NEW SCHOOL SITE MAYES LANE
RAMSEY ESSEX
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONITORING
Field Archaeology Unit
October 2004
NEW SCHOOL SITE MAYES LANE
RAMSEY ESSEX
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONITORING
Prepared By: Signature:
Andrew Robertson
Position: Date:
Project Supervisor
Approved By: Signature:
Patrick Allen
Position: Date:
Project Manager
Doc. Ref.
1316Rep.doc
Report Issue Date
October 2004
Circulation
Babtie
HEM
EHCR
As part of our desire to provide a quality service, we would welcome any comments you may have on the content or the presentation of this report.
Please contact the Archaeological Fieldwork Manager, at the Field Archaeology Unit,
Fairfield Court, Fairfield Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 3YQ fieldarch@essexcc.gov.uk
Tel: 01376 331470 Fax: 01376 331428
� Field Archaeology Unit , Essex County Council, c/o County Hall, Chelmsford Essex CM1 1LF
NEW SCHOOL SITE MAYES LANE
RAMSEY
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONITORING
Client: Babtie
FAU Project No.: 1316
Planning Application No.: CC/Ten/0121/02 NGR: TM 21800 30200 (Centred)
Site Code: RPML 04
Date of Fieldwork: 28 to 30 September 2004
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This report presents the results of an archaeological monitoring programme on the construction of
an access road for a new school off Mayes Lane, Ramsey. In 2002 Babtie, on behalf of the Learning Services Division of Essex County Council, commissioned the Field Archaeology Unit (FAU) to undertake a programme of archaeological trenching (Hickling 2002a & b) in two phases. Phase 2 of the trenching, on the area of the access road, uncovered possible medieval remains. In light of this the local planning authority, under advice from Historic Environment Management (HEM) team of Essex County Council, placed archaeological condition on the construction of the road.
2.0 LOCATION AND BACKGROUND
The site lies immediately to the west of Mayes Lane and to the north of the main area of the 2002 trial trenching (TM 2393 30000 centred). In general the land slopes down to the north-east, towards the A120. Below approximately 0.3m of topsoil, the natural geology was mid brown sandy clay which overlies glaciofluvial drift, tertiary clay and marine alluvium. The trenching revealed a modern trackway and five pieces of worked flint, including a Neolithic sickle blade, at the top of the hill, and some medieval pits and ditches along Mayes Lane itself. Approximately 200m to the north of the site is the medieval church of St. Michael.
3.0 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of the project was to locate, identify and record any surviving archaeological remains.
4.0 METHOD
The topsoil and modern overburden were removed using a 360� excavator fitted with a toothless ditching bucket, under archaeological supervision. The stripped surface was then examined for any archaeological remains. IFA standards and by-laws and ALGAO�s Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England (Gurney 2003) were adhered to during the fieldwork. The methodology outlined in the Written Scheme of Investigation (FAU 2003) was adhered to throughout the project.
Archaeological Monitoring Report
Prepared for Babtie
N
Ramsey
0
2
1
A
Ramsey St. Michael's Church
Colchester
#
Site
Chelmsford
Essex
Little Oakley
Ma y N
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L a
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Site
0 100m
Scale 1:3000
2002 Trenches
Figure 1 - Site Location Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her Majesty's
Stationery Office. (c) Crown copyright. Licence No. LA100019602
Archaeological Monitoring Report
Prepared for Babtie
5.0 FIELDWORK RESULTS
No archaeological features were identified in the stripped area, although the western end of the area was disturbed by Mayes Lane itself and by modern ditches and hedge lines. No finds were retrieved and no environmental samples taken.
6.0 ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS
No archaeological evidence was encountered, possibly because the site lies on a reasonably steep slope. It is interesting to note that the majority of features seen in the trenches were along the hedge line, where a large amount of disturbance was noted during the topsoil strip. It may be that the features were in reality mostly root disturbance with residual finds and that the area was never developed but has always been rough agricultural land.
Acknowledgements
This project was commissioned and funded by the Babtie. Thanks go to E Rowe of Babtie for her assistance throughout the project. The monitoring officer was Mr P Connell of HEM on behalf of the local planning office. Mr P. Allen managed the project and the author carried out the monitoring.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Connell, P 2002 Archaeological Watching Brief, Mays Lane, Ramsey HEM Brief archaeological of works
Department of the Environment 1990 Planning Policy Guideline 16
FAU 2003 Written scheme for Investigation for Archaeological Monitoring and Recording, New School Site, Mayes Lane, Ramsey, Essex FAU WSI
Gurney, D. 2003 Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England, EAA Occ paper 14
Hickling, S. 2002a Proposed New School Site, Mayes Lane, Ramsey , Essex Archaeological Trenching Evaluation Phase 1 FAU Client Report
Hickling, S. 2002b Proposed New School Site, Mayes Lane, Ramsey , Essex Archaeological Trenching Evaluation Phase 2 FAU Client Report
Archaeological Monitoring Report
Prepared for Babtie
APPENDIX 1: ARCHIVE INDEX
SITE NAME: New School Site, Mayes Lane, Ramsey (RPML 04)
Index to the Archive
File containing:
1. Introduction
1.1 Brief for Evaluation
1.2 Written Scheme of Investigation for Evaluation
2. Research Archive
2.1 Client Report
Archaeological Monitoring Report
Prepared for Babtie
APPENDIX 2: EHCR SUMMARY SHEET
Site Name/Address: New School Site. Mayes Lane, Ramsey
Parish: Ramsey
District: Tendering
NGR: TM 21800 30200 (Centred)
Site Code: RPML 04
Type of Work: Watching Brief
Site Director/Group: Andrew Robertson
ECC FAU
Date of Work: 28 to 30 September 2004
Size of Area Investigated: Approx. 2000m�
Location of Finds/Curating Museum:
Funding Source: Babtie Environmental.
Further Work Anticipated? No
Related EHCR Nos:
3313; 3314; 3315; 3317; 3534; 3568; 17736
Final Report: Yes
Periods Represented: None
SUMMARY OF FIELDWORK RESULTS:
A programme of archaeological monitoring was undertaken on an access road to a school development at Mayes Lane, Ramsey. The site lies close to the medieval Church of St Martins.
No archaeological remains were identified in the area of the road.
Previous Summaries/Reports:
Hickling, S. 2002 Proposed New School Site, Mayes Lane, Ramsey , Essex Archaeological Trenching Evaluation Phase 1 FAU Client Report
Author of Summary: Andrew Robertson Date of Summary: October 2004