Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham, West Midlands - Post-excavation Assessment

Wessex Archaeology

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned to conduct an archaeological excavation on the site of the late 18th century Park Glasshouse and late 19th century German Silver Works at Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham, B18 7BS, centred on NGR 404962 287621.

The excavation followed on from a desk-based assessment and two trial trench evaluations and was carried out in two phases. The initial phase focussed on exposing and recording the floor plan of the 1896 Barker and Allen German Silver Works, these investigations limited by the presence of a number of suspected asbestos-containing materials present across the site. Following removal of the suspected asbestos, the second phase of work involved taking up the German Silver Works floors to allow for the excavation and recording of the remains of the Park Glasshouse.

Finds recovered include a significant assemblage of waste material deriving from the former glassworks (raw glass, cullet, paraisons etc), other industrial residues, building material, and metalwork including possible glassworking tools. A minor industrial component comprises a small quantity of button-making debris. There are also limited quantities of pottery, clay tobacco pipe, animal bone and oyster shell representing domestic refuse dumped on the site probably at various times from the late 18th century onwards.