Community Excavation Report Archaeological Excavations at Wisbech Castle - A Community Archaeology Project Community Excavation Report May 2010 Client: Cambridgeshire County Council / Heritage Lottery OA East Report No: 1137 OASIS No: oxfordar3-75524 NGR: TF 4621 0956 Archaeological Investigations at Wisbech Castle - A Community Archaeology Project By Taleyna Fletcher, BA, AifA With contributions by Robert Atkins BsocSc, DipArch, Nina Crummy BA, FSA, Chris Faine MA Msc,AIfA, Carole Fletcher HND, BA, AifA, Rachel Fosberry HNC AIfA and Peter Masters Editor: Stephen Macaulay, BA MPhil MIfA Illustrator: Louise Bush MA, PIfA Report Date: May 2010 © Oxford Archaeology East Page 1 of 103 Report Number 1137 © Oxford Archaeology East Page 2 of 103 Report Number 1137 Table of Contents Table of Contents Summary.........................................................................................................................................8 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................9 1.1 Location and scope of work.........................................................................................9 1.2 Geology and topography.............................................................................................9 1.3 Archaeological and historical background of Wisbech ............................................10 1.4 A Very Brief History of Wisbech Castle.....................................................................13 1.5 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................15 2 Aims and Methodology...........................................................................................................16 2.1 Aims...........................................................................................................................16 2.2 Methodology..............................................................................................................16 2.3 Geophysical Survey...................................................................................................17 3 Results......................................................................................................................................18 3.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................18 3.2 Lower Gardens (Figure 14).......................................................................................18 3.3 Upper Gardens (Figure 17).......................................................................................27 3.4 Memorial Garden (Figure 19)....................................................................................30 3.5 The Vaults (Figure 21)...............................................................................................33 3.6 Finds Summary..........................................................................................................38 3.7 Environmental Summary...........................................................................................38 4 Survey of the Vaults (Figure 21).............................................................................................40 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................................40 4.2 Methodology..............................................................................................................40 4.3 Discussion..................................................................................................................40 5 Discussion and Conclusions.................................................................................................42 5.1 Lower Garden............................................................................................................42 5.2 Upper Garden............................................................................................................43 5.3 Memorial Garden.......................................................................................................44 5.4 Vaults.........................................................................................................................44 © Oxford Archaeology East Page 3 of 103 Report Number 1137 5.5 Significance...............................................................................................................45 Appendix A. Bibliography..........................................................................................................47 Appendix B. Metalwork and Small Finds.................................................................................50 B.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................50 B.2 The Small Finds.........................................................................................................50 B.3 The Small Finds Descriptions....................................................................................51 Appendix C. Glass Report.........................................................................................................52 C.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................52 C.2 Window Glass..........................................................................................................52 C.3 Discussion................................................................................................................53 C.4 Vessel Glass............................................................................................................53 C.5 Discussion...............................................................................................................54 Appendix D. Pottery Spot dating Table....................................................................................55 Appendix E. Clay Pipe................................................................................................................58 E.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................58 E.2 Methodology...............................................................................................................58 E.3 Quantification and Fabrics.........................................................................................58 E.4 Marks, Decoration and Provenance..........................................................................58 E.5 Research Potential and Further Work Statement......................................................59 Clay Pipe Quantification Table...................................................................................................60 Appendix F. Brick, Floor and Roof Tile ...................................................................................63 F.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................63 F.2 Methodology................................................................................................................63 F.3 Quantification and Provenance..................................................................................64 F.4 Results........................................................................................................................65 F.5 Discussion...................................................................................................................72 F.6 Research potential and Further Work Statement.......................................................77 Appendix G. Environmental Reports........................................................................................78 ........................................................................................................................................78 G.1 Introduction and Methods..........................................................................................78 © Oxford Archaeology East Page 4 of 103 Report Number 1137 G.2 Quantification.............................................................................................................78 G.4 Discussion..................................................................................................................81 G.5 Statement of Research Potential...............................................................................81 G.6 Further Work and Method Assessments...................................................................81 Appendix H. Faunal Remains....................................................................................................82 H.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................82 H.2 The assemblage.........................................................................................................82 H.3 Conclusions................................................................................................................83 Appendix I. Geophysical Report...............................................................................................84 I.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................87 I.2 Location and Description.............................................................................................87