Bristol Digital Futures Institute, 65 Avon Street, St Philip's Marsh, Bristol - Archaeological Watching Brief

Wessex Archaeology

Wessex Archaeology undertook a watching brief during groundworks associated with the conversion of a former gasworks retort house and coal store for use as a university building known as the Bristol Digital Futures Institute. The monitored works covered 0.18 ha, centred on NGR 360087 172551, at 65 Avon Street, St Philips Marsh, Bristol.

The watching brief, which was undertaken between 19 October 2021 and 11 January 2023, uncovered extensive structural remains associated with 19th-century gas production and the later use of the building as a gas company store and workshop. This included the foundations of a brick and stone weighbridge, five gas retort benches, and demolished parts of the retort house and gasworks office; an extensive system of underground brick-lined flues; large cast iron gas pipes; brick, sandstone sett, fireclay slab, and concrete floor and yard surfaces; and the base of a large early 20th-century ‘cooker incinerator’.

The finds assemblage included a collection of firebricks and fireclay mouldings from the gasworks
retort ovens and flues, and a small collection of pottery, including some early 19th-century wasters.