President's Lodgings Wall, Magdalen College, Oxford

Oxford Archaeology was commissioned to carry out an archaeological watching brief and building recording at Magdalen College, High Street, Oxford. The work was part of a condition attached to the granting of a Listed Building Application for the demolition and reconstruction of a 16m length of the President's Lodging Garden Wall. Over many years, the wall has begun to lean forward and bulge visibly towards the north. Measures such as iron supports and cement repair had been implemented over time but recently it had become evident that a more long term solution was required. Magdalen College proposed to dismantle the wall and rebuild it with the original stone, using materials such as lime mortar to bond, which is compatible with the historic fabric. The wall was photographed and recorded by Oxford Archaeology prior to demolition and an archaeological watching brief was maintained during the period of below ground disturbance. A later phase of construction was identified at the top of the wall however, due to weathering, repointing and the general poor condition of the face of the wall on both sides, no more phases were identified. The below ground watching brief revealed evidence of the wall's foundations but no earlier archaeological features.