Botchergate, Carlisle. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) was commissioned by Alfred McAlpine Utility Services to undertake an archaeological watching brief to monitor the excavation of 18 open cut trenches along Botchergate in Carlisle during October 2003. As the potential for archaeology in this area is high and as the possibility of trenches infringing upon undisturbed ground was possible, it was felt necessary to
implement an archaeological watching brief. The works were undertaken in order to make general repairs to extant services, this being the case the trenches were invariably located in areas where the ground had previously been disturbed.
A total of 15 access pits were excavated over the course of three weeks in October 2003. The access pits were all located on the east side of Botchergate apart from a
single trench that was excavated on Rydal Street 5.4m from the north east corner of Botchergate and Rydal Street. Without exception the access trenches failed to locate
any finds, features or deposits of an archaeological nature.
The stratigraphy of all trenches consisted of varying depths of modern backfill, primarily gravels and sands, which underlay road surfaces and road foundations, and overlay service conduits.