Monument record MLI13319 - MEDIEVAL ACTIVITY ON THE GENERAL HOSPITAL SITE, BOSTON

Summary

MEDIEVAL ACTIVITY ON THE GENERAL HOSPITAL SITE, BOSTON

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Full Description

PRN 13319 EVALUATION EXCAVATIONS ON THE GENERAL HOSPITAL SITE IN 1994 REVEALED OCCUPATION DATING FROM THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD. ABOVE RIVER DEPOSITS OF FOURTEENTH CENTURY DATE WERE WALLS, DITCHES, PITS, AND LAID MORTAR AND GRAVEL SURFACES. MEDIEVAL POTTERY, GLAZED ROOF AND FLOOR TILES, AMBER AND EXOTIC STONES WERE ALSO RECOVERED, INDICATING A HIGH STATUS SITE. A DISCRETE AREA OF OVER-FIRED TILES AND ACCIDENTALLY GLAZED BRICKS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS SOME FORM OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY HAD BEEN LOCATED IN THE AREA. THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE THAT THE SITE WAS FREQUENTLY FLOODED, AND THAT THE FLOORS AND SURFACES HAD TO BE RELAID. FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR MEDIEVAL OCCUPATION WAS FOUND DURING A SUBSEQUENT WATCHING BRIEF, INCLUDING THE REMAINS OF A BRICK STRUCTURE. THE EVALUATION RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THE SITE CONSISTED OF TWO SEPARATE LAND BLOCKS, ONE RESPECTING THE RIVER FRONTAGE, AND THE OTHER STRETCHING BACK FROM ST JOHN'S ROAD, A HIGHWAY LOCATED TO THE EAST OF THE DEVELOPMENT AREA. THIS PATTERN OF LAND HOLDING PERSISTED INTO THE EARLIER POST MEDIEVAL PERIOD. {1}{2}{3}{5} FURTHER EXCAVATION AT THE NORTH END OF THE HOSPITAL SITE ALSO SUGGESTS THAT THE AREA WAS FREQUENTLY FLOODED, BUT THAT IT WAS CONTINUALLY INHABITED. BOTANICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE RIVER ALLUVIUM INDICATES THAT THE AREA WAS MARSH BEFORE IT WAS INHABITED. A POSSIBLE OUTHOUSE WAS IDENTIFIED WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN USED FOR DOMESTIC OR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES. ADJACENT WAS A STONE STRUCTURE WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A WAREHOUSE, AND WHICH MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE; A GROUP OF GERMAN MERCHANTS WHO ESTABLISHED A HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN BOSTON IN THE EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD. AGAIN, THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE SITE WAS VACATED DURING THE POST MEDIEVAL PERIOD. {4}{5}

Sources/Archives (5)

  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 1994. Evaluation Excavation at the General Hospital Site, Boston. -.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 1995. Archaeological Watching Brief at Boston General Hospital, Boston. BGH95.
  •  Article in Serial: F.N. Field and I. George. 1995. Archaeology in Lincolnshire. VOL 30 P 47.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 1995. Archaeological Excavation at the Former General Hospital, Boston. BGH95.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 1995. Archaeological investigations at the General Hospital site, Boston. LCNCC 51.94.

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Grid reference TF 3290 4340 (point)
Civil Parish BOSTON, BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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