In September excavations on behalf of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to the rear of 'Shakespeare's Birthplace in Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, revealed the early post medieval cellarage suspected from a remote sensing survey carried out by Bradford Geophysical Services in 1993. This cut through a 15th century pit and another early cellar or large cess pit and was itself of possible late 17th century date (part of the 'Birthplace' building had been a pub from the early 17th century) with various alterations and additions up until final abandonment in the 1850s when the area was landscaped into the garden seen today. Pottery of 13th-15th century date recovered from discrete layers in the cellar backfill suggests that further remains of early occupation survived in the area until the 19th century landscaping.

Excavations in November on behalf of Oxford Developments Limited at Ufton, six miles south east of Leamington Spa, uncovered evidence of a shrunken medieval settlement first recorded archaeologically during an evaluation excavation by the Cotswold Archaeological Trust in May 1996. Boundary ditches of at least two phases were recorded, one of which would appear to predate the existing road alignment which is itself of medieval origin. Post holes and pits give evidence of occupations in the area as do limestone foundations of part of a rectangular building 4m wide and over 8m long together with other compact rubble spreads which may be associated with further structures. Pottery from the site awaits analysis but initial examination suggests a range covering the whole of the medieval period up to the 15th century with some non wheel thrown sherds being of probable earlier date.

At Coton further work on the extensive iron age settlement has found a previously unknown middle iron age site. Adjacent is Coton DMV (Deserted medieval village), which is being evaluated and would be excavated if development were planned.

Work continues at Mancetter, where a salvage excavation on an old council estate has located defensive ditches and evidence of a settlement outside the defences. Keith Scott has carried out excavation at Witherly, confirming a villa site, which is now scheduled.

A possible Saxon palace site site is being investigated at Snowford Hill where a magnetometer survey has revealed an enclosure and possible building. Pottery from field walking has been mainly Roman with very little medieval and post medieval. Other finds included quantities of worked waste flint, a finger ring and shrapnel. Evaluation and a watching brief are being carried out at Alcester.

Excavation along the line of a new water main by the Field Archaeology Section of the Warwickshire Museum has recorded evidence for the medieval suburb of Bridge End which lay on the south side of the river Avon, across from the walled town of Warwick. The site lies somewhat to the south of the supposed edge to the suburb as shown on John Speede's map of 1610, but within an ambiguous cropmark complex previously of uncertain date. Two stone-lined cess pits and a waterlogged well produced a discrete group of 13th-14th century pottery of unusually high quality. Preliminary analysis of environmental samples from the well has established that significant quantities of pollen, macrofossils and insects have been preserved in the waterlogged material. This was the first opportunity for studying the medieval environment in the Warwick area. Previously in the West Midlands area only Coventry has yielded suitable material, and this only on a very small scale. A decorated leather scabbard of 14th century date recovered from the well is also a first for Warwickshire.

In comparison, evaluation work by Museum staff on a development site in Rugby town centre failed to produce the hoped-for evidence of a small medieval town. Ten trial trenches were excavated in an attempt to identify evidence for structures along the medieval market frontage of 1255 which is though to be represented by the west side of what is now Drury Lane. Structural expansion later encroached onto the original triangular market place itself, thus creating the street pattern as it survives today. The results, a few medieval pits, a medieval boundary ditch and a lot of post-medieval disturbance, would seem to indicate that the infilling of the markey place took place at quite an early date and the original market frontage cannot have survived as such for very long into the 14th century.

February 1999:
An evaluation of Saxon Close, Bridge Town, Stratford-upon-Avon recorded an undated boundary ditch, whilst a further evaluation next to Marton Bridge recorded the undated remains of a pebble surface belonging to a ford next to the bridge, which may also have predated it.

A watching brief at 8/9 Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon was undertaken on the site of a new shopping development. An evaluation carried out on the site by the Oxford Archaeology Unit in 1993 had recorded only a single medieval post hole, together with much 19th century disturbance. The watching brief was able to record in part the remains of clay lined tanning pits of likely medieval or early post medieval date, together with several large rubbish pits of similar date, some of them containing quantities of bone, including horn cores which are typical of such sites. Some of the limitations of evaluation excavations were demonstrated by this example.

At Ennerdale Road, Coleshill a watching brief on a new housing development recorded afragment of stone walling and quantities of Romano-British pottery. Further visits will be needed at this ongoing development.

Romano-British and medieval pottery was recovered from a spoil heap during work on the car park adjacent to the Lunt Roman Fort, Baginton. An administrative error had resulted in Coventry City Council undertaking to work without archaeological provision, and it only came to light as an archaeologist noticed the work being carried out whilst en route to Rose Cottage, nearby.
At Rose Cottage a watching brief on the site of a new house, recovered only a single sherd of Romano-British pottery, and a single sherd of medieval pottery.

Further post medieval remains were recorded during the ongoing watching brief at Stoneleigh Abbey.

Negative watching briefs were carried out at Station Road, Alcester, and at Castle Green, Kenilworth.

Skeletal remains previously recovered during the construction of a new Baptist Church as Castle Hill, Warwick were reburied during a ceremony at the new church.

St Mary's Cathedral and priory.

Warwickshire Museum