Gloucester Cathedral external drainage. Archaeological Watching Brief (OASIS ID: urbanarc1-306010)

Urban Archaeology was commissioned by the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester Cathedral to carry out an archaeological watching brief during the excavation of trenches for the replacement of external drainage at Gloucester Cathedral. The watching brief took place during January and February 2018. Trench 1 was located to the south of the South Ambulatory, the external foundation of the South Ambulatory and its southeast and southwest chapels was exposed and recorded. Externally, made ground was overlain by modern landscaping. Trench 2 was located to the north of the Lady Chapel and North Ambulatory, and east of the Chapter House and Kings' School Gymnasium. Made ground was observed to a depth of up to 1.9m below modern ground level. Human remains were recovered from the backfill of the existing drainage trench and were reburied within the trench. Architectural fragments recovered from made ground in the road to the boiler house include fragments of at least one medieval parapet, probably from the mid 15th century tower. The tower parapet had been repaired between 1878 and 1890 and again between 1961-4, shortly before the new boiler house road was constructed in 1970. The drainage trenches largely followed the route of the existing external drainage trenches and therefore disturbance of archaeological deposits was minimal, although there was some new excavation at the south of the South Ambulatory.