Archaeological Observation, Hereford
The hospital buildings stand within the precinct of the St Guthlac’ Priory, one of two Saxons monastic foundations in Herefordshire. Built on its present site in 1143, the Benedictine priory and graveyard occupied a large precinct where numerous burials, some in stone cists, were revealed during hospital building works the 1930s and later in the 1970s and 1980.
In Brief
Key Points
- Area of Archaeological Importance
- Site of 12th century St Guthlac’s Priory
- Potential for monastic burials
Summary
The area was laid waste by Royalist forces during the English Civil War and later became the site of the Hereford Union Workhouse before the building was converted and absorbed by the County Hospital.
Drainage failure outside one of the hospital buildings necessitating urgent intervention brought us onto site at short notice to monitor repair works and safeguard any remains in this archaeologically sensitive area.
A main trench was excavated alongside the building to depths of c. 1.6m at one end, falling to c. 0.3m at the other with a number of gullies running of it at intervals determined by drainage/engineering considerations.
Due to the extensive phases of redevelopment of the site, made ground was encountered to the full depth of the engineering excavations. Finds of domestic waste, probably from the workhouse kitchens, included butchered cattle bone and pottery – as well as a complete beer bottle manufactured by the Cheltenham Original Brewing Co Ltd!
Results
We were able to respond to the urgent need for archaeological attendance and to confirm that no archaeological remains had been impacted the engineering works.
