1- 5 HAINAULT STREET ILFORD
LONDON BOROUGH OF REDBRIDGE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRIAL TRENCHING
Field Archaeology Unit
October 2004
1- 5 HAINAULT STREET ILFORD
LONDON BOROUGH OF REDBRIDGE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRIAL TRENCHING
Prepared By:
Andrew Robertson Signature:
Position:
Project Supervisor Date:
Approved By:
Patrick Allen Signature:
Position:
Project Manager Date:
Approved By:
Mark Atkinson Signature:
Position:
Unit Manager Date:
Doc. Ref. 1387Rep.doc
Report Issue Date October 2004
Circulation Higgins Homes
GLASS
GLSMR
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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 Archaeolog y Unit, Essex County Council, c/o County Hall, Chelmsford Essex CM1 1LF
1- 5 HAINAULT STREET ILFORD
LONDON BOROUGH OF REDBRIDGE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRIAL TRENCHING
Client: Higgins Homes FAU Project No.: 1387
NGR: TQ 4399 8669 (Centred) Site Code: HUL 04
Date of Fieldwork: 8 October 2004
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This report presents the results of an archaeological trial trenching evaluation at 1 � 5 Hainault Street, Ilford. Higgins Homes submitted a planning application for a residential development on the site. The local planning authority, advised by the English Heritage Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service (GLAAS), placed an archaeological condition, in line with Planning Policy Guideline 16 (DoE 1990), on the development. Subsequently Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit (ECC FAU) were commissioned to evaluate the site with two trial trenches.
2.0 LOCATION AND BACKGROUND
The site lies 100m north of Ilford High Road, on the west side of Hainault Street, immediately to the north of the Liverpool Street-Colchester railway (TQ 4399 8669), on a former builder�s yard and depot. It lies within an archaeological priority area as defined in the Redbridge Urban Development Plan, and a short distance to the east of Ilford�s historic core on the crossing of the river Roding. Ilford High Road is thought to follow the line of the Roman road from London to Colchester, and survived as a major thoroughfare until recently.
The land slopes down to the south, towards the railway cutting. Below approximately 1.3m of modern rubble the undisturbed natural geology was mid brown sandy gravel.
3.0 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of the trenching was to locate, identify and record any surviving archaeological remains and clarify the nature and extent of modern disturbance to the site.
4.0 METHOD
The trial trenches were excavated after the removal of approximately 2m of overburden during the demolition of the standing buildings and the removal of concrete foundation slabs. The remaining modern overburden was removed using a 360� excavator under archaeological supervision. The exposed surface was then examined for any archaeological remains. The trenches were recorded in plan and representative sections drawn. A photographic record of both trenches was maintained throughout the project. The 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.
Archaeological Trial Trenching Report
Prepared for Higgins Homes
5.0 FIELDWORK RESULTS
The site had been reduced in level and lay approximately 2m below street level, which revealed a
line of cellars along the road frontage. Two trenches in a roughly �T� shaped alignment were excavated; both trenches measured 20m by 1.8m.
Trench 1
Trench 1 was located towards the southern end of the site, running east � west at 90� to the Hainault Street frontage. The eastern end of the trench was situated within the remains of a cellar. The trench was excavated to a depth of 1.2m. The undisturbed geology lay below approximately 1m of loose modern rubble. A representative section of the trench was drawn but no archaeological remains were identified. No finds were retrieved and no environmental samples taken. 5.1
5.2 Trench 2
Trench 2 was at right angles to trench 1 and ran roughly north � south. It was excavated to a depth of approximately 1.6m. The only features present were a modern ditch/pit at the north end of the trench and the footings for a modern wall. The wall was recorded in section, along with a representative section of the trench, and was probably the remains of a building associated with the builder�s yard. Due to the depth of the trench neither of the features was excavated, but visible surface finds indicated a modern origin for both features. No finds were retrieved and no environmental samples taken.
6.0 ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS
No archaeological evidence was encountered. The depth of modern disturbance, in excess of 3m, and the proximity to the railway cutting makes it unlikely that any archaeological remains survive in the area of the site.
Acknowledgements
This project was commissioned and funded by Higgins Homes. Thanks go to M. Wallace and M. Dennis of Higgins Homes for their assistance throughout the project. The monitoring officer was Mr R. Whytehead of GLAAS on behalf of the local planning office. Mr P. Allen managed the project and C. Down assisted the author on site. The illustrations were prepared by A. Lewsey.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Department of the Environment 1990 Planning Policy Guideline 16: Archaeology and Planning
Gurney, D. 2003 Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England, EAA Occ paper 14
Truckle, N. 2004 Brief for an Archaeological Evaluation at 1 �5 Hainault Street Ilford GLAAS Brief of works
Archaeological Trial Trenching Report
Prepared for Higgins Homes
Essex
Hainault St
Chelmsford
SITE
Railway
Greater London
# Ilford
Ilford High Rd
A123
N
Development area
modern feature
Trench 2
modern wall
cellar H a
Former builder's i n
a u
l t
yard S t r
e e
t
Trench 1
Mainline railway to Liverpool St
0 10m
Fig.1. Site Location. Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of HMSO. Crown Copyright. LA100019602.
Archaeological Trial Trenching Report
Prepared for Higgins Homes
APPENDIX 1: ARCHIVE INDEX
SITE NAME: 1 � 5 Hainault Street, Ilford, London Borough of Redbridge (HUL 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
3. Site Archive
3.1 2 x Trench sheets
3.2 2 x Section sheets
3.3 4 x Photographic record sheets
3.4 8 x Black and White Prints
3.5 6 x Colour Slides
Archaeological Trial Trenching Report
Prepared for Higgins Homes
GLSMR/RCHME NMR ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT FORM
1. TYPE OF RECORDING
Trial Trenching
2. LOCATION
Borough Redbridge NGR TQ 4399 8669
Site Address 1-5 Hainault Street, Ilford
Site Name 1-5 Hainault Street, Ilford
Site Code HUL 04
3. ORGANISATION
Name of archaeological unit: Essex County Council Field Archaeology Group
Address Fairfield Court
Fairfield Road
Braintree
Essex
CM7 3YQ
Site Director Andrew Robertson
Funded by Higgins Homes
4. DURATION
Site Started 8 Oct 2004 Finished 8 Oct 2004
Work previously notified No
Will Continue No
5. PERIODS REPRESENTED
Modern
Archaeological Trial Trenching Report
Prepared for Higgins Homes
6. PERIOD SUMMARIES
Two modern features, a pit/ditch and a wall footing, were recorded by plan and section below approximately 3m of modern rubble. No finds were collected and no environmental samples were taken.
7. NATURAL
Type Light Brown Silty Sandy Gravel
8. LOCATION OF ARCHIVE
Please indicate those categories still in your possession:
Notes Plans Correspondence Photos Negs Slides
All will be deposited in the following museum: Museum of London
Year of transfer 2005
Location of copies
Security copy made Yes
9. LOCATION OF FINDS
None
10. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Essex and Greater London SMR
1 � 5 Hainault Street, Ilford, London Borough of Redbridg: Archaeological Trial Trenching Essex CC Field Archaeology Unit report.