ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF€¦ · 4.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Michael Rowe, who also...

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4, CHURCH ROAD CHEPSTOW MONMOUTHSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF DECEMBER 2005 For MRS G WATKINS CA REPORT: 05195

Transcript of ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF€¦ · 4.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Michael Rowe, who also...

4, CHURCH ROAD CHEPSTOW

MONMOUTHSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

DECEMBER 2005

For

MRS G WATKINS

CA REPORT: 05195

4 CHURCH ROAD CHEPSTOW

MONMOUTHSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

CA PROJECT: 1938 CA REPORT: 05195

Author: Michael Rowe

Approved:

Signed:

Mary Alexander

…………………………………………………………….

Issue: 02 Date: 19 December 2005

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

© Cotswold Archaeology

Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail:[email protected]

4 Church Road, Chepstow, Monmouthshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording © Cotswold Archaeology

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CONTENTS

SUMMARY........................................................................................................................3

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 4

The site ................................................................................................................ 4 Archaeological background.................................................................................. 4 Methodology ........................................................................................................ 5

2. RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 5

The Finds ............................................................................................................. 6

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ..................................................................... 7

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 7

5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 8

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...................................................................... 9

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000)

Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:500)

Fig. 3 The site, showing location of features (1:100)

Fig. 4 Sections AA and BB (1:10)

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SUMMARY

Site Name: 4 Church Road

Location: Chepstow, Monmouthshire

NGR: ST 5360 9490

Type: Archaeological Watching Brief

Date: 23-24 March 2005

Planning Reference: M/9969

Location of Archive: Chepstow Museum

Accession no: To be assigned

Site Code: CCM 05

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA) in March

2005 at the request of DP Associates (on behalf of Mrs G Watkins) at 4 Church Road,

Chepstow. All groundworks associated with the construction of two new dwellings at this

location were observed.

Further evidence of 19th-century stone walls and surfaces previously identified during an

archaeological evaluation undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in July 2004 (CA 2004) were

observed and recorded.

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In March 2005 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching

brief for DP Associates (on behalf of Mrs G Watkins) at 4 Church Road, Chepstow

(centred on NGR: ST 5360 9409; Fig. 1).

1.2 The archaeological watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to

planning consent for the construction of two new dwellings (Planning Reference

M/9969). Its objective was to record all archaeological remains exposed during

groundworks associated with the development.

1.3 The archaeological watching brief was carried out in accordance with a detailed WSI

produced by CA (2005) and approved by Neil Maylan (GGAT Curatorial), the

archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority (LPA). The fieldwork also

followed the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by

the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999) and the Management of Archaeological

Projects II (EH 1991).

The site

1.4 The development area encloses approximately 0.175 ha of land to the rear of 4

Church Road and was formerly used as a builder’s yard and workshop (Fig. 2). The

site lies at approximately 35m AOD.

1.5 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Carboniferous Limestone of the

Lower Carboniferous period (BGS 1981).

Archaeological background

1.6 The archaeological evaluation carried out by CA in July 2004 identified ‘substantial

medieval remains …, possibly including structural elements which may have related

to the use of Church Road as a medieval thoroughfare’ (CA 2004). Post-medieval

structural remains identified as being part of a 19th-century cottage were also

recorded. A more detailed account of the archaeological background for this site can

be found in 4, Church Road, Chepstow, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation

(CA 2004).

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Methodology

1.7 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2005). An

archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks, comprising the mechanical

excavation of footing trenches, typically measuring 0.5m in width, to a depth of

0.75m below the present ground level (Fig. 2).

1.8 Written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA

Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

1.9 Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the site archive will be deposited

with Monmouthshire County Museums Service.

2. RESULTS

2.1 This section provides an overview of the fieldwork results; detailed summaries of the

recorded contexts appear in Appendix 1.

2.2 The natural substrate, identified during the evaluation (CA 2004) was not

encountered during the current works. The earliest deposits/structures observed

were two walls bearing different constructional characteristics, walls 105 and 110.

Wall 105 was revealed at a depth of 0.56m below the present ground surface and

comprised roughly faced angular grey sandstone blocks laid dry with a rubble core

(Fig. 4). Apparently faced on both sides this wall was c. 0.45m wide and orientated

roughly northeast to southwest. Its alignment appeared to converge slightly with wall

110 (Fig. 3).

2.3 Wall 110, also aligned roughly northeast to southwest and similarly c. 0.45m wide,

was revealed at only 0.06m below the present ground level. However, this wall was

constructed of large regular shaped blocks and bonded with an orange-brown sandy

mortar (Fig. 5). Both walls were located at the north-eastern end of the site and their

alignments coincide with the existing property boundaries for those properties

fronting onto Church Road.

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2.4 Both walls were abutted by what appeared to be the remains of a brick surface, 108,

and the ash-sand-rubble layer, 107 that provided levelling/bedding material for the

brick surface. Slightly deeper excavation adjacent to wall 105 revealed a clayey,

sandy silt layer, 106 underlying layer 107, although not enough of this material was

exposed to be informative.

2.5 Wall 105 was sealed under a thin dark grey-brown silt layer, 104. Layer 104 and

brick surface 108 were both sealed by demolition deposit 109. This layer provided

the bedding and levelling for concrete surface, 111, onto which remnant brick wall

112 was laid. Both 111 and 112 only survived as fragments abutting stone wall 110.

2.6 On the other side of wall 110, to the southeast, a mixed layer of ash and sand, 113,

provided a bedding layer for a flagstone floor with brick edging, 114. Both of these

deposits abutted wall 110, and were sealed by demolition deposit 115 which

included a large amount of stone fragments.

2.7 Further to the southeast the remains of a brick built fireplace was observed

incorporated into the existing property boundary wall. This was not affected by the

current development.

2.8 Demolition deposits 109 and 115, and remnant modern brick wall 112 were all

sealed under a modern demolition deposit, 102 which covered most of the site and

constituted most of the material that was removed during groundworks. Deposit 102

was sealed under a layer of gravel scalpings and concrete footings.

2.9 With the exception of the two stone walls, 105 and 110 and their associated

surfaces revealed at the north-eastern end of the site only cultivation soil 103 was

encountered at the limit of excavation across the rest of the site. This too was sealed

by modern demolition 102.

The Finds

2.10 No artefactual evidence predating the modern period was recovered during the

current works.

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3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

3.1 Although neither walls 105 nor 110 produced any dating evidence the brick surface,

108 and flagstone floor, 114 associated with them can be reasonably assigned to

the 19th century and thus part of the cottage that formerly stood on this site (CA

2004). The more substantial wall, 110 may represent the remains of the north-

eastern wall of the cottage, with an internal flagstone floor, 114 and surviving brick

fire place incorporated into the extant boundary wall.

3.2 Wall 105 may represent the remains of an associated yard or property boundary

wall, with brick surface 108 providing a yard surface. All remaining material can be

attributed to later demolition and redevelopment of the site. The cultivation soil, 103

that covered the rest of the site only produced material of 19th-century date and is

consistent with known use of the site for market gardening prior to the construction

of the existing cottages on Church Road (CA 2004).

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

4.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Michael Rowe, who also compiled this report. The

illustrations were prepared by Lorna Grey. The archive has been compiled by

Michael Rowe, and prepared for deposition by Teresa Gilmore. The project was

managed for CA by Mary Alexander.

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5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1981 Geological Survey of Great Britain (England and

Wales) Sheet 250: Chepstow 1:50,000

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2004 4 Church Road, Chepstow, Monmouthshire:

Archaeological Evaluation. CA Report No. 04121

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2005 4 Church Road, Chepstow, Monmouthshire: Written

Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

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APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Observed footing trenches 101 Stone scalpings and concrete slabs, c. 0.15m thick; modern surfacing. 102 Demolition material, including brick and concrete, < 0.38m thick; modern demolition. 103 Dark brown sandy silt, including fragments of brick and animal bone, limit of excavation; culitvation soil. 104 Dark grey /brown–black silt abutting NW face of wall 105, limit of excavation; demolition material. 105 Dry stone wall, orientated NE-SW, > 0.29m high x 0.45m wide x > 2.10m long; boundary/yard wall. 106 Mid-dark yellow brown clay-sand-silt, limit of excavation; poss. redeposited natural. 107 Mixed rubble-sand-ash, < 0.14m thick; leveling material for brick surface 105. 108 Brick surface, laid dry, 0.14m high, 2.70m wide; poss. yard surface. 109 Mixed sand-clinker-scalpings, < 0.14m thick; leveling material for concrete floor 111. 110 Stone wall, faced on both sides, made from roughly hewn regular shaped rectangular blocks of grey

sandstone, bonded with a mid orange-brown mortar, orientated NE-SW, > 0.65m high x 0.45m wide x > 4.60m long; poss. cottage wall.

111 Concrete floor, 0.10m high. 112 Brick wall, constructed on top of concrete floor 111, 0.17m high. 113 Mixed ash-sand, 0.19m thick; leveling material for flagstone floor 114. 114 Flagstone floor with brick edging, < 0.09m high; poss. cottage floor surface. 115 Demolition material, including large amount of stone fragments, 0.23m thick; primary demolition.

MO

NMO

UTHSHIRE

SCALE PROJECT NO.

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

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FIGURE NO.

0 2.5km

Site

4 Church Road, Chepstow,Monmouthshire

Site location plan

1:25,000@A4 1938

Reproduced from the 1998 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permissionof Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 c

1

CH

UR

CH

RO

AD

536

941

ST

0 50m

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FIGURE NO.

Trench location plan

1:500@A4 1938 2

Reproduced from the 2004 Ordnance Survey Superplan map with the permissionof Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 c

4 Church Road, Chepstow,Monmouthshire

site

evaluation trench

observed groundworks showing archaeological features

BOU

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brick fireplace

wall 110

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B104

wall 105

brick surface108

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Location of observed groundworksshowing archaeological features

1:100@A4 31938

4 Church Road, Chepstow,Monmouthshire

site

footings trench

boundary wall and property divisions

modern surrfaces

demolition and levelling102

demolition109

demolition104

wall105 106

levelling 107

brick surface108

NW SE35mAOD

NW SE

modern surfaces

demolition andlevelling

102112

111

109

demolition andlevelling

102

brick surface108 levelling

107

wall110

115

114

113

35mAOD

0 2m

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FIGURE NO.

Sections AA and BB

1:20@A4 41938

4 Church Road, Chepstow,Monmouthshire

Section BB

Section AA