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| Brislington Combined Sewer Overflows, Bristol Client:
Wessex Water plc Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an Archaeological Watching Brief around the junction of West Town Lane and Ellesmere Road and land to the north, Brislington, Bristol (Bristol City Council archaeology reference: C1147; NGR ST 61550 70070) over 17 days between 27 January 2003 and 21 February 2003. The investigation was commissioned and funded by Wessex Water plc following their proposal to carry out a c.250m pipeline extension to the Brislington Combined Sewers Overflow scheme. The requirement for the archaeological work followed advice given by central Government as set out in Planning Policy Guidance: Note 16 (PPG16) issued by the DoE in 1990, and recommendations made by the Bristol City Council Archaeologist, Mr Bob Jones. Recorded archaeological data for the environs of the development area demonstrated it was situated close to sites conjectured to be of medieval and post-medieval origin and in a region that might also include Roman activity. Given the corpus of archaeological data for the area, it was considered that the proposed development would damage or destroy archaeological remains that may be present on the site. It was therefore considered that a reasonable archaeological response to the development would be a watching brief during all phases of ground works associated with the scheme. At the request of Mr Jones, COAS issued a Specification for an Archaeological Watching Brief at Brislington Combined Sewer Overflows, Bristol (January 2002) which provided a strategy for the archaeological monitoring. This was approved on 20 January 2002 Although the watching brief provided a welcome opportunity to examine the principal stratigraphic and physical characteristics of deposits in an area that is known to have been settled since the Roman period, the investigation revealed no visible features or artefacts. Download/view
full report (354kb) Weston-in-Gordano First Time Sewerage, North Somerset Client:
Wessex Water plc Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an Archaeological Watching Brief in Weston-in-Gordano, North Somerset over 56 days between 4 September 2002 to 28 November 2002 ( NGR: ST 44275 74210 to ST 44910 74355). The investigation was commissioned and funded by Wessex Water plc following their proposal to construct the second phase of a First Time Sewerage Scheme consisting of c.920m of gravity sewers. T J Brent Ltd were sub-contracted to carry out the development work. The investigation was recommended by Mr Vince Russett, Archaeological Officer (AO), (The Environment Group) North Somerset Council. This recommendation followed advice given by central Government as set out in Planning Policy Guidance: Note 16 (PPG16) issued by the DoE in 1990 and also took into account Policy BE4A of the former County Structure Plan, and North Somerset Local Plan Policies ARCH 1 – 2. The route of the scheme was centred on the historic core of the village which had certainly been founded by the late Anglo-Saxon period. There is also recorded archaeological data for activity for the prehistoric and Roman periods, albeit on a modest scale. It was therefore considered that the proposed development would damage or destroy archaeological remains that may be present on the site, and that a reasonable archaeological response would be a watching brief during all phases of ground works associated with construction works. Development excavations revealed only two archaeological features. This comprised the foundations of two ashlar limestone walls, one section of which was butted by a small domestic refuse pit. Both foundations aligned well with a row of existing walling bordering the northern side of Clevedon Road, the line of which is broken intermittently by property driveways. It is therefore likely that these remains represent a modern breach in the wall to provide vehicular access from the main road to adjacent properties. The refuse pit revealed the only artefacts recovered from development excavations. This assemblage comprised two enamelled tin teapots, two stoneware preservative storage jars, two clear glass jars, two fragments of transfer print china and eleven sherds of a c.19th century earthenware vessel. Both the stoneware jars date from the early 20th century and bore an incised manufacturers stamp of “W P Hartley. London & Liverpool. Trademark”. The watching brief has added little detail to the recorded archaeological and historical evidence for Weston-in-Gordano. This is perhaps surprising given the long history of the village and the extent of the development scheme. However, it is important to acknowledge that much of the excavation work was carried out along a road network that has been shown to be of some antiquity thereby reducing any archaeological potential by nature of its function. Download/view
full report (314kb) Bristol Waste Water Treatment Works, Avonmouth, Bristol Client:
Wessex Water plc Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an Archaeological Watching Brief at Bristol Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), Avonmouth, Bristol over 11 days between 14 March 2002 – 19 November 2002 (Bristol City Council archaeology reference: 21197; NGR ST 79400 53500) The investigation was commissioned and funded by Wessex Water plc and specifically related to the construction of a Phase II Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), Storm Tank, and Pumping Station. The requirement for the archaeological work followed advice given by central Government as set out in Planning Policy Guidance: Note 16 (PPG16), Archaeology and Planning, issued by the DoE in 1990, and the recommendations of the Bristol City Council Archaeologist, Mr R Jones. These recommendations largely took into account the results of an archaeological desk-based assessment and evaluation carried out on the site by Wessex Archaeology in 1998 prior to a planning application by Wessex Water to construct a new plant to carry out secondary treatment of sewage at the existing Works. Eleven trenches were excavated as part of this project and revealed modest evidence for the prehistoric and medieval periods that indicated settlement activity in the vicinity. Given the results of the desk-based assessment and evaluation, and the corpus of recorded archaeological data for the environs, it was considered that the proposed development would damage or destroy archaeological remains that may be present on the site. It was therefore considered that a reasonable archaeological response to the development would be a watching brief during all phases of ground works associated with construction works. This would include a strategy for the recovery and analysis of palaeo-environmental evidence devised by Vanessa Straker of English Heritage and was specifically directed towards the discovery of any palaeochannels and possible habitation platform. Although the watching brief provided an opportunity to examine the principal stratigraphic and physical characteristics of deposits in an area that is likely to have been settled from the prehistoric period, the investigation yielded no new archaeological evidence to enhance our understanding of the locality. However, it is important to note that heavy rain and persistent waterlogging throughout the course of the investigation severely hampered a satisfactory assessment. Download/view
full report (804kb) Blagdon and Pitminster: First Time Sewerage Scheme, Somerset. Client:
Wessex Water plc Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an archaeological watching brief between Blagdon and Pitminster, Somerset, over 11 weeks between 27 May 2002 to 3 October, 2002 (Ordnance Survey reference: ST 21050 19050 to ST 22500 19550). The archaeological investigation was commissioned and funded by Wessex Water plc in order to satisfy a planning requirement, attached to the granting of planning permission by the Local Planning Authority (Taunton Deane Borough Council), to construct a First Time Sewerage Scheme consisting of c.2.1km of gravity sewers, 4 pumping stations and a length of rising main. T J Brent Ltd were sub-contracted to carry out the development work. The archaeological investigation was requested by Mr Steven Membery, Planning Archaeologist, Somerset County Council - Department for the Environment, Architectural & Historic Heritage Group (SCC), acting on advice by central Government as set out in Planning Policy Guidance: Note 16 (PPG16) issued by the DoE in 1990 policies 7.69-7.79 of the Taunton Deane Borough Council Local Plan. The route of the scheme was centred on the historic core of the village which is believed to have been founded in the late Anglo-Saxon period, and there is recorded archaeological data for medieval occupation including the park pale of Poundisford Park estate, a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It was therefore considered that the proposed development could damage or destroy archaeological remains that may be present, and that a reasonable archaeological response would be a watching brief during all phases of ground works associated with construction works. A Written Scheme of Investigation for the archaeological work was prepared by Mark Corney of Archaeological Site Investigations (ASI) in May 2002 (reference: ASI 3219). The watching brief has added modest detail to the recorded archaeological and historical evidence for Pitminster. This is perhaps surprising given the long history of the village and the extent of the development scheme. However, it is important to acknowledge that much of the excavation work was carried out along a road network that has been shown to be of some antiquity, thereby reducing any archaeological potential by nature of its function. Nevertheless, pipe trench excavations revealed five features including demolition debris and domestic material from a post-medieval house, remains of a 20th century workshop/store or minor dwelling, two possible field boundary ditches, roadside drainage gulleys and a scatter of post-medieval domestic refuse. Download/view
full report (641kb) As with most projects, there is often a wealth of research material that cannot always be included in the main report but may prove useful to other researchers. Consequently, we are pleased to release selected information for such purposes as detailed below. Download/view
1839 Pitminster Tithe map (97kb) Download/view
1887 25" OS map of Pitminster (2.40mb) 24 Shakespeare Road, Stratford-sub-Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Client:
Mr & Mrs B D Weatherley Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an Archaeological Watching Brief at 24 Shakespeare Road, Stratford-sub-Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire (SU 13665 31860) on 11 November 2002 as a condition of planning permission for the erection of a two storey rear extension. The investigation was commissioned and funded by the owners, Mr and Mrs B D Weatherley. The archaeological work was requested by Helena Cave-Penney, Assistant Archaeologist, Children, Education and Libraries Department, Wiltshire County Council as it is thought that the site lay within the conjectured limits of the Roman town of Sorviodunum and also in an area known for Anglo-Saxon and Medieval remains. Given this corpus of material evidence, it was therefore considered that the proposed development would damage or destroy archaeological remains that may be present on the site, and that a reasonable archaeological response would be a watching brief during all phases of ground works associated with construction works. Despite the growing archaeological evidence to support the hypothesis for the location and extent of the Roman town, no archaeological features were found and only one piece of contemporary pottery was recovered from construction excavations. Whilst this does not add to the corpus of data for Roman occupation, it is perhaps not surprising given that the stratigraphy appears to reflect episodes of earth moving/landscaping activity which may have removed any in situ archaeological layers. It is also important to acknowledge the limited impact and ground disturbance created by such a minor development. Nevertheless, residual finds of 13th – 14th century pottery and roof tile may provide tentative evidence for medieval settlement activity in the vicinity, whilst the discovery of late 18th century material appears to fit the chronology of a post-medieval tenement identified to the rear of the site through map regression analysis. Download/view
full report (399kb) Railway Line adjacent to Borrow Pit SNCI to the roundabout on New Bristol Road, Bridge Farm, Worle, North Somerset. Client:
Wessex Water plc Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an Archaeological Watching Brief from the Railway Line adjacent to Borrow Pit SNCI to the roundabout on New Bristol Road, Bridge Farm, Worle, North Somerset (SMR reference: 42769; NGR: ST 3691562528 to ST 3697462727). The investigation was carried out on behalf of Wessex Water plc following their proposal to construct a new rising main. The investigation was recommended by Mr Vince Russett, Archaeological Officer (AO), (The Environment Group) North Somerset Council. The watching brief was carried out over 11 days between 19 August to 23 September 2002 along a 180m section of the pipeline. This recommendation followed advice given by central Government as set out in Planning Policy Guidance: Note 16 (PPG16) issued by the DoE in 1990 and also took into account Policy BE4A of the former County Structure Plan, and North Somerset Local Plan Policies ARCH 1 – 2. The development site
fell within an area of the North Somerset Moors that has revealed evidence
for ditches, trackways and occupation activity attributed to the Roman
period as well as earlier Iron Age saltworking. Despite the recorded evidence for Roman and prehistoric activity in the region, the watching brief provided no archaeological evidence or artefacts to enhance our understanding of the area. Download/view
full report (538kb) Verlynch Cottages Wastewater Treatment Works, The Bunny, Longstock, Hampshire. Client:
Patterson Reeves & Partners on behalf of Testway Housing Ltd. Context One Archaeological
Services (COAS) carried out an Archaeological Watching Brief at Verlynch
Cottages Wastewater Treatment Works, The Bunny, Longstock, Hampshire (SU
36080 37150) over 11 days between 22 July to 5 August, 2002. The investigation
was commissioned by Patterson Reeves & Partners on behalf of Testway
Housing Limited. The development site
fell within an Area of High Archaeological Potential as defined by the
Historic Rural Settlement Project and immediately adjacent to a Scheduled
Ancient Monument thought to be the remains of a ‘Danish Dock’
dating to the late Anglo-Saxon period. Development excavations revealed few archaeological remains. This included a ?pit, a pit/terminal end of a ditch with a post-medieval fill and two ditch sections. The investigation provided little new archaeological evidence to enhance our understanding of the history of Longstock. As map regression analysis would indicate, this probably reflects the lack of historical activity on the site as well as limited development intrusion. The features that were discovered could not be adequately characterised although it is tempting to speculate whether the section of a truncated ditch (Feature 2) could be related to the Scheduled Ancient Monument. Although this could not be dated, it is located close to the monument and the orientation appears to align with the surviving earthworks, suggesting an ancillary but functionally related feature. Download/view
full report (487kb) 47 Halls Farm Close, Winchester, Hampshire. Client:
Mr and Mrs E J O'Neil Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an archaeological watching brief at 47 Halls Farm Close, Winchester, Hampshire (SU 47098 31302) for Mr and Mrs E J O'Neil over 2 days between 31 January and 1 February 2002. The work was a requirement of a planning condition attached to the granting of permission for the erection of a rear conservatory. The condition was recommended by Tracy Matthews, Sites and Monuments Officer for Winchester Museums Service on behalf of Winchester City Council. Halls Farm Close is part of a housing development constructed from 1989 and collectively known as 'Berwick Field'. Groundworks carried out as part of this scheme a short distance to the east of the site revealed high concentrations of archaeological features primarily dating to the Iron Age, Roman and Saxon periods. Salvage excavations, carried out in 3 phases, helped to clarify the character of over 500 features including refuse pits, grain storage pits, field boundary ditches, structural evidence, inhumations and a possible corn drying oven. The excavation of foundation trenches revealed that the site had been levelled and landscaped with imported soil sealing a previous ploughsoil which contained slight evidence for prehistoric activity. In addition, a pit dug for a soakaway exposed the edge of a ?prehistoric posthole/pit cut into the natural chalk. The results of the investigation therefore provide tentative evidence for the continuation of prehistoric occupation of the area and demonstrate the potential for the recovery of further archaeological features cut into the natural chalk despite disturbance caused through recent building activity. Download/view
full report (365kb) The Garden House, Heathman Street, Nether Wallop, Hampshire. Client:
Mr V Moore Context One Archaeological Services carried out an archaeological watching brief on land at The Garden House, Heathman Street, Nether Wallop, Hampshire, over 4 days between 5 March 2001 and 9 March 2001. The investigation was commissioned by Chris Carter Associates Limited and funded by Mr Victor Moore (Ordnance Survey reference: SU 30257 36573). The watching brief was a requirement of a planning condition attached to the granting of permission to erect a new dwelling. The planning condition was recommended by Mr Frank Green (Heritage Officer) at Test Valley Borough Council. The results of the watching brief did not provide any archaeological evidence that the development site has ever been developed despite being near the historic core of the village. However, the discovery of a section of a cob wall constructed during the 18th-19th centuries together with data gathered through map regression analysis appears to indicate that the boundaries of the site have largely remained unaltered since the postmedieval period. Map evidence would also suggest that the cob wall was truncated sometime between 1839 and 1875 when the boundary on the western side of the site disappears and the plot was temporarily absorbed into a neighbouring property. Download/view
full report (264kb) The Former Axbridge Motor Company Limited, St. Mary's Street, Axbridge, Somerset. Client:
Cadbury Homes Ltd. Context One Archaeological Services carried out an archaeological watching brief at the former site of The Axbridge Motor Company Limited, St Mary's Street, Axbridge, Somerset, over 8 days between 3 August, 2000 to 28 April, 2001. The archaeological investigation was commissioned and funded by Cadbury Homes Limited and Wilton Village Housing Limited in order to satisfy a planning requirement, attached to the granting of permission by the Local Planning Authority (Sedgemoor District Council), to re-develop the site for new sheltered housing. The archaeological work was requested by Mr Steven Membery, Planning Archaeologist, Somerset County Council - Department for the Environment, Architectural & Historic Heritage Group. The watching brief formed Stage 2 of an archaeological scheme of works that was preceded by an archaeological evaluation carried out by Context One during April, 2000. The evaluation consisted of 4 trenches, two of which revealed that any in situ archaeological deposits which may have been present along the St. Mary's Street frontage, had been completely removed. It was thought likely that this occurred when the area was re-developed in the 1950's to serve as a forecourt for the present petrol station. It would appear that this region has been heavily terraced into the natural slope to provide a level surface. Excavation of trenches to the rear of the site provided evidence to indicate medieval and postmedieval activity, suggesting distinct phases of use as garden plots that may once have backed on to properties fronting St. Mary's Street. The foundations of a wall, c.1700, provided the only evidence for structural remains of the areas excavated, and probably related to a former barn or store. The report concluded that it might be appropriate to monitor any groundworks during development which would affect the former rear car parking area or the interior floor surface of the barn for further archaeological evidence. The watching brief has added some detail to the evidence gathered from the evaluation in building a picture of occupation on the development site over time. Combined, the results emphasise prolonged activity on the site albeit through features peripheral to a focus of occupation for which no remains survive. As conjectured, the removal of cobbled flooring following demolition of the barn to the rear of the site did hold archaeological potential. The exposure of a well in this area proved to be the most notable discovery of the investigation and may have served properties fronting onto the street from at least the 18th century, and which could have functioned until as late as the mid 19th century when a barn was built over it. In addition, the excavation of a shallow ditch may indicate evidence for the earliest feature on the site. This did not align with the current site boundaries which may, themselves, be a fossilisation of medieval plot layouts, and might therefore be a vestige of earlier property/field division despite being filled with later material. Further evidence for medieval and postmedieval soils towards the street frontage supplements the presence of similar deposits found during the evaluation indicating extensive garden plots, whilst light industrial use of the site is suggested by the discovery of a possible mortar/lime mixing pit. Download/view
full report (361kb) Rear of 14 Market Place, Star Lane, Ringwood, Hampshire. Client:
Surereed Ltd. A Watching Brief was carried out at the rear of 14 Market Place, Star Lane, Ringwood, Hampshire, on Monday 14th January 1999, prior to the construction of a two storey shop and office facilities. A truncated section of an undated ditch, and the foundations of a small modern brick structure were revealed during ground-works. No evidence for medieval or earlier occupation was recovered. Ewshot Hurst, Church Lane, Ewshot, Hampshire. Client:
Charles Church Development Ltd. (Southern Division) Context One Archaeological Services (COAS) carried out an archaeological watching brief at Ewshot Hurst (NGR 4816 1498), Church Lane, Ewshot, Hampshire, on behalf of Charles Church Development Limited - (Southern Division) following the granting of planning permission for the erection of three new detached houses, two integral and one detached garage with associated roads and parking. Work was carried out between 17 December 1998 and 2 February 1999 whilst groundworks were in operation. Despite lying within the historic core of the village, no archaeological evidence for medieval or earlier occupation was encountered. It is likely that this area of the village was in agricultural use until the construction of the church and house in the late 19th century. All features encountered within the development area either relate to the present house and landscaped gardens or an earlier field drainage system. Electricity Supply, Liberty Farm, Burtle, Somerset. Client:
South Western Electricity Board plc An
Archaeological Watching Brief was carried out by Context One The investigation was requested by Somerset County Council, Department for the Environment, Architectural and Historic Heritage Group, who issued a Specification for an Archaeological Watching Brief (in accordance with Government guidelines (PPG16)) in which it was advised that the proposed work by SWEB would damage or destroy archaeological remains which may be present within an "area of high archaeological potential". The spread of electricity pole trenches allowed an opportunity to observe a transect across the geological strata of the Brue Valley which includes areas of peat, alluvial clays and burtle sands. Between the burtle edge and Liberty Farm, a thick layer of undisturbed alluvial clay sealing peat deposits confirmed the areas potential to contain well-preserved archaeological remains although none were observed in any of trenches. The
impact of trenches on these deposits, whilst not causing significant disturbance,
has allowed a close examination of geological deposits within the development
area. This has enhanced an understanding of their integrity and extent,
and confirms the need to monitor future developments.
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