Site record MDR23044 - Cellar or Passageway and Wall Foundation at Kedleston Hall, Kedleston

Cellar or passageway and wall foundation at Kedleston Hall, Kedleston, probably of 18th century date. Evidence of a previously unknown cellar or passageway was recorded during a watching brief carried out in 2017. 'The cellar rood, which is not recorded on historic maps, was observed to extend from the western edge of the excavation to the northeast corner of the churchyard, where it was truncated by a drain. The roof is built of handmade, un-frogged bricks laid on edge as stretchers to form a segmental arch. The cellar / passage way below has been infilled, save for a 0.2m air pocket below the roof where the fill has settled. As the cellar roof does not extend beyond the drain it is not clear how far to the east the cellar roof would have extended. Directly to the west of the infilled cellar is a cellar passageway, on the same orientation, with a segmental arched ceiling still in use. This suggests the two cellars may originally have been connected. Also ascribed to this phase is wall footing. This lay to the east of the drain and was formed of mortared brick rubble, part of a mortared rubble raft probably associated with cellar construction. To the north [the] footing was truncated by [the[ drain. The sequence, representing the order of construction, between footing and cellar / passageway roof is unclear as the physical relationship between the two has been truncated by the insertion of [the] drain. No evidence was observed to confirm whether the cellar continued below wall footing or that he footing cut the cellar roof. This phase of construction probably dates to the late 18th century and is contemporary with, or built soon after, the reconstruction of the Hall and the excavation of cellars.' (1)