Utility Trenching Upgrades, Bristol. Archaeological Watching Brief

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by CSW process Ltd to undertake an archaeological watching brief during a programme of utility trenching upgrades in various locations around Bristol City centre. The utility trenching is classified as permitted development and is not subject to planning permissions. The watching brief was undertaken on a 'call out' basis, whenever features of a possible archaeological interest were encountered along the route of the utility trenches. Selected portions of the utility trench upgrade works were monitored on Avon Street, Mitchell Lane, Queen Street, Narrow Plain, Temple Street and Russ Street in Bristol City centre between January 2020 and February 2021. The watching brief revealed evidence for post-medieval buildings in Avon Street, Queen Street, Narrow Plain and Mitchell Lane (Trenches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10), a post-medieval stone lined drain was observed in Russ Street (Trench 6) and human remains were uncovered in Mitchell Lane (Trench 10). Made ground deposits were identified in the majority of trenches. As part of the monitoring of the utility trenching upgrades, Wessex Archaeology attended the works in Mitchell Lane, the former location of a disused 18th-19th-century burial ground. The attending archaeologists confirmed that previously disturbed, disarticulated human bones were present. Undisturbed deposits containing in-situ burials were also uncovered, approximately 1 m below street level. These were removed under archaeological excavation conditions, prior to the recommencement of utility-works. Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by CSW process Ltd to undertake an archaeological watching brief during a programme of utility trenching upgrades in various locations around Bristol City centre. The work was classified as permitted development and was not subject to planning permissions. The watching brief was undertaken on a 'call out' basis, whenever features of a possible archaeological interest were encountered along the route. Selected portions of the utility trench upgrade works were monitored on Avon Street, Mitchell Lane, Queen Street, Narrow Plain, Temple Street & Russ Street in Bristol City centre between January 2020 and February 2021. The watching brief revealed evidence for post-medieval buildings in Avon Street, Queen Street, Narrow Plain and Mitchell Lane (Trenches 1-5 and 10), and a post-medieval stone-lined drain was observed in Russ Street (Trench 6). The watching brief also uncovered 18th-19th-century human burial remains, associated with the churchyard of St Thomas the Martyr Church in Mitchell Lane (Trench 10). The assemblage showed a preponderance of adult males, perhaps male labourers in the busy docks and factories of the area. Most showed relatively good health in childhood and may represent itinerant workers migrating to Bristol for work from more healthy rural areas. Many showed signs of strenuous manual labour and several individuals showed fractures and sharp force trauma indicative of high levels of interpersonal violence, one possibly fatal. The craniotomy performed on one individual is an example of a very active programme of morbid anatomy at the Bristol Royal Infirmary in this period. Made ground deposits were also identified in the majority of trenches.