Archaeological investigations of the City Wall collapse, 3-5, The Butts, Worcester

A programme of archaeological investigations associated with the City Wall collapse at 3-5, The Butts, Worcester (NGR SO 8478 5508) was undertaken by Worcestershire Archaeology (WA) over four different phases from June 2020 to September 2021. The works followed the collapse of a section of the City Wall, a scheduled monument (NHLE 1003777) and Grade II listed building (NHLE 1390185) in October 2019. The first phase of watching brief undertaken in June 2020 and comprised the removal of the collapsed masonry and installation of sheet piles. This was followed by three more phases of groundworks necessary for the stabilisation of the collapsed area; the mechanical excavation and recording of three test pits north of the City Wall in January 2021 (phase 2); the mechanical excavation of two more test pits, one to the north and the other to the south of the City Wall collapse area, and the drilling of boreholes into each test pit, in February-March 2021 (phase 3); and the mechanical excavation of a trench at the base of the collapsed area to set a concrete footing in September 2021 (phase 4). The project was commissioned by Geomex Ltd on behalf of Harris Balcombe. The investigations identified that the collapsed section of wall was not an original stone section, but a later rebuild constructed of brick, with sandstone ashlar courses above. It appears likely that this section of wall had collapsed (or been robbed and/or rebuilt) on a number of previous occasions. This weakened structure, combined with extremely wet weather in the period preceding the collapse and evidence of a probable spring in the area, probably led to its fall. It was also observed that substantial truncation of the ground surface has occurred immediately to the north of the City Wall. Behind the wall (to the south) was a sequence of in situ features and deposits above the natural strata spanning from the early Roman period to modern times, present to a height of c 4m. The earliest features were mid-1st to 2nd century AD in date, above which lay deposits dating to the 3rd to 4th century AD. These deposits were very likely truncated by the construction of the City Wall. Later medieval deposits sat above the Roman ones but c 1.6m of this sequence above the Roman deposits wasn't possible to record and observe properly due to health and safety considerations. A medieval deposit which could well have been contemporary to the construction of the City Wall in the 13th century was identified in a test pit dug at the top of the terrace behind the wall. This deposit was located at about 0.8m below the ground surface or c 3.2m above the natural geology. It was covered by a deposit probably dating to the very late medieval period or early post-medieval, which in turn was covered by post-medieval and modern garden soils.