutting by 

cartwheels. This track may have led from the hospital 

buildings to the cemetery. 

Adjacent to the pebble track lay a large cluster of cobbles 

which appeared to form the internal flooring of a cobble 

building, built in a similar style to the local parish church. A 

slate-lined drainage channel could be seen below the floor 

Above: the cobble-built structure and floor. 

A great deal of analytical work on the finds from the site at 

Mill Farm remains to be completed, and it is hoped that in 

the near future a more detailed picture may be formed of 

the nature of these remains. What is already apparent is 

that the latest excavations have succeeded in locating at 

least part of the lost hospital of St. John’s. 

We would like to thank Hallam Land Management for their 

help and co-operation with this project. 

11


Leicester Abbey Revisited 

In July and August 2001, ULAS supervised a second training 

excavation in Abbey Grounds, Abbey Park, Leicester for 

second-year students of the School of Archaeology and 

Ancient History, Leicester University. The Abbey Grounds 

lie to the west of the 

River Soar, and 

contain the 

excavated plan of 

Leicester Abbey, 

one of the 

wealthiest Augustinian 

houses in the 

country, together 

with the ruins of 

Cavendish House, a 

16th-17th century 

mansion. The fieldwork 

concentrated 

on Cavendish 

House, although 

trenches were also 

examined within the 

Chapter house of the Abbey. 

Cavendish House 

Although most of the abbey buildings, including the church, 

were razed to the ground within a few years of the 

Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538, the main gatehouse, 

boundary walls and farm buildings survived. Under the 

ownership of the Hastings and Cavendish families in the 

16th and 17th centuries, the gatehouse became a domestic 

residence and underwent many structural modifications. It 

was burnt down in 1645 during the English Civil War and in 

the 18th and 19th centuries the ruined shell was once again 

re-used and rebuilt 

several times, as a 

farm. 

Our current 

understanding of the 

structural sequence 

of the surviving 

fabric of Cavendish 

House is based on an 

examination of 18th 

and 19th century 

prints, supplemented 

by a visual 

inspection of the 

interior and exterior 

of the building. The 

Above: reconstruction drawing of Leicester Abbey, 

reproduced by kind permission of John Finney. 

upstanding portion of the building is now known as Abbey 

House and was uninhabited at the time of the evaluation. 

Access to the building allowed time for analysis of its internal 

fabric and of its constructional phases. 

12


Above: an engraving of Cavendish house in 1841. 

Excavations were undertaken in the region of the 

standing people. 

The 1538 survey of the abbey describes the 

gatehouse as ‘a square lodging on either side 

of the gatehouse in which are five chambers 

with chimneys and large glazed windows, the 

walls being of stone and covered with lead, 

and with four stone turrets at the corners of 

the same’. Evidence relating to the southern 

façade of the building, including the southwestern 

corner tower, was uncovered during 

the evaluation. The remains of this tower, 

suggest that it contained a spiral staircase 

to gain access to both the upper rooms, as 

well as to a cellar. Possible evidence for the 

north-eastern corner tower is visible on the 

existing northern façade of Cavendish House, 

whilst evidence for the north-west tower may 

be indicated by irregular stone foundations visible within 

the existing cellars of Abbey House. Engravings also show 

Although the evaluative excavations within the area 

of Cavendish House were of a very limited nature, 

they have enabled the identification of a series of 

discrete phases of structural activity for which a 

relative chronology may be tentatively proposed. 

The earliest structure encountered almost certainly 

relates to the medieval abbey gatehouse. This was 

probably originally of a simple form, comprising a 

central north-south carriageway some 2.5m (8.3ft) 

wide at its narrowest, flanked on either side by a 

range of rooms. Evidence for the walls of this 

structure came in the form of surviving masonry 

footings and robber trenches. The existence of a 

structure on the northern side of the building, 

possibly a porch, projected from the results of the 

2000 season evaluation, was confirmed. 

Above: training excavations in progress at Cavendish house. 

13


the northern edge of the earlier foundations. The 

eastern wing also appears to have been rebuilt 

at this time as a stair tower. The extant large 

double chimney breast to the west on the the 

southern façade which appears on engravings, 

may also be of a similar date to this phase of 

rebuilding, perhaps serving a kitchen complex. 

Engravings show that the former gatehouse 

towers on the southern façade were retained in 

this later rebuild phase. 

Claustral buildings 

Above: floor tiles uncovered in the cloister walk of 

Leicester Abbey. 

towers projecting from the southern façade of Cavendish 

House, flanking the carriageway entrance through the 

building, and the footings for both of these structures were 

also revealed. The excavated evidence would suggest that 

although the northern wall of the medieval gatehouse was 

probably incorporated into this phase of construction, the 

southern wall was entirely replaced. 

By the late 16th century, an east and west wing were added 

to the northern façade of the medieval gatehouse and 

evidence suggesting that both wings were cellared was also 

found. 

In the early 17th-century, the northern façade of the building 

with its projecting medieval porch and later flanking wings, 

seems to have been flattened with the construction of a 

linking wall. The only evidence for this is from the surviving 

north wall itself, which respects the line of the foundations 

of the postulated medieval porch, being built directly against 

Two trenches were positioned within the eastern 

part of the Chapter House of the Abbey. The 

trenches were located in order to clarify the 

position of the Chapter House walls which had been 

reconstructed in the 1930s after excavation. This evidence 

had been uncovered again during the 2000 season of 

evaluation. One of the trenches revealed a large stone 

wall footing, not corresponding to any of the reconstructed 

walls. Two possible robber trenches were also recorded, 

one corresponding with that seen during the 2000 season. 

The second trench was excavated in an attempt to uncover 

the expected continuation of the stone footings, but they 

were not found. In both trenches it was evident that in 

places a 1m depth of re-deposited natural gravels existed 

over what is thought to have been undisturbed ground. A 

single trench was excavated on the eastern side of the 

reconstructed wall of the Chapter House, which suggested 

that the undisturbed natural ground lay directly below the 

topsoil on this side of the wall. The work within the Chapter 

House would suggest that the reconstructed walls appear 

to surround a structure with a reduced floor level. However, 

the layout of the reconstructed walls remains open to 

question with nothing of the original medieval evidence used 

to set them out having survived. 

14


One Man and Two Boats 

Above: the Tug ‘Birmingham’. The 

hull has been over-plated at the bow and 

stern and the cabin is not the original. 

In early 2001, ULAS were commissioned to carry out an 

external survey of two historic craft, for British Waterways, 

using a Reflectorless EDM Theodolite. This equipment 

permits the swift recording of thousands of points on any 

surface, be it on iron, brick or wood, and can be operated 

by one person. 

The form and visible repairs of the two boats were to be 

recorded, while out of the water, before restoration work. 

The vessels will form part of British Waterways’ fleet of 

boats used for education programmes. 

The reflectorless survey provided accurate base drawings 

that were to be augmented with more detailed study. 

The two vessels represented different 

aspects of the history of the waterways 

– one is a Tug and the other is an 

unpowered carrying boat called a Day 

Boat or ‘Joey’. 

The Tug, ‘Birmingham’, built of iron, is 

45 feet (13.61m) long with a beam of 

just under 7 feet (2.09m) and a draught of 4 feet (1.35m) 

and was built in 1912. It was one of a series of similar tugs 

built for the Worcester and Birmingham Canal for pulling 

unpowered boats through tunnels. The shape of the stern 

was designed for a large propeller to give optimum pulling 

power. 

Joeys were 70 feet (21.63m) long, and 7 feet (2.08m) wide, 

with either open or small closed cabins at the stern. They 

were built in their thousands making them the most common 

boats on the canals of the West Midlands. The boat shown 

here was also of riveted iron construction. Patches have 

been welded to the outside of the hull, where corrosion behind 

the internal frames or knees had occurred during its long 

periods of use. 

Right: ‘Joey’, BW Asset 

80393. This particular 

boat could only be 

steered from one end. 

Others may have had a 

rudder at either end. 

15


Civil War Siege - Excavations at Mill Lane, Leicseter 

16 

Evaluation by trial trenching at a site on the south side of 

Mill Lane, Leicester for De Montfort University, located, 

amongst other things, a massive north-east to south-west 

aligned ditch. Further work confirmed that this formed part 

of Leicester’s town defences at the time of the English 

Civil War in the mid 17th century. By this date the earlier 

medieval town defences had all but disappeared, the walls 

robbed for building stone and the ditches infilled to allow 

new building as the 

town expanded 

beyond its early core. 

A new defensive 

circuit of earthen 

banks and ditches was 

therefore constructed, 

enclosing most of the 

prosperous north and 

east suburbs but not 

the poorer suburb to 

the south, which was 

apparently considered 

expendable. Houses 

on the line of, or lying 

outside the new 

defences, were 

demolished, and the 

Records of the Borough of Leicester record payments made 

for taking down houses ‘beyond the south gate’ in 1643-44. 

Incorporated into the defensive line was the precinct wall 

of the Newarke (a corruption of ‘New Work’). This 

substantial stone-built wall had originally enclosed an 

ecclesiastical college founded in the early fourteenth century, 

but following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the area 

had become an exclusive residential suburb which was home 

to many of Leicester’s wealthiest citizens. Contemporary 

documentary accounts indicate that the Newarke was not 

adequately fortified prior to the Royalist assault on Friday 

30th May 1645, and is probably no coincidence, therefore, 

that when this attack came, it was from the south. The 

southern wall of the Newarke precinct, on the north side of 

Mill Lane – opposite the excavation site, bore the brunt of 

this attack, from a 

battery of cannon 

stationed somewhere 

in the vicinity of the 

present day 

Above: the massive 17th-century 

defensive ditch identified at Mill Lane. 

Leicester Royal 

Infirmary, and was 

soon breached. After 

the town’s capture by 

the Royalists, the 

breach was repaired 

and work on 

strengthening the 

defences around the 

Newarke was begun. 

It is unclear, however, 

how much was done 

prior to the Parliamentarian recapture of the town on June 

16th, just over a fortnight later, following their decisive victory 

at Naseby. The documentary evidence for the inadequacy 

of the defences around the Newarke, makes it possible to


suggest, with some degree of confidence, that the Mill Lane 

ditch dates to the period after the first siege. Less clear, 

however, is whether this was a Royalist work completed 

before June 16th, or a later Parliamentarian defence. The 

least truncated section of the ditch permits some appreciation 

of the original scale of this earthwork. With an equivalent 

bank on the north-west side, the difference in height between 

base of ditch and top of bank would have been somewhere 

in the region of 6.5m. Given the time it would have taken to 

construct an earthwork of this scale, it 

may be tentatively suggested that it was 

probably not completed until after the 

town’s recapture by Parliamentarian 

forces. 

Few finds were recovered from the ditch, 

which would have been regularly cleaned 

out when in use, and was quickly 

backfilled following the end of the conflict. 

A single lead musket ball was found 

embedded in the north-west side of the 

ditch, however. Weighing 0.8 ounces (20 

shot to the pound), this is smaller than the 

standard sized musket shot (12 to the 

pound) in use at the time. Problems with 

the standardisation of military ordnance 

were not uncommon, however, and 20 to 

the pound shot has been found in quantity 

at other Civil War period sites. A fragment of a possible 

lead cannon ball was also found. This was similar in size to 

iron cannonballs of the period previously found in the area, 

lead cannonballs were certainly used at the siege of 

Leicester and one was found embedded in the wall of Trinity 

Hospital, in the Newarke, in 1901. The incomplete and 

distorted shape of the Mill Lane find may represent impact 

damage. 

Examination of the information from this and other sites in 

the vicinity where Civil War period remains have been found, 

together with the evidence from contemporary sources, 

should permit a reconstruction of the form and development 

of the Civil War defences around the south of the town. 

We would like to thank De Montfort University for their 

help and co-operation with this project. 

Above: repaired breach in the Newarke wall, adjacent 

to the excavation site as it appeared in the 19th century, 

after Hollings (1840). 

This site has provided the rare opportunity for archaeological 

evidence to be linked to well documented and dated events. 

17


A Palace of Dreams - Recording a 1930s Cinema in Northampton 

Historic building survey formed an increasing 

part of the work of ULAS in 2001, including 

a rare departure from our normal repertoire 

of domestic and industrial structures; the 

recording of a twentieth-century modernist 

building in Northampton, the grade II listed 

Savoy Cinema (latterly the ‘Cannon’). The 

building was designed by the house architect 

for Associated British Cinemas (ABC), W.R. 

Glen, and opened its doors in 1936 with a 

showing of ‘Broadway Melody’ starring Jack 

Benny and Eleanor Powell. Coverage of the 

opening of the cinema in the local paper, the 

Chronicle and Echo extols the virtues of the 

new building, regarded as ‘the last word in comfort, 

splendour and 

modern equipment’. 

The building, which 

could accommodate 

1,954 persons, 

including circle 

seating of 696, was 

furnished with a 

state-of-the-art air 

conditioning plant, 

projection and sound 

systems and could be 

evacuated in minutes 

in the event of fire. 

The cinema had full 

stage facilities and 

was the venue for many famous live acts including, in 

November 1963, the Beatles who performed ten numbers 

on stage, culminating with ‘Twist and Shout’ during ‘twentysix 

minutes of mass frenzy’. Two additional screens were 

installed in the 1970s and the cinema finally closed in 1995 

after a showing of ‘Pulp Fiction’. The building is now owned 

by the Jesus Army Charitable trust – sponsors of the survey 

– who propose to turn it into a worship and care centre. 

English Heritage has recognised the value of cinema history 

and has undertaken a study of surviving buildings throughout 

the country, with a view to adding to those already on the 

statutory lists, noting that ‘many cinemas and 

former cinema buildings are not 

only a unique, but a 

much loved, part of our 

culture’. Survey of the 

Savoy has shown that it 

survives remarkably intact 

as one of the few remaining 

examples of purpose-built 

18


1930s ‘super cinemas’ of the ABC chain in the region. The 

safety and comfort of the audience along with a desire to 

create an atmosphere of opulence and escapism as part of 

decoration in all public parts of the cinema has long since 

disappeared under later rather garish paintwork (see back 

cover), but the survey and documentary research has 

provided valuable information which will inform 

future restoration proposals. 

The project has proved to be most rewarding and 

has highlighted the importance of an integrated 

approach to the recording of historic structures, using 

evidence not only from original survey, but from 

documentary sources, such as newspaper reports, 

eyewitness accounts and original building plans. 

Above: the original cinema interior showing 

the organ in position (courtesy Allen Eyles). 

the picture-going experience was clearly at the forefront of 

the architect’s brief. Hence, the building is not only 

innovative in terms of architecture and interior decoration, 

but also in terms of provision for fire prevention, means of 

escape and environmental controls. 

Although some damage has occurred to the original façade 

and entrance hall, the main auditorium is largely intact, with 

its magnificent proscenium arch, balcony and concealed 

lighting, was regarded as one of the most remarkable 

features of the building at the time of closure. The illuminated 

console of the Compton organ would originally have risen 

from the centre of the stage. The organ not only produced 

a wide range of musical effects, but its lighting could also 

be made to change in harmony with the sounds. The original 

The mighty Compton Organ installed in this 

theatre embodies many new features. 

Possessing a natural quality of resonance, 

the Organ gives a wonderful impression of 

tone, since the notes of a melody literally 

melt in to eachother. By means of an 

amazingly clever system of lighting, the 

console yields a remarkable range and 

combination of colours. 

In this way the instrument gives a pleasing 

effect both to the ear and eye. 

19


A South Wales Blast Furnace - Twentieth-Century Heavy Industry 

Despite the importance of iron and steel manufacture to 

the British economy in the 20th century, no complete steelcased 

furnace has been preserved and only a handful of 

these remain, such as Redcar and 

Scunthorpe in England and Port 

Talbot in Wales. ULAS was 

approached when one of the Port 

Talbot furnaces was made the 

subject of an environmental impact 

assessment for a proposed 

regeneration project including a 

new road. The School of 

Archaeology and Ancient History 

has recognised expertise in 

Industrial Archaeology and ULAS 

was fortunate in having access to 

the knowledge and experience of 

Professor Marilyn Palmer and 

Peter Neaverson whilst carrying 

carry out this work. Blast furnace 

No. 3 at the Margam Steel works, 

Port Talbot, the subject of this 

assessment, is certainly one of the 

largest industrial structures 

examined by these experts. 

Swansea and its immediate surroundings had become a 

centre for copper smelting during the 18th century. Ores 

from south-west England were shipped into the area and 

smelted using the abundant supply of cheap coal; copper 

works were established at Taibach (now part of Port Talbot) 

and Cwmavon. Iron production in the hinterland, using local 

ore, coal and limestone, grew rapidly in the early 19th 

century. However, suitable local ore supplies became 

exhausted and the ironworks became reliant on ore from 

other parts of England. The economic disadvantages of this 

resulted in the import of foreign 

ores which eventually led to the 

movement of iron and steel making 

towards the coast, which enabled 

them to take advantage of the 

local market for steel for tinplate 

manufacture. The Margam iron 

and steel works at Port Talbot were 

the result of investment by a large 

tinplate manufacturer at a new site 

with good shipping and railway 

facilities. Baldwins’ integrated iron 

and steel works opened in 1920 

with two of the three blast 

furnaces originally planned in 

operation and probably 

represented the best of then 

current practice. 

Left: blast furnace no.3 protrudes 

through the cast house roof. 

Further development at Margam works slowed down during 

the depression in the 1920s and 1930s. However, increased 

wartime demand probably led to the completion of the No. 

3 blast furnace by 1941. In the post-war reconstruction, 

Baldwins became part of the Steel Company of Wales which 

made a massive further capital investment at Port Talbot. 

This involved rebuilding and enlarging the three blast furnaces 

20


at Margam Works and building a new open-hearth steel 

plant and hot-strip continuous rolling mill at Abbey Works 

on adjacent reclaimed land to the south. The original three 

furnaces were rebuilt with substantial increases in their 

production capacity but their further enlargement was limited 

by the constraints of their dockside site. In the 1950s two 

Above: Margam works from the air in 1957. The original 

blast furnaces can be seen next to the quay, far left. 

new furnaces were built, and later a new deep-water 

harbour to allow much larger ships to off-load to a new ore 

storage area. Once the new No. 4 and 5 furnaces began 

production, the older furnaces, Nos. 1 and 2 were 

demolished. However, No. 3 furnace was retained as a 

stand-by, refurbished and brought back into service in 1991/ 

2 for a limited period. Since that date the furnace and the 

ancillary plant have been abandoned and allowed to 

deteriorate. 

The present buildings and structures within the development 

site fall into two main categories, the ore handling facilities 

and the blast furnace plant, both of which were originally 

planned in 1917 as a ‘state of the art’ integrated iron and 

steel works to produce pig iron using imported ores. The 

ore handling facilities are, in part, some 80 years old with 

the remainder representing modifications to handle everincreasing 

amounts of ore imports required by the enlarged 

furnaces, until the new harbour and ore storage areas to 

the south-west were brought into use around 1969/70. The 

blast furnace plant is mostly of comparatively recent date, 

much stemming from the rebuilding of the furnace in 1950/ 

2, although some of the remaining plant may be the original, 

now over 80 years old. 

No. 3 blast furnace is steel-cased and about 70m (225ft) 

high, representing the rebuild of 1950 to 1952, when the 

hearth diameter was increased from 16ft to 25ft 9in (c. 

4.9 - 7.9m). The rebuilding was carried out on the base 

of the original furnace which seems to have been 

constructed during World War II. The cast house encloses 

the base of the furnace with floor channels for slag and 

molten iron, which was directed into rail-mounted ladle 

cars on the north-east side, and the slag to cars on the 

south east side. An overhead travelling crane and some 

ladle cars remain in situ. The furnace remains as abandoned 

after its last use in 1991/2, although much of the furnace, 

equipment, walkways, guard rails, pipe work and support 

structures are severely corroded. 

The No. 3 blast furnace at Port Talbot represents an 

important example of Britain’s 20th century industrial history. 

Although no examples are preserved in Britain, steel-cased 

blast furnace structures have been retained elsewhere in 

Europe and the USA. At the time of writing the future of 

the blast furnace at Port Talbot is uncertain. However there 

is a case for either No 3 or the more modern No. 4 (1956) 

or No. 5 (1959) blast furnaces, should they become 

redundant in the future, to be retained as examples of this 

significant part of Britain’s industrial heritage. 

We would like to thank Corus and Parsons Brinkerhoff Ltd. 

for help and co-operation during this assessment. 

21


ULAS Staff 2001 

Directors 

Richard Buckley BA, MIFA 

Dr Patrick Clay BA, PhD, FSA, AMA, MIFA 

Finds Officers 

Nick Cooper BSc, Dip. Post-Ex. 

Patrick Marsden BA, MA 

22 

Finance Clerk 

Ethne Shannon 

Project Manager 

James Meek BA (from 1.12.2001) 

Project Officers 

Matthew Beamish MA, AIFA 

Lynden Cooper BA 

Neil Finn 

James Meek BA (until 1.12.2001) 

Susan Ripper BA 

Field Officers 

Vicki Priest BA 

John Thomas BA 

Environmental Officer 

Angela Monckton BSc, MIFA 

Senior Supervisors 

Jennifer Browning BA, MA (Animal Bone Analyst) 

Adrian Butler BSc, MA, AIFA (Geophysics) 

Simon Chapman BA, MA (Human Bone Analyst) 

Jon Coward 

Tim Higgins 

Supervisors 

Michael Derrick BSc, MA 

Tony Gnanaratnam BA, MA, PIFA 

Wayne Jarvis BA, MA 

Stephen Jones HND 

Dr. Roger Kipling, BA, MA, PhD 

Martin Shore 

Sally Anne Smith MA 

Archaeological Assistants 

Heidi Addison BA (Finds processing) 

Siobhan Brocklehurst BA 

Sandie Bush BA 

Andrew Hyam BA 

Keith Johnson 

Ian Reed BSc


Michael Hawkes BA, MA 

Matthew Parker BA 

Clare Strachan BA 

John Tate BA 

ULAS Consultants and sub-contractors 

In addition to School of Archaeology and Ancient History 

staff, the following individuals and organisations 

have acted as consultants or sub-contractors to ULAS 

during 2001. 

Dr. Simon Colcutt, Oxford Archaeological Associates 

Dr. Paul Courtney - Documentary Historian 

Debbie Sawday - Medieval Pottery 

David Smith - Architectural Historian 

Dr. Anne Woodward - Prehistoric Pottery 

ULAS Board of Management 2001 

Professor Marilyn Palmer BA, PhD, FSA (chair) 

Dr. Alan McWhirr BA, MA, PhD, FSA, MIFA 

(Secretary) 

Richard Buckley BA, MIFA 

Dr. Patrick Clay BA, PhD, FSA, AMA, MIFA 

Dr. Graham Morgan MPhil, PhD, FIIC, FSA 

Deirdre O’Sullivan BA, MPhil 

Dr. Jeremy Taylor BA, PhD 

Dr. Rob Young BA, PhD 

23


Publications and Conferences 2001 

M.Beamish, ‘Excavations at Willington, South Derbyshire. 

Interim Report’, Derbyshire Archaeological 

Journal 121, 1-18. 

M.Beamish and S.Ripper, ‘Burnt Mounds in the East 

Midlands’, Antiquity 75, 37-38. 

S. Chapman, ‘The human remains’ in R. Pollard ‘ An Iron 

Age inhumation from Rushey Mead, Leicester’ 

Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological 

and Historical Society 76, 28-29 (20-35). 

P. Clay, ‘Leicestershire and Rutland in the First Millennium 

BC’. Transactions of the Leicestershire 

Archaeological and Historical Society 76, 1-18. 

L. Cooper. ‘The Glaston glutton and other strange beasts’. 

Rescue News 83, 1-3. Rescue: the British 

Archaeological Trust. 

L. Cooper (with A.G. Brown, C. R. Salisbury & D. N. Smith) 

‘Late Holocene channel changes of the Middle Trent: 

channel responses to a thousand-year flood record’, 

Geomorphology 39, 69-82. 

L. Cooper, (with R.M. Jacobi ), ‘Two Late Glacial finds 

from north-west Leicestershire’. Transactions of 

the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical 

Society 75, 118-121. 

N. Finn ‘A ‘new’ cruck-framed building at Littlethorpe’. 

Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological 

and Historical Society 76, 121-4. 

‘An Iron Age inhumation from Rushey Mead, 

Leicester’. Transactions of the Leicestershire 

Archaeological and Historical Society 76, 29-31 

(20-35). 

R. Buckley continued as Hon. Editor Transactions of the 

Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical 

Society 

Conferences 

ULAS staff contributed to the following conferences: 

– 4th International Conference on Archaeological 

Prospection, Vienna, September 2001 (Poster session 

by A.Butler). 

– Community Archaeology Conference, University of 

Leicester (papers by M.Beamish, P. Clay, L.Cooper, 

N. Cooper and A.Monckton). 

– Neolithic Studies Group, Society of Antiquaries, London 

(paper by P.Clay). 

– Palaeolithic-Mesolithic day, The British Museum– 

(paper by L.Cooper). 

24 

A. Monckton, ‘The charred plant remains’ in R. Pollard


Outreach 2001 

ULAS staff provided demonstrations, interviews, tours or lectures for the following groups and organisations: 

Abbey Park, Leicester. National Archaeology Day Site tours 

Appleby Heritage and Environment Movement 

BBC Radio Leicester 

Boston Local History Group 

Burton on Trent Natural History and Archaeological Society 

Charnwood Borough Council; Leicestershire Planning Officers meeting 

Council for British Archaeology Group 14: Reports meeting, Lincoln 

Council for British Archaeology Group 14: Reports meeting, Wing, Rutland 

Council for British Archaeology Group 14: Leicester Abbey and Castle tours 

De Montfort University School of Architecture, Leicester Castle 

Evington Centre Official Opening, Leicestershire and Rutland Healthcare 

East Midlands SMR Working Party – Research Framework Seminars 

Enderby Heritage Group 

Friends of Charnwood Museum 

Glaston Local History Group 

Great Easton Fieldworkers Group 

Leicester City Museums Public Lectures, Jewry Wall Museum 

Leicester City Museums Service, Leicester Castle tours 

Leicestershire Museums Arts and Records Service, Donington le Heath 

Museum ‘Romans Day’ 

Leicester University, Life Long Learning: Archaeology Certificate Course Above: ULAS director Dr. Patrick Clay 

(left) and Peter Crane of Leicestershire 

Kirby Bellars Local History Group 

NHS Trust, present archaeological finds 

Melton Rotary Club 

to HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, who 

Ockbrook & Borrowash Archaeological & Historical Society 

opened the new Mental Health Hospital 

Peterborough Regional College (A-level Archaeology Course) 

at Leicester General. An excavation by 

Retford Archaeological Society 

ULAS had unearthed evidence of Iron 

Rutland County Museum: National Archaeology Day 

Age settlement and Roman farming on 

Sawley Historical Society 

the site. 

Sheffield Archaeological Society 

Sherwood Archaeological Society, Mansfield 

W.E.A. Barrow on Soar ‘Archaeology Now’ evening class 

W.E.A. Birstall ‘Hands On Archaeology’ and ‘Our Roman and Saxon Past’ 

W.E.A. Leicester ‘Our Roman and Saxon Past’ evening class 

W.E.A. Rothley ‘Hands On Archaeology’ and ‘Our Roman and Saxon Past’ evening classes 

25


Archaeological Projects 2001 

Consultancies 

Alconbury Airfield, Cambridgeshire 

East Midlands SMR Working Party 

Kegworth, Fulcrum, Leicestershire 

Leicester Castle 

Loughborough (Coates Viyella Factory), Leicestershire 

Watermead Business Park, Syston, Leicestershire 

Desk-based assessments 

Anstey, Leicestershire 

Bardon, Leicestershire 

Cossington Brook, Leicestershire 

Cossington, Main Street, Leicestershire 

Earl Shilton, Leicestershire 

East Goscote, Leicestershire 

Hinckley, Leicestershire 

Leicester, Cank Street 

Leicester, Castle Street 

Leicester, Evington, High Street, 

Leicester, Mill Lane 

Leicester, Raw Dykes Road 

Leicester, Royal Infirmary 

Leicester, Rutland Street 

Leicester, St. Nicholas Circle 

Leicester, The Newark area 

Lockington-Hemington, Leicestershire 

Loughborough, Beacon Road, Leicestershire 

Loughborough, Park Grange, Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray (Dalby Road), Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray (King Street), Leicestershire 

Mountsorrel, Leicestershire 

Northampton, (Cannon Cinema) 

Nottingham, Bilborough College 

Nottingham, Blenheim Road, Bulwell 

Quorn, Leicestershire 

Quorn/Woodhouse, Leicestershire 

Port Talbot, Glamorgan 

Ratby, Leicestershire 

Rearsby Brook, Leicestershire 

Seaton, Rutland 

Shepshed (Fire Station), Leicestershire 

Sutton Bonington, Nottinghamshire 

Building Surveys 

Bradley, (Working Boats survey), West Midlands 

Hinckley, Regent Street, Leicestershire 

Leicester, Rutland Street 

Northampton, (Cannon Cinema) 

Northampton, (General Hospital) 


Seagrave, Leicestershire 

Fieldwalking Surveys 

Wanlip (Hallam Fields), Leicestershire 

Geophysical Surveys 

Desford, Leicestershire 

Hatton, Derbyshire 

Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire 

Leicester, Humberstone (Hamilton North) 

Hallaton, Leicestershire 

26


Quorn/Woodhouse, Leicestershire 

Rearsby, Leicestershire 

Syston (Fosse Way North), Leicestershire 

Uppingham (The Beeches), Rutland 

Wanlip (Hallam Fields), Leicestershire 

Wanlip, Leicestershire 

Evaluations 

Anstey, Leicestershire 

Belvoir, (Belvoir Castle), Leicestershire 

Burton Lazars, Leicestershire 

Claybrooke Parva, Leicestershire 

Earl Shilton, Leicestershire 

Greatford, Lincolnshire 

Hallaton, Leicestershire 



Ketton, Rutland 

Leicester, Leicester Abbey 

Leicester, Cank Street 

Leicester, Castle Street 

Leicester, Evington, High Street 

Leicester, Falconer Crescent 

Leicester, Great Central Street/Vaughan Way 

Leicester, Humberstone (Manor Farm) 

Leicester, Humberstone (Quakesick Spinney) 

Leicester, Mill Lane 

Leicester, Mowmacre 

Leicester, The Guildhall 

Lockington-Hemington (Warren Farm), Leicestershire 

Loughborough, The Rushes, Leicestershire 

Lutterworth (Mill Farm), Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray (Burton Brook), Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray (Dalby Road), Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray (King Street), Leicestershire 


Rothwell, Northamptonshire 

Shepshed, Leicestershire 

Stockerston, Leicestershire 

Sutton Bonington, Nottinghamshire 

Thorney, Peterborough 

Thurlaston, Leicestershire 

Uppingham (The Beeches), Rutland 

Walton on the Wolds, Leicestershire 

Willington, Derbyshire 

Excavations 


Cossington, Leicestershire 


Leicester, Humberstone (Manor Farm) 

Lutterworth (Mill Farm), Leicestershire 


Watching briefs 

Alcester, Warwickshire 

Allexton, Leicestershire 

Atherstone, Warwickshire 

Aston-Burbage, Leicestershire 

Ashby Magna, Leicestershire 

Ashwell, Rutland 

Birstall, Leicestershire 

Branston, Leicestershire 

Burbage (Sketchley Lane), Leicestershire 

Burton Overy, Leicestershire 

Burrough on the Hill, Leicestershire 


Clipsham, Rutland 

Desford (Peckleton Lane North), Leicestershire 

Drayton, Leicestershire 

Eaton, Leicestershire 

Elmsthorpe, Leicestershire 

27


Exton, Rutland 

Glen Parva, Leicestershire 

Glenfield, Leicestershire 

Great Dalby, Leicestershire 


Hambledon, Rutland 

Husbands Bosworth Quarry, Leicestershire 

Leicester, Blackfriars Street 

Leicester, Braunstone Church 

Leicester, General Hospital 

Leicester, Great Central Street 

Leicester, The Guildhall 

Leicester, Humberstone 

Leicester, Lower Brown Street 

Leicester, New Street 

Leicester, Northgate Street 

Little Casterton, Rutland 

Lowesby, Leicestershire 

Loughborough, Leicestershire 

Lubbersthorpe, Leicestershire 

Market Overton, Rutland 

Market Harborough, Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray, King Street, Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray, (flood defences), Leicestershire 

Nottingham, Standard Hill 

Newton, Warwickshire 

Oakham (Castle), Rutland 

Oakham (High Street), Rutland 

Orton on the Hill, Leicestershire 

Peckleton, Stapleton Church, Leicestershire 

Preston, Rutland 

Rearsby, Leicestershire 

Sapcote, Leicestershire 

Saxby, Leicestershire 


Shangton, Leicestershire. 

Slawston, Leicestershire 

Sproxton, Leicestershire 

Swinford, Leicestershire 

Teigh Church, Rutland 

Twycross, Leicestershire 

Wanlip, Church Lane, Leicestershire 

Whissendine, Rutland 

Whitwell, Rutland 

Wigston Parva, Leicestershire 

Wymeswold, Brook Street, Leicestershire 

Wymeswold, Church Street, Leicestershire 

Willington, Derbyshire 

Witherley, Leicestershire 

Post-excavation projects 

Castle Donington (Willow Farm), Leicestershire 

Cossington, Leicestershire 

Enderby, Leicestershire 

Desford (Leicester Lane), Leicestershire 

Glaston, Rutland 

Hereford, (Magistrates Court) 

Hereford, (St Martins Street) 

Huncote, Leicestershire 

Launde, Leicestershire 

Melton Mowbray (Leicester Road), Leicestershire 

Wing-Whatborough pipeline, Leicestershire, Rutland 

28


ULAS Clients 2001 

Acresford Sand and Gravel Co. 

Alconbury Development Ltd 

Allen Homes 

Allexton Investments 

Anglian Water plc 

Archaeological Project Services 

Ms. A. Astley 

BBC 

Mr. A. E. Bailey 

Bellway Homes Ltd. 

The Belvoir Estate 

Mr. J R Bentley 

Birch Homes 

Birse Construction Ltd. 

J. S. Bloor (Measham) Ltd. 

Borough Court Ltd. 

Bond Group plc. 

Mr. R. E. G. Boyle 

British Waterways 

Mr. and Mrs Bromwich 

Mr. N.Bryan-Peach 

Bryant Homes 

Byrne Building Company (Leicester Ltd.) 

A. R. Cartwright 

Catterpiller (UK) Ltd. 

Charnwood Brick and Tile Co. 

Charnwood Borough Council 

Charnwood Wildlife Trust 

Cheslyn Developments 

Mr. P. Chilton 

Churches Conservation Trust 

Mr. M. Collins 

Mr. J. T. Cook 

Corporate Architecture Ltd 

Crosby Homes 

Crown Estates 

David Jackson Architectural Services 

David Langham Associates 

David Locke Associates 

David Wilson Homes 

De Montfort University 

D and M Builders 

East Midlands Electricity 

Edren Homes Ltd. 

Mr. D. Elliot 

English Heritage 

Environment Agency 

Mr. and Mrs. C Evans 

Faulks, Perry, Culley and Rech 

P. J. Fletcher and Son 

Mr. C. Fone 

Freeman Construction Ltd 

Freer Bouskell Solicitors 

Mr. R G. Gale 

The Gibson Hamilton Partnership 

Great Easton PCC 

G. A. Developments 

Hallam Land Management 

Highview Homes 

Mrs. B. R. Hilton 

Mr. B. L .Hinsley 

Humberstone PCC 

Charles Haswell Engineering 

HI Ltd. 

JEMA Property Fund 

Jelson Homes Ltd. 

Jesus Army Charitable Trust 

Kelvin Investments 

29


Mr. D. Kottler 

Mr. R. J. Kuzmiczw 

Lafarge Redland Aggregates 

Landyke Countyside Consultancy Service 

Mr. C. Langton 

Lattice Properties Ltd. 

LASMO 

Leicester City Consultants Ltd. 

Leicester City Council 

Leicestershire County Council; Museums Arts and 

Records Service 

Leicestershire County Council; Planning and 

Transportation (Highways) 

Leicestershire Area Health Trust 

Lorien Engineering Solutions 

Lychgate Homes 

Lindum Construction Ltd. 

Maber Associates 

Martyn Jones Ltd 

McLean Homes 

Miller Homes 

Mr. M. Moore 

Mr R.Moreton 

W. Morrison plc 

Moseley Estates 

Newbuild Homes 

Nicholls Colton 

Northampton Health Authority 

Nottingham University Consultants Ltd. 

OHL Ltd. 

J. K. Oldham 

Oxford Archaeological Associates 

Mr. K. Oliver 

Parsons Brinkerhoff Ltd. 

Persimmon Homes 

Pipeline Consultants Ltd. 

Mr. and Mrs. Pruden 

RJB Mining (UK) Ltd 

Raynseway Estates 

Rayner Davies 

Mr. G. Read 

Redrow Homes (Midlands) Ltd. 

Mr. R. Robinson 

Rutland Country Homes 

Rutland County Council 

Mr. D.Ross 

Ross Thain Architects 

RMC Aggregates (Eastern) Ltd. 

RMC Aggregates (Western) Ltd. 

RPS Clousten 

J. R. Sainsbury Ltd. 

Mr. N.Satt 

Sapcote Playing Fields 

Savage Haywood Associates 

T. P. Scott and Sons 

Severn Trent Water plc. 

Shepherd Gilmour 

Skanska Construction 

Soar Valley Homes 

Sol Construction Ltd. 

Sowden Group 

Mr. C. Stapley 

Stoneleigh Planning 

Stonewold Homes Ltd. 

Troy Newborne 

Trent and Peak Archaeological Unit 

Van Allen Properties. 

Victoria Hall Consultants 

Waterwheel Ltd. 

Webbir Homes 

Wessex Archaeology 

Westmoreland Properties 

Whissendine PCC 

Mr. N. F. Willett 

Williamson Cliff Limited 

Wilson Bowden Properties 

Wimpey Homes 

Mr. C. Yates 

30


Published by University of Leicester Archaeological Services - ULAS 

Copyright © ULAS 2002 

Compiled by the staff of ULAS 

Report design by Simon Chapman (ULAS) 

Printed by University of Leicester Reprographic Services 

Front Cover: Recording a grave at St. John’s Hospital, Lutterworth. 

Back Cover: Savoy Cinema, Northampton, interior.


University of Leicester · Leicester LE1 7RH 

United Kingdom 

www.le.ac.uk/ulas

2001_000

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