UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON NEW PODIATRY CLINIC LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM,
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT
On behalf of
Richard Murphy Architects The Breakfast Mission
15 Old Fishmarket Close Edinburgh EH1 1RW
by
Wessex Archaeology in London Unit 113
The Chandlery,
50 Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7QY
Museum of London Site Code
GEU05
REF 59820.02
May 2005
� Wessex Archaeology Limited 2005 all rights reserved Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786
UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON NEW PODIATRY CLINIC
LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM,
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... i
Non-technical Summary ................................................................................................................. ii
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................ 3
1.2 PLANNING BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................... 3
1.3 SITE LOCATION ......................................................................................................................... 4
1.4 LANDFORM, GEOLOGY AND SOILS ........................................................................................... 4
1.5 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ............................................................................................ 4
1.6 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................. 5
2 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. 5
2.1 METHODOLOGICAL STANDARDS ............................................................................................... 5
2.2 HEALTH AND SAFETY ............................................................................................................... 5
2.3 FIELDWORK .............................................................................................................................. 5
3 RESULTS ....................................................................................................................................... 6
3.1 SEQUENCE AND STRATIGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 6
4 CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION ............................................................................................ 6
5 THE ARCHIVE ............................................................................................................................. 6
6 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................... 7
7 APPENDIX 1. TRENCH SUMMARY TABLE .......................................................................... 8
8 APPENDIX 2. OASIS DATA FORM ........................................................................................ 10
Table of Figures
Figure 1. Site Location Map and Evaluation Trench Location Plan. Figure 2. East Facing Section from Evaluation Trench.
Acknowledgements
Wessex Archaeology would like to thank Justine Fernandes of Richard Murphy Architects for commissioning the work and Mr Paul Gateley the Site Agent for his help on site. Additionally Wessex Archaeology would like to thank Mr. David Divers of the Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service of English Heritage for monitoring the project.
The fieldwork was undertaken by Hilary Valler (Project Officer) and the project was managed for Wessex Archaeology (London) by Reuben Thorpe. Reuben Thorpe wrote this report, Mark Roughley produced the illustrations.
UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON NEW PODIATRY CLINIC
LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM,
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT
Non-technical Summary
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Richard Murphy Architects (the Client) to undertake an intrusive archaeological evaluation at the site of the new Podiatry Clinic, University of East London, Stratford, London Borough of Newham NGR 539500/184695 (the Site).
A previous desk-based study (Wessex Archaeology 2004) concluded that the Site was adjacent to the line of the London � Colchester Roman road and that as such there was the possibility that archaeological deposits and/or structures may be preserved on Site. The evaluation comprised the excavation of one 10m x 2m trench in the location where archaeological survival was most likely. The object of the evaluation was to determine the presence/absence of archaeological deposits/structures on the Site and if present to establish their date, location, nature and state of preservation.
No archaeological finds or features were detected during the evaluation, which was undertaken on the 5th May 2005.
UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON NEW PODIATRY CLINIC
LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM,
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project Background
1.1.1 Wessex Archaeology (London) was commissioned by Richard Murphy Architects (the Client) to undertake an intrusive archaeological evaluation at the Site of the new Podiatry Clinic, University of East London, Stratford, London Borough of Newham NGR 539500/184695 (Figure 1).
1.1.2 The fieldwork, which consisted of the excavation and recording of one 10m x 2m trench was undertaken on the 5th May 2005, in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation approved in advance by David Divers the Archaeological Adviser (AA) of Greater London Advisory Service (GLAAS).
1.1.3 This report details the results of this evaluation.
1.2 Planning Background
1.2.1 A planning consent (P/04/1148) has been granted for the construction of medical teaching facilities at the University of East London, Romford Road, Stratford, E15 4JF.
1.2.2 The disturbance of archaeological deposits during the development is a material consideration within the planning process. PPG16, paragraph 18 states:
Developers and local authorities should take into account archaeological considerations and deal with them from the beginning of the development control process.
1.2.3 A Desk-Based assessment (Wessex Archaeology 2004. Report Ref. 56860.01) indicated that discoveries dating to Pre-history (Neolithic) as well as the Romano-British period and later medieval and post medieval periods have been found in the vicinity.
1.2.5 Excavations at the Fire Station, immediately east of the Site and at 30 Romford Road further to the west have previously revealed sections of the Roman Road linking London and Colchester.
1.2.6 Evidence of occupation of the landscape in the medieval period has also been found in the vicinity comprising a section of road and associated drainage ditch, water features, and pits putatively related to agricultural activity.
1.2.7 The Desk-Based Assessment (Ibid) concluded that the potential for the survival of intact archaeological deposits, features and structures was low,
except for in the area of the new Podiatry and Physiotherapy centre in the
Ferns Road area.
1.2.8 The location of the Site thus led the Archaeological Advisor (AA) of the Greater London Archaeology Advisory Service (GLAAS) to recommend that an intrusive archaeological evaluation be undertaken.
1.3 Site Location
1.3.1 The Site comprises an irregular area of land which forms the Stratford Campus of the University of East London. It lies some 500m east-northeast of the historic centre of Stratford, between Romford Road to the south, Water Lane to the west, Ferns Road to the east and Cedars Road to the north. (Figure 1).
1.4 Landform, Geology and Soils
1.4.1 Contemporary ground levels, to the north and west of the Site, are mapped at 8.53m above Ordnance Datum (aOD), while to the east of the Site the ground slopes to the south from 8.50m aOD to 8.20m aOD. In the southwest corner of the Site ground levels in Romford Road are mapped as 8.97m aOD, while the ground levels along the Site�s southern boundary are generally lower than the surrounding road surfaces as buildings have been terraced into this slope.
1.4.2 The river Lea lies approximately 1200m to the west of the Site, in an area known as Hackney (previously Bow) Marsh. Historically this area of multiple channels was known as the Stratford Back rivers. Much of the area is now developed: alterations in 1931-5 improved drainage and navigation.
1.4.3 The Site lies on the Pleistocene Taplow Gravel (Post-diversionary Thames River Terrace Deposits; gravel, sandy and clayey in part) (BGS 1994).
1.5 Archaeological Background
1.5.1 There is little evidence of human activity within the vicinity of the Site until the Roman period, when the London to Colchester road was constructed in the 1st century AD.
1.5.2 Archaeological evidence clearly demonstrates that the present Romford Road, which forms part of the southern boundary of the Site, directly overlies this Roman predecessor. A paucity of evidence for medieval occupation of the Site, supported by cartographic sources from the post-medieval period, indicates that the Site is likely to have been rural in character until the 18th century (Wessex Archaeology 2004).
1.5.3 The Site was developed for residential use in the 18th century and 19th century, which was mostly replaced by the construction of West Ham Technical College, Passmore Edwards Museum and an army barracks from the mid 19th century onwards.
1.5.4 The construction of the College and Museum along the northern side of Romford Road involved terracing into the existing, underlying slope, probably removing, whole scale, any potential archaeological deposits within its footprint. An archaeological evaluation undertaken in 2001 at the northern
(Cedar Road) end of the Site also inferred that a high level of truncation
caused by previous redevelopment had removed previously extant archaeological deposits (Wessex Archaeology 2004).
1.6 Aims and Objectives
1.6.1 The aims of the evaluation was to: �
Characterise the nature, date, extent and state of preservation of any underlying archaeological deposits.
� Identify the depth of burial (and thus the depth of sensitivity) of any underlying archaeological deposits or features.
2 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY
2.1 Methodological Standards
2.1.1 All works were undertaken in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation (Wessex Archaeology report ref 59820.01) which was prepared by Wessex Archaeology and approved in advance by the AA of GLAAS. The evaluation was also undertaken in accordance with the guidance and standards outlined in the Institute of Field Archaeologists� Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluations (2004) as well as relevant GLAAS Archaeological Guidance Papers (1998).
2.2 Health and Safety
2.2.1 All work was carried out in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work
Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety regulations 1992. All other relevant Health and Safety legislation, regulations and codes of practice, in force at the time, were observed and adhered to.
2.2.3 Wessex Archaeology was not made aware by the client of the presence of any underground services in the excavation area. As a precaution however, the location of the trench was 'swept' with a Cable Avoidance Tool prior to excavation.
2.3 Fieldwork
2.3.1 The trench was located on the ground using measurements from features present on OS maps (eg. boundaries or buildings).
2.3.2 All overburden was stripped by a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless bucket under the constant supervision of a competent archaeologist.
2.3.3 All spoil was scanned for finds by eye and metal detector.
2.3.4 Any revealed archaeological deposits were investigated by hand and recorded on Wessex Archaeology pre-printed standard recording forms. A plan and representative section of the trench was recorded by means of drawings at a scale of 1:20 for plans and 1:10 for sections (Figure 2).
2.3.5 A full, digital, monochrome and colour 35mm photographic record was also
compiled.
2.2.12 The trench was backfilled at the end of the work following consultation with and agreement from the AA of GLAAS.
3 RESULTS
3.1 Sequence and Stratigraphy
3.1.1 This section provides a summary of the sequence observed in the trench. Contextual detail with levels above ordnance datum (aOD) is provided in the Trench Summary Table appended in Appendix 1 and in Figure 2.
3.1.2 No archaeologically significant deposits or structures were observed within the evaluation trench. The sequence of deposition observed representing activity associated with the construction of buildings now utilised as part of the University of East London and built from the mid 19th century (Ibid).
3.1.3 The overburden overlying the geological natural (sequence described below) was between 0.65m and 0.98m thick.
3.1.4 The sequence of deposition, as attested in the evaluation trench, represented the horizon of construction and associated construction trample [103] of buildings now utilised as part of the University of East London.
3.1.5 The construction trample horizon [103] was cut by, but its use contemporary with, construction trench [109] and fill of said construction trench [110], also associated with the construction of buildings now utilised as part of the University of East London Stratford.
3.1.6 The horizon of construction of the building, represented by [103], [109], [110] was overlain by [102; 101] representing levelling up and re-instatement of the ground associated with the building construction.
3.1.7 Geological natural [104] was encountered at around 6.99m aOD.
4 CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION
4.1 On the basis of the single evaluation trench excavated, it is envisaged that no further archaeological work will be required.
5 THE ARCHIVE
5.1 The project archive, consisting of an A4 lever-arch file and a collection of photographs, is currently being held at the offices of Wessex Archaeology at Unit 113, The Chandlery, 50 Westminster Bridge Road, London, under the project number 59810. In due course the archive will be deposited with the Museum of London.
6 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Wessex Archaeology 2004 UEL Stratford Campus, London Borough of Newham. Archaeological Desk-based Assessment. Report Ref. 56860.01
Wessex Archaeology 2005 University of East London New Podiatry Clinic, London Borough of Newham. Project Design for Archaeological Evaluation. Report Ref. 59820.01
7 APPENDIX 1. TRENCH SUMMARY TABLE
Trench No. 1 Dimensions:10m x 2.0m. Max.depth: 1.60m Depth aOD
Context
Description
Interpretative & Process of Deposition Keywords
Depth (m)
101
Mid brown silty clay with fragments of brick and concrete debris
Levelling up / Building Construction
7.89m
102
Mid grey brown sandy clay with rounded pebbles, brick & concrete fragments
Levelling up / Building Construction
7.61 � 7.64m
103
Dark brown silty clay with black charcoal at base of layer
Levelling up, construction trample / Building Construction
7.31 � 7.29m
104
Mid orange sandy clay
Geological Natural / Taplow gravels
6.94m � 6.99m
105
Mixed orange sandy clay and small sub-rounded gravel patches
Geological Natural / Taplow gravels
6.99m � 7.09m
106
Pale orange/blue grey clay
Geological Natural /London clay
6.56 - 6.39m
107
Cut of modern service
Modern service trench / Building construction/use
7.63 � 7.44m
108
Pipe within modern service trench
Modern service trench / Building construction/use
7.59m �7.44m
109
Cut of building
Building Construction
7.29m �6.49m
110
Mid grey brown sandy silt with brick and concrete from recent building demo (Fill of [109])
Building Construction (composed of detritus from demolition)
7.29m �6.49m
8 APPENDIX 2. OASIS DATA FORM
OASIS DATA COLLECTION FORM
Printable version
OASIS ID: wessexar1-8222
Project details Project name New Podiatry Clinic, University of East London, Stratford; evaluation
Short description of the project An earlier desk-based study concluded that the site was adjacent to the line of the London - Colchester Roman road and that it was therefore possible that archaeological deposits and/or structures might survive. A single evaluation trench was excavated in the area where archaeological survival was considered most likely but no finds or features were encountered.
Project dates Start: 05-05-2005 End: 05-05-2005
Previous/future work No / Not known
Any associated project reference codes 59820 - Contracting Unit No.
Any associated project reference codes GEU05 - Sitecode
Any associated project reference codes P/04/1148 - Planning Application No.
Type of project Field evaluation
Methods & techniques 'Sample Trenches'
Development type Large/ medium scale extensions to existing structures (e.g. church, school, hospitals, law courts, etc.)
Prompt Direction from Local Planning Authority - PPG16
Position in the planning process After full determination (eg. As a condition)
Project location Country England
Site location GREATER LONDON NEWHAM STRATFORD New Podiatry Clinic, University of East London, Stratford
Study area 20.00 Square metres
National grid reference TQ 39500 84695 Point
Project creators Name of Organisation Wessex Archaeology
Project brief originator Local Authority Archaeologist and/or Planning Authority/advisory body
Project design originator Wessex Archaeology
Project director/manager R. Thorpe
Project supervisor H. Valler
Project archives
Paper Archive recipient Museum of London
Paper Contents 'Stratigraphic'
Paper Media available 'Context sheet','Photograph','Plan','Report','Unspecified Archive'
Project bibliography 1
Grey literature (unpublished document/manuscript)
Publication type
Title University of East London New Podiatry Clinic: evaluation
Author(s)/Editor(s) Wessex Archaeology
Date 2005
Issuer or publisher Wessex Archaeology
Place of issue or publication London
Entered by C Butterworth (c.butterworth@wessexarch.co.uk)
Entered on 10 May 2005
OASIS: Please e-mail English Heritage for OASIS help and advice
� ADS 1996-2005 Created by Jo Clarke, email Last modified Monday, November 24, 2003 Cite only: http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/oasis/print.cfm for this page
539000
Greater London
185000
London Borough of Newham
Stratford
Site Boundary
539500
Evaluation Trench
184800
0 50m
Reproduced from the 2004 Ordnance survey 1:10,000 Landplan � map with the permission of the controller of Her
Extant buildings Majesty's Stationary Office � Crown copyright, Wessex Archaeology, Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire. SP4 6EB.
Licence Number:AL 100006861.
Site boundary Digital data supplied by Richard Murphy Architects
Digital Map Data � (2004) XYZ Digital Map Company (www.xyzmaps.com)
This material is for client report only � Wessex Archaeology. No unauthorised reproduction.
MOL#: GEU05 Date: 06/05/05 Revision Number: 0
Scale: 1:12,500 & 1:800 @ A4 Illustrator: MR
Wessex Archaeology Path: London: Y:\Projects\59820\Drawing Office\Report Figures (05-05)\Evaluation
Section - Evaluation Trench
SE NW
7.89mOD
101
108
102
107
103
104 105 110
109
106
0 2m
This material is for client report only � Wessex Archaeology. No unauthorised reproduction. Date: 06/05/05 Revision Number: 0
Wessex Archaeology Scale: 1:40 @ A4 Illustrator: MR
MOL#: GEU05 Path: London: Y:\Projects\59820\Drawing Office\Report Figures (05-05)\Evaluation