In August 2007, Herefordshire Archaeology were commissioned by ESG Herefordshire Ltd to undertake an archaeological characterisation of the ESG regeneration area on the north side of Hereford.

A rapid walk-over survey led to a date of buildings map and a townscape characterisation that breaks down the present landscape of the area into twenty-three distinct zones (medieval suburban plots, surviving meadow, the cattle market, the football ground, and so on). It explains how these developed from the much simpler medieval geography consisting of two suburbs (Widemarsh Street and Bye Street/Commercial Road), projecting north into the farmland and meadows of Monkmoor and Widemarsh Port Fields.

These townscape character areas closely reflect the nature of the archaeological deposits beneath, with huge contrasts apparent between, for example, Widemarsh Street, a medieval industrial suburb with archaeology lying up to 2.8 metres deep, and meadows or former meadows either side.