The Swan and Three Cygnets, Elvet Bridge, Durham, County Durham
NZ 2761 4238; Emma Allen; watching brief; August 2005; SCP 05
An archaeological watching brief was undertaken on land adjacent to the Swan and Three Cygnets public house, Elvet Bridge, Durham. The work was commissioned by Northumbrian Water and undertaken in association with the replacement of a water main.
Elvet Bridge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument which dates to the late 12th-early 13th century and the junction of Old and New Elvet is one of the major historical arterial routes into Durham from the east and south. Invasive groundworks at such a location had the potential to disturb archaeological remains of significance.
No natural geological deposits were encountered during the investigations. The earliest deposit recorded was a clay, exposed in the central portion of the groundworks trench. No dateable material was recovered from the deposit, which remained unexcavated. 'Made ground' of post-medieval origin extended across the trench, truncated at one location by a stone-lined culvert of post-medieval date. Modern deposits comprised a layer of reinforced concrete and a levelling layer. Concrete paving slabs and tarmac formed the uppermost deposits recorded.
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