Post-medieval features at land adjacent to the Paragon Café (EHER 14924)

Post-medieval features were discovered during works in 1994 and 2004.

1994. Watching brief. Archaeological watching brief conducted during groundworks for a housing development. Recording of the sections exposed in the foundation trenches revealed at least 1.2m of archaeological strata. The earliest deposits and the natural strata were not exposed. Extensive levelling, and in some areas, ground reduction had taken place, mainly in the post-medieval period. Two post medieval features were recorded, a flint-lined cess pit and a brick boundary wall. Other, probably earlier, archaeological deposits were recorded, notably a chalk floor or construction surface, but due to the absence of dating evidence it is not possible to determine whether stratigraphy relating to the medieval town survived on the site. <1> 2004. Excavation. A proposed new dwelling on the site required excavation down to a maximum depth of 0.70m. The reduced levels remained within the overburden, and neither an archaeological horizon nor the undisturbed natural geology were exposed. The footing of a Victorian red brick wall, 0.38m wide, was observed running for about 8m on a north-south orientation, before turning westwards towards the High Street. This wall may represent the original plot boundary. No other archaeological features or finds were recovered. <2>