Assessment Report for the Archaeological Mitigation of land at Pescod Square, Boston, Lincolnshire

Centros Miller have undertaken the development of Pescod Square Boston. Prior to development a programme of archaeological evaluation was undertaken by ARCUS to assess the importance of the archaeology on the site. Based upon the results of the archaeological evaluation planning permission (B/01/0440) was granted subject to conditions. The three archaeological conditions required that: *groundworks disturbed 5% or less of the archaeology, *sleeved piles were used in the northern part of the site, *that a watching brief was undertaken on groundworks over the whole of the site. This report describes the results of the watching brief which varied depending on the operations being watched and the area in which the operations were carried out. The watching brief demonstrated that the least productive measure was the monitoring of the piling, as deposits were retrieved in a very mixed condition. The watching brief on the piling which rarely produced useful information. However the watching brief on the excavation of pile caps and ground beams was much more successful and produced useful archaeological information as did the excavation of the lift pits. The watching brief added to the information available on the distribution of archaeology across the site and how that relates to past land use, including the presence of early post-medieval buildings on the Wide Bargate frontage and gardens behind. It suggested where other wings or outbuildings may once have been located around the sixteenth-century Pescod Hall. The report also outlines plans for the publication of the results of all the archaeological works on the site including the field evaluation and the watching brief.