Archaeological Monitoring and Recording Report: Land at 4 Cottesford Place, Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Mr Geoff Collins commissioned Allen Archaeology Limited (AAL) to undertake a programme of archaeological monitoring and recording during groundworks, as a condition of planning consent and Scheduled Monument Consent for the construction of an extension to an existing dwelling at 4 Cottesford Place in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The works were required as previous archaeological investigations in 1956-8 had exposed remains of the Roman bath house for the city, approximately 2m below the existing ground surface. The hand excavated extension footings revealed the probable backfill from the previous excavations, and a small number of post-Roman roof tile fragments were recovered. Of most interest was a single tessera which implies a Roman tessellated floor may have existed close by, perhaps associated with the bath house complex. It was anticipated that the nature and extent of the archaeological resource exposed during the ground clearance works would be of negligible interest, largely comprising made ground layers and backfill from the 1950s archaeological investigations. However, artefactual material associated with the former Roman bath house was expected, and proved to be the case. Therefore the methodology has proved particularly effective on this occasion.