4th June 2010.
After a period of consolidation with much recording and planning, the team from Birmingham University have been hard at it again. The 1702 cellar may now be down to floor level with a compacted, pebbly horizontal surface appearing - possibly beneath the brick casing (of 1862/3) that was built around the original (1702) cellar walls.

Beneath this is where we might expect the truncated remains of Shakespeare's wells from his courtyard - maybe waterlogged - and if they are!!

The river end of the main trench also seems to be at the level that Halliwell-Philips (Victorian archaeologist) stopped his work and this is the level at which he constructed more brick encasing. If the original walls he encased (the so-called 'bay window') are sitting at this level (or lower) that means they are standing quite high (at least 0.40m).

At the rear (Knot Garden end) there is one quadrant left to remove. More cut features are appearing cutting from the same level as the well-like feature previously noted. Presumably these were of different periods but were truncated at the same time by the Knot Garden creation in the 1920's.

Seiveing will start soon hopefully. This is good as it will relieve pressure on spoil storage and the team can crack on with heavier soil removal.