46 High Street, Prescot, Merseyside Archaeological Evaluation Report

Oxford Archaeology (OA) North was commissioned by Alphabet Homes Ltd to undertake a trial trench evaluation at the site of a proposed residential development at 46 High Street, Prescot, Merseyside (NGR SJ 46744 92898).
The work was undertaken under condition 10 of Planning Permission (planning ref. 18/00805/FUL). In response to this condition, OA North drafted and agreed a written scheme of investigation with the archaeological advisors to Knowsley Council, Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service (MEAS),
relating to a scheme of trial trench evaluation in order to evaluate the archaeological potential of the site and inform the planning process. OA North were subsequently commissioned to undertake the necessary fieldwork,
which was carried out over one day, on the 13th of June 2022.
While trenches were originally positioned in order to avoid known service lines within the limited confines of the site, only one trench was actually excavated and this in an altered position, due to the identification of further
previously unknown potential services throughout the site. This trench was located between the intended position of Trench 2 and 3 and was further expanded, with a section excavated to the east at the southern end of the
trench, to allow investigation of features exposed in the initial works.
The features identified included two walls, recorded running parallel to one another, on a broadly east/west alignment, together with a limited brick and sandstone surface. These features can be related to structures identifiable on
historic mapping of the area during the late nineteenth century but were relatively limited in extent and could not be ascribed a firm function beyond potential external yard space or outbuildings, associated either with the former public hose identified to the north‐west, or else other former surrounding buildings, assumed to be terraced housing.