St Wilfrid's CE Parish Church, Ribchester, Lancashire. Archaeological Watching Brief.

Following a desk-based asessment and visual inspection report by Oxford Archaeology North in 2004 (OA North 2004), it was recommended that a watching brief be carried out during any groundworks associated with the restoration of St
Wilfrid’s CE Church, Ribchester, Lancashire (NGR SD 69964 35038). Accordingly, a watching brief was undertaken by OA North on 31st January and 2nd February 2006 during the excavation of new and replacement land drains to the immediate exterior of the church. No archaeological horizons were encountered during the watching brief, but an assemblage of finds of Roman origin were recovered from the up-cast spoil.
Whilst of interest, the finds were from unstratified deposits and their presence was not entirely surprising given the site’s proximity to a known Roman fort. Overall, the excavations did not extend beyond the topsoil horizon and, therefore, there was nothing exposed during the course of the works that might enhance our understanding of the development of the church from its inception in the medieval period.