Watching Brief at St Andrew's Church, Banwell, North Somerset

Avon Archaeology Limited were retained to monitor geotechnical investigations on the western side of the churchyard at Banwell Church, Church Street, North Somerset. The work had been prompted by the dangerously unstable condition of a part of the western churchyard wall, which is a common boundary with the property immediately to the west, 14 Church Street. A small building lies at the extreme south-west corner of the churchyard and its western wall was bulging. This wall forms part of the problematic main boundary wall, and was also a matter for concern. A borehole taken not far to the east of the churchyard wall, and a test pit dug by machine right up against it, produced no findings of archaeological or historic interest. By contrast however, a test pit dug hard up against the northern side of the small stone 'shed' building, produced completely unexpected results in the form of a previously unknown subterranean chamber, of combined brick and masonry construction, and with a brick and stone vaulted roof. The chamber appeared to be in two sections, but health and safety considerations precluded anything but the most cursory assessment. The exact nature of the chamber, and its likely date and phasing, are at this stage entirely unknown. However, because the chamber represents a large, unsupported void where none was expected, it presents significant risks in terms of both structural integrity and health and safety, and it has for the time being been fenced off while an engineering solution can be found to deal with it in a suitably appropriate way. Previously unrecorded subterranean chamber found. However, structure was unstable and unsafe for further investigation; further investigation held off until an engineering solution can be found to make it safe for examination.