The Old Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury;  excavations at the Severn Theatre venue, Frankwell, Shrewsbury, 2006

Abstract

• The Frankwell district of Shrewsbury grew up around the original bridgehead settlement on the banks of the River Severn. Geoarchaeological investigations have enhanced our understanding of the location of the 9th-century AD burh. The earliest evidence for occupation dates from the 10th century AD and the Welsh Bridge was constructed by the early 12th century. Successive phases of medieval bridge defences, part of a hospital cemetery and masonry buildings are traced through archaeological excavation and documentary research. Demolition of the Old Welsh Bridge in the early 19th century resulted in major land reclamation and the construction of housing and a Methodist Chapel, yielding a diverse assemblage of finds.