Archaeology of Chews Lane

Archaeology of Chews Lane, Wellington, NZ

“Chews Lane” refers to the street and area around it being redeveloped by Willis Street Holdings, Ltd. In 2006, before development commenced, an archaeological and relevant historical assessment were carried out. The NZ Historic Places Trust granted permission in September to modify the existing archaeological assessment (into an excavation) after “a brick foundation of unknown age was exposed on the Victoria Street end of the development site.” (Clough and McFadgen 2009:3)

Timeline:

1855, Wairarapa Fault ruptures, creating an earthquake of magnitude 8+ [1]

1857-1863, “Carter’s Reclamation” (refers to the contractor responsible for rebuilding the area N of Chews Lane)

1886, Reclamation by the Wellington City Council (E of Victoria St.), harbor adjacent to the area is filled in

19th c. Occupation in Brief: Chews Lane runs perpendicular to Willis and Victoria Streets.[2] During and after the various reclamations, “the Willis Street side...came to be characterized by a variety of retail and commercial activities ranging from tobacconists, tailors, hairdressers, booksellers and grocers, etc," while "the Victoria Street side...was dominated by warehouses, importers and wholesalers.” (Clough and McFadgen 2009:15)

The Dig Itself: The modern buildings required digging new foundations deeper than the 19th century originals. Piles holes (and occasionally trenches) went as far as the underlying seabed, unearthing cultural strata, which gave “an unusual insight into one of the probable effects of the 1855 earthquake on local Wellington households and businesses,” (Clough and McFadgen 2009:24) and thus providing a focus for the excavation.