Desk-Based Assessment of Land at Pescod Square, Boston

In October 1996 ARCUS was commissioned by Centros Properties to undertake a desk- based assessment of land at Pescod Square, Boston. The area is subject to an application to develop the site as a retail supermarket. The site is situated to the east of the historic core of the town, outside the Barditch - a medieval ditch with defensive and drainage functions. The research undertaken revealed a number of features relating to Bostons growth in the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The northern part of the application area appears to have been developed during the medieval period, with properties being constructed fronting on to Bargate. The southern and eastern part of the area, however, does not seem to have been fully developed until the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. However, the beginnings of much of this post-medieval development can be traced back to the early seventeenth century, when a considerable quantity of material was deposited in order to raise the ground level. The Barditch was culverted from the end of the seventeenth century, paving the way for increased development of the site. Further archaeological work will be required prior to the development taking place. Although some excavation has already been undertaken in the area, some places appear to have been left largely undisturbed since the seventeenth century and these show potential for further evaluation. The precise nature and location of the evaluation work will only be known when the full extent of the building programme is revealed. If foundation trenches and other excavation work can be placed so as to avoid areas of high archaeological potential, then little archaeological work will need to be done. Provision must be made for a watching brief during the course of redevelopment works.