A PIECE of a cellar dating back to the late medieval period was uncovered at a site planned for five homes.

Outline planning permission is sought for five homes in Ruyton-XI-Towns, near Oswestry, following the demolition of a 19th century home.

But the applicants carried out work which has uncovered a piece of a cellar floor believed to be dating back to the late medieval period.

The application, for land north of Riversdale on Church Street, was lodged with Shropshire Council last week.

Now work is likely to take place to investigate the site further if the plans are given the go ahead.

It is a long running development, with pre-application work carried out as far back as 2016.

Mark Perry, technical specialist planning officer with Shropshire Council, was contacted for advice before the plans were submitted.

In a letter to the applicants, he said: “The proposed development site lies within the historic core of Ruyton, as defined by the Central Marches Historic Towns Survey, and within an area of probable medieval burgage plots that were established when the town was founded in the early 14th century.

“In relation to the previous planning application for the back area of the plot, it was therefore advised that archaeological remains relating to the medieval and later development of Ruyton might therefore be present on the site, and it was therefore deemed to have moderate-high archaeological potential.

“An archaeological field evaluation of the site has take place and comprised three trial trenches in the backland area and one in the frontage garden area.

“A limited number of features were revealed in the three trenches in the back plot area, the most significant of which are a possible southeast – northwest aligned track of possible 17th/ 18th century date and evidence of a former watercourse, or flood channel, that may have been open in the 18th century.

“Within the trench in the frontage area evidence for deep backfill deposits extending up to 2.53m below the present ground level were found. Beneath these, at the interface with the underlying natural red sands, evidence for a former cellar floor of a building of likely medieval/late medieval date was found.

“This is presumed to have been demolished when Riversdale was constructed in the 19th century.

“The evaluation report concludes that overall archaeological potential is low, although there is some potential for further remains relating to the track to be present.

“In relation to the archaeological interest of the proposed development site, it is advised that the Archaeological Evaluation Report by Castlering Archaeology is submitted with any planning application.”

A watching brief will be carried out by Pat Frost, a consultant archaeologist.

The plans will go before Shropshire Council in the coming months.