Event/Activity EPM305 - An archaeological evaluation of a proposal for new visitor facilities at Portsmouth Cathedral

CKC Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at Portsmouth Cathedral on the 1st and 2nd of December 2004. The work was undertaken in order to assess the archaeological potential of an area on the north side of the cathedral where it was proposed to build improved visitor facilities. Portsmouth City Council, the Portsmouth Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee and the Cathedral Fabric Commission for England stipulated the requirement for an evaluation prior to any consent being given for the proposed development. A total of three trenches were excavated. Trench 1 measured 2.1m by 1.3m and was located within the area of a former road, Church Lane, which ran north-south between High Street and St Thomas' Street prior to the Cathedral being extended in the 1930s. Trench 2 measured 2.9m by 1m and was located within the Cathedral green west of the path leading to the north door in an area formerly occupied by buildings and structures and known as Red Lion Yard. Trench 3 measured 2.5m by 1m and was located within a grassed area that had formerly been part of the churchyard on the east side of the path to the north door. The excavation was partly restricted by concrete slabs found across a large part of the site, one on the surface the rest beneath the turf. These may have related to building work in the 1930s when the cathedral was extended. It was decided that the areas excavated provided enough information to make an assessment of the archaeological potential of site. Undisturbed soils were seen in all three trenches at between 650mm and 750mm below the present ground level. No archaeology was recorded in Trench 1 and it was concluded that this suggested that Church Lane had been laid out as an original street in the old town. It was assumed the lane had been completely removed when the Cathedral was extended in the 1930s which left clean soils less than 30mm below the present ground surface. In trench 2 the remains of a possible medieval or early post-medieval timber-framed building were encountered at 400mm below ground level. Levels in the area of the former graveyard in Trench 3 also appeared to have been reduced with a truncated brick vault and four intercutting graves recorded. Undisturbed gravel between the graves at a depth of 700-750mm suggested less intensive burial activity had taken place within this area of the churchyard. Due to the rare survival of a timber-framed structure in Trench 2 it was recommended that a full and accurate recording should be made during any future work on the site.