The Citadels Carlisle, Cumbria Archaeological Evaluation and Watching Brief Report

Oxford Archaeology initially deployed to site in September 2022. However, issues beyond the control of the Citadels design team, principally relating to site access, meant that only five of the 18 proposed evaluation trenches could be completed. An archaeological watching brief was also maintained during the excavation (by non-archaeological personnel) of eight geotechnical test-pits, though nothing of significance was recorded in these. Subsequently, changes to the development, most notably the splitting of the construction programme and changes to the proposed demolition schedule, together with the need to reposition some of the evaluation trenches to avoid existing attenuation features, necessitated some alterations to the agreed programme of archaeological works. These changes were also agreed with the CHES and a second deployment was undertaken by OA in March and April 2024. By this time, it had been decided that the development scheme should be spilt into two phases (Phases 1 and 2), with Phase 1 completed first and Phase 2 being developed at a future date. Consequently, it was agreed that only those evaluation trenches located within Phase 1 (Trenches 1-7; 10; 13-18) should be investigated, with evaluation of the Phase 2 area (comprising Trenches 8, 9, 11 and 12, in the southern and south-western parts of the site) being undertaken, as part of the second phase of the development. The evaluation demonstrated that remains of the medieval city defences do not survive at a shallow level in those parts of the site that have been evaluated, but this does not necessarily mean that remains of these features do not survive at a greater depth (in excess of c 1.5m below the modern surface), and designs for the new buildings should be mindful of this. The evaluation demonstrated that the remains of the County Gaol appear to survive well at fairly shallow depths, at least in some areas, and may provide valuable evidence for the architecture and layout of this establishment, as well as the accuracy of the historical mapping on which it is depicted. It is therefore recommended that any surviving remains of the Gaol that are exposed should be appropriately excavated and recorded as the project progresses, as part of an archaeological mitigation strategy discussed with, and approved by, the Historic Environment Service of Westmorland and Furness Council, acting as archaeological advisors to Cumberland Council.