West Lane, Formby, Merseyside, Archaeological Evaluation Report

The methodologies specified for the archaeological work can be found in full in the WSI (WA 2024) and are summarised below. The fieldwork programme aimed to excavate a total of five trenches, of various lengths, three targeting the position of structures associated with the former brewery and two the location of the tithe barn, as identified by historic mapping of the area. The intended locations of Trench 1 and 2, were considerably constrained by both the position of the power substation and associated known service lines and their exclusion buffer zones, as well as the canopy and root line of tree cover along the western boundary of the PDA. With the agreement of Alison Plummer (MEAS), for health and safety reasons, the trenches were therefore moved further to the south than originally featured. However, following CAT and Genny scan of the new locations, additional unknown services were detected in the vicinity of Trench 2, the associated buffer zones of which meant the trench could not be excavated to examine the tithe barn. At the request of MEAS, the un-used trench was therefore re-deployed in order to expand upon and clarify the results of the trenches excavated over the former brewery and was excavated at the junction of Trench 4 and 5. Opening of the trenches was undertaken using a mechanical excavator, equipped with a toothless bucket in controlled spits of no more than 0.20m at a time. All works were monitored by a suitably experienced archaeologist and removed all overburden deposits to expose either the first archaeological horizon, or the top of the natural geology, whichever occurred first. The archaeological remains were manually cleaned and issued with unique context numbers and fully recorded, using pro forma sheets as well as OA's bespoke Digital Recording System (DRS), in accordance with established best practice and the OA Field Manual. All the remains were surveyed using dGPS systems, with sub-15mm accuracy, to create accurate plans of the trenches and associated remains. The site archive also includes a photographic record and site dairy sheets. A single find was collected as a sample of a much larger material dump and retained for cleaning and photographing and then bagged and labelled according to their context. Upon completion of all records the trenches were backfilled with approval of MEAS. Structural remains associated with the Old Brewery were identified in all three of the intended trenches, as well as the repositioned trench, comprising red brick walls and floor surfaces skimmed with mortar. These features included a possible formal entrance, a boiler room, areas potentially linked to the brewing process, such as malting, and possible bases for industrial machinery. In contrast, no structural remains were identified within the area of the Tithe Barn although a potential demolition layer was recorded in its estimated location. It is likely that any evidence of the Tithe Barn has been potentially truncated or largely removed during the installation of services and the adjacent power substation. When considered alongside cartographic evidence, the recorded remains are consistent with the nineteenth-century brewery complex and identified various internal divisions and structural features, although these tended to be poorly preserved, consisting primarily of shallow foundation deposits only. The location of a possible and previously unknown power source was also identified, although the remains were similarly poorly preserved.