Poultry Packers site on Bridge Street

What this record tells us

A further phase of work was undertaken at the site. An excavation and watching brief was undertaken. Woolhope Club summary, Archaeology, 1999, pp. 426-427: Late 12th- and early 13th-century surfaces were associated with two hearths or kilns, a quenching pit and iron slag, followed by a temporary structure and later hearths and post-holes that may represent a workshop beside a house. Late 13th- to 16th-century activity included levelling and four sandstone walls, one on the Bridge Street frontage.

Additional research and clarification, 26 September 2026 Excavation revealed late twelfth- and early thirteenth-century surfaces with hearths or kilns, a quenching pit and iron slag. Later hearths, postholes and a temporary structure suggest changing workshop arrangements beside domestic occupation. Sandstone walls belonged to later medieval phases, including a building on the Bridge Street frontage.

The sequence demonstrates the value of unglamorous industrial waste. Slag, scorched surfaces and the positions of features can establish activities that a written property history never mentions. Interpretations of individual hearths remain dependent on their contexts; not every heated feature was necessarily a furnace or pottery kiln.

How this record is evidenced

Map location

Source and further reading