The Collins Theatre Site, 13-17 Islington Green and 1-15 Essex Road,
Islington, London, N1. Archaeological Watching Brief Report.
NGR TQ 3170 8364
Planning Reference:
Prepared by
John Samuels Archaeological Consultants
On behalf of
Fairbriar Homes Ltd
Fairbriar House
Thorney Lane
Iver
Bucks
SL0 9HQ
JSAC 639/05/01
July2005 Site Code: ISI02
Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief
at the Collins Theatre Site, 13-17 Islington Green and 1-15 Essex Road, Islington, London N1.
CONTENTS
Summary 2
1.0 Introduction 2
2.0 Aims/Methodology 4
3.0 Results 4
4.0 Conclusions 5
5.0 Figures 6
Summary
An archaeological watching brief was undertaken during below ground works in connection with the redevelopment (planning refs: P000205 & P000206) of land at the Collins Theatre Site, 13-17 Islington Green and 1-15 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 (NGR TQ 3170 8364). Victorian cellaring, probably related to the music hall, was seen to truncate natural deposits across the majority of the site, removing any in-situ archaeology. Where cellaring was not present, on the eastern side of the site, natural deposits, comprising an brown/orange sand and gravel, were seen at depths of between 31.18m OD and 30.66m OD, sealed by possibly alluvial clay and modern makeup. Although the site is bounded to the north by the presumed southern extent of the New Bunhill Fields burial ground, human remains were not seen during the course of the watching brief; this area was excavated through natural deposits and was seen to have been extensively disturbed by 19th/20th-century foundations.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 An archaeological watching brief was maintained during below ground works in connection with the redevelopment of land at the Collins Theatre Site, 13-17 Islington Green and 1-15 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 (NGR TQ 3170 8364). The site covers approximately 2000 square metres and lies at approximately 32m OD, sloping gently to the west. The fieldwork was conducted in December 2002.
1.2 Planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of the site in order to provide a theatre and residential units. John Samuels Archaeological Consultants (JSAC 639/00/001) undertook a desk-based assessment of the site, and limited trenching was carried out by MOLAS in 1997. Subsequent to the granting of planning permission, the Greater London Archaeology Advisory Service (GLAAS) recommended further archaeological evaluation of the site, comprising trial trenching, as a next stage. Northamptonshire Archaeology undertook this work with negative results. Subsequent discussions with GLAAS indicated that a watching brief on the development would be required with particular reference to the northern part of the development area adjacent to the New Bunhill Fields burial ground, and along the Essex Road frontage. The potential existed for archaeological remains to survive that may have been affected by the proposed development, although it was thought likely that any such remains would largely have been truncated by modern development. In commissioning the watching brief, Fairbriar Homes Ltd. were responding to the concerns raised by the Local Planning Authority in connection with the planning application granted under PPG 16, and seeking to fulfil the condition for an archaeological watching brief. A detailed archaeological background of the site can be found in the archaeological desk-based assessment (JSAC 2000).
1.3 The specification for the watching brief was designed, submitted and approved in order to fulfil the archaeological planning condition and corresponds to government Planning Policy Guidance Note 16 : Archaeology and Planning (PPG 16) (DoE 1990) and national standards and guidelines, including :
Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991);
Code of Conduct (Institute of Field Archaeologists 1994, revised 1997);
Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Watching Briefs (Institute of Field Archaeologists, 1994).
2.0 Aims/Methodology
2.1 The watching brief was undertaken with the specific objectives of establishing whether archaeological remains survived on the development site, and if so identifying their nature, date, density, extent, function and state of preservation. Particular attention was paid to works along the northern edge of the site due to the proximity of the New Bunhill Fields burial ground, and to works along the Essex Road frontage.
2.2 In practice, and in liaison with the developers, the watching brief took the form of supervision by suitably qualified professional archaeologists in order to monitor all ground works as they commenced and proceeded.
2.3 Copies of this report will be sent to the client, and following approval to the City Archaeologist and to the County Sites and Monuments Record.
2.7 All work was undertaken with respect to Health and Safety provision. Hard hats, high- visibility vests and steel toe-capped boots were worn at all times.
3.0 Results
3.1 The watching brief confirmed the conclusions of the evaluation undertaken by Northamptonshire Archaeology in that the majority of the site was seen extensively to be cellared, with isolated exceptions on the eastern side of the site (see Fig. 1).
3.2 The site was covered by a reinforced concrete slab, c. 0.50m thick with localised variations, which was broken up and removed by two 360? excavators working in tandem with a concrete crusher. Rubble makeup and in-situ steel girders, thought to form a part of the frame for the timber yard's lifting mechanism, were revealed below the concrete apron; removal of this material revealed a complex of brick-built cellars which had been backfilled with loosely compacted brick rubble and other modern building detritus. Probing works in advance of the location of piling positions revealed rubble backfill to a depth of c. 30.25 m OD. Excavation, and entry into the trench, thereafter became impractical as the water table had been encountered at a depth of c. 30.74 m OD, and rubble backfill was still being removed below this depth.
3.3 Conditions for the observation of the construction of the cellars were not ideal, however they appeared to be constructed from frogged bricks and mortar in a stretcher bonding pattern; occasional mortar rendering and some layers of paint also were seen. Some samples of brick were retrieved during probing works; all those pieces were retrieved were frogged, a feature common to bricks from the past three centuries. Apart from isolated patches of mortar rendering, the bricks appeared to have no surface treatment.
3.4 Comprehensive monitoring of works along the northern edge of the site revealed a spread of demolition material to a depth of c. 1 m below ground level sealing natural deposits. At intervals this material was interrupted by substantial brick and reinforced concrete foundations from the structure previously occupying the site; these structures were seen to be resting on the upper surface of the natural gravel. Excavations in this area continued to a depth of c. 5m, however no evidence was found for the New Bunhill Fields burial ground.
3.5 Probing in the eastern portion of the site identified probable alluvial deposits sealing natural gravels; neither cellaring nor foundations were identified here and no finds were retrieved.
4.0 Conclusions.
4.1 No major archaeology was identified during the course of the watching brief, although some useful information was gathered. Excavation methods used were appropriate for the ground conditions but not ideal for archaeological recording; however, as no major archaeology was seen the method was not altered, nor was there any justification for the expansion of probing trial holes into open trenches. Consequently, after removal of the concrete slab a series of 'windows' were opened across the site, revealing both probable truncation of natural deposits and natural geology sealed by alluvial deposits.
4.2 It has been noted elsewhere (JSAC 2002) that the painted outlines of staircases presumably relating to the Music Hall are still visible on, what is now, an external brick wall on the western side of the site, suggesting that the original foundations and at least some of the internal walls of the Music Hall may have survived. The brick seen in the cellars suggests a probable mid 19th-century date for their construction, while the vast majority of the material backfilling them and seen spread across the site as made ground is distinctly 20th-century. The cellars ran the length of the western side of the site and extended both to the south and east and are thought to relate primarily to the Music Hall although the possibility that other buildings may have constructed, extended and/or made use of them cannot be ruled out. Nothing beyond brick and rubble was found in the backfilled material.
4.3 No evidence was found for the New Bunhill Fields burial ground, which is thought to confirm the theory proposed elsewhere (MOLAS 1997) that the existing boundary walls are a continuation of the 18th-century boundaries, and that the burial site also was confined to the north.
4.4.1 Cellar and foundation construction on the site would certainly have truncated any medieval ploughsoils or ground surfaces. The cellars appear also to have been deep enough to have truncated natural deposits; these were located at between 31.18m OD and 30.66m OD on the eastern, lower part of the site while the cellars continued to a depth of at least 30.25m OD. It is thought likely that, if present, modern activity has truncated any evidence of pre-medieval or medieval Islington. Post-medieval activity is well-represented.
5.0 Figure
Site Location & Plan
Appendix: Photographs from Collins Theatre
A number of photographs, mainly showing painted walls, representing the layout of the former theatre, were taken and are reproduced here.
Figure: Key to Photographic Locations
Photo 1: Northern elevation of range of buildings fronting Islington Green looking roughly south. Essex Road is through the gate at the extreme left of the photograph
Photo 2: Northern elevation of range of buildings fronting Islington Green looking roughly south-west.
Photo3: Northern elevation of range of buildings fronting Islington Green, looking roughly south.
Photo 4: Interior showing outline of former staircases
Photo 5: Interior showing outline of former staircases
Photo 6: Interior showing outline of former staircases
Photo 7: Interior showing outline of former staircases
Photo 8: Interior showing general view of basement and door
THE MANOR SOUTH STEET NORMANTON-ON-TRENT NEWARK NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NG23 6RQ
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____________________________________________________________________________
Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief at
Collins Theatre, Islington.
2
JSAC 639/05/01