Archaeological Evaluation at Perdiswell Leisure Centre, Bilford Road, Worcester

During January 2024, an archaeological evaluation was undertaken on land at Perdiswell Leisure Centre, Bilford Road, Worcester (NGR SO 85671 57301). The project was commissioned by S & C Slatter, in advance of a proposed expansion to the Perdiswell Leisure Centre sports facilities. Planning permission for the proposed development at Perdiswell Leisure Centre was granted, on the 20 th July 2023, subject to a programme of archaeological works. The site is located at the northern edge of Worcester, alongside the Birmingham and Worcester Canal, across playing fields north-east of the existing leisure centre complex. The site has been subject to a geophysical survey which identified a series of linear features which may potentially be related to the sites military past as a former RAF base (RAF Worcester). Accordingly, given the sites past, the Archaeological Planning Advisor at Worcester City Council requested an archaeological evaluation across the site in order to determine the date, degree of significance and preservation of any archaeological remains potentially buried on the site. Four trenches were opened during the course of the evaluation revealing a single in feature in Trench4. The feature comprised a narrow, thin band of gravel situated slightly below the topsoil. This corresponded well with a geophysical anomaly suggested likely to relate to either WWII activity or a cricket practice run. The shallow depth of this feature and its position within topsoil that appeared to have been levelled recently indicate a modern date for this feature. This, along with the lack of finds in and around this layer also suggest that the gravel layer identified likely related to a cricket run which would correspond with the site use as a sports facility. No other finds or features of archaeological significance were identified during the evaluation.