37-47 London End Beaconsfield
Buckinghamshire
Archaeological Evaluation
June 2012
for
CgMs Consulting
CA Project: 660060 CA Report: 12142
37-47 London End Beaconsfield
Buckinghamshire
Archaeological Evaluation
CA Project: 660060 CA Report: 12142
prepared by Simon Carlyle, Project Manager
date 18 June 2012
checked by Simon Carlyle, Project Manager
date 19 April 2012
approved by Roland Smith, Regional Manager
signed
date 20 June 2012
issue 01
This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely
at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.
© Cotswold Archaeology Unit 4, Cromwell Business Centre, Howard Way, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes MK16 9QS
t. 01908 218320 e. [email protected]
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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CONTENTS
SUMMARY .....................................................................................................................4
1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................5
2. FIELDWORK RESULTS.....................................................................................7
3. DISCUSSION.....................................................................................................8
4. CA PROJECT TEAM..........................................................................................9
5. REFERENCES...................................................................................................9
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...................................................................10
APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM..........................................................................11
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 1 Site location plan, 1:25,000
Fig. 2 Trench location plan, 1:2000
Fig. 3 Trench 1, east-facing section, looking west
Fig. 4 Trench 2, north-facing section, looking south
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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SUMMARY
Project name: 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield
Location: Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
NGR: SU 9470 9019
Type: Evaluation
Date: June 2012
Site code: LDE 12
In June 2012, an archaeological evaluation, comprising the excavation of two trial trenches,
was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in a car park to the rear of 37-47 London End,
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. The work, which was commissioned by CgMs Consulting,
was carried out in advance of the proposed commercial and residential development of the
site.
Overlying the natural gravels, which occurred at c. 0.9m below current ground level, was
gravelly subsoil. This was truncated by probable ground reduction in the area to the south of
the trenches, with the excavated hollow subsequently backfilled with redeposited gravel, soil,
broken roof tiles, mortar and fragments of brick; clay pipe stem, late post-medieval or
modern bottle glass and three sherds of late 18th/early 19th-century pottery were recovered
from these deposits. The northern edge of this area of probable ground reduction and made-
up ground, which was aligned north-west to south-east, was encountered in Trench 1 and
possibly at the extreme southern end of Trench 2. It was sealed by topsoil and a layer of
modern made-ground that had been laid as a base for the concrete and tarmac surface of
the car park.
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 In June 2012, an archaeological evaluation, comprising the excavation of two trial
trenches, was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA) in a car park to the rear of
37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire (site centred on NGR: SU 9470
9019; Fig. 1). The work, which was commissioned by CgMs Consulting (CgMs),
was carried out in advance of the proposed commercial and residential
development of the site (planning application ref. 12/00220/FUL).
1.2 The archaeological evaluation, which was requested by Buckinghamshire County
Council’s Archaeological Officer (BCCAO), was undertaken in order to fulfil the
requirements of Condition 12 of the planning permission, in accordance with Policy
CP8 of South Buckinghamshire District Council’s Core Strategy. Previously, a desk-
based assessment (DBA) of the site had been prepared by CgMs (2011).
1.3 The project was undertaken in accordance with the approved Written Scheme of
Investigation (WSI) prepared by CgMs (2012), which followed best practice as set
out in the Institute for Archaeologists’ Standard and Guidance for Archaeological
Field Evaluation (IfA 2008), and the English Heritage procedural documents
Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (EH 1991) and the Management of
Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE): Project Manager’s Guide
(EH 2006).
The site
1.4 The site, which covers an area of c. 350m2, is situated in Baker’s Court, on the
north side of London End and close to the junction with Park Lane, at the western
edge of the historic core Beaconsfield (Fig. 1). The development encompasses
Baker’s Court, which is divided into two parts by a brick wall and has separate
access roads, and an adjacent plot of land to the north-east. The current evaluation
was undertaken in the eastern part of the site that lies to the rear of properties
fronting on to the street and is currently used as a car park. The ground, which is
generally level, lies close to the 114m Ordnance Survey contour.
1.5 The geology comprises Tertiary rocks of the Upnor and Reading Beds, part of the
Lambeth Group, overlain by superficial Pleistocene deposits of Beaconsfield
Gravels (http://www.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex). Boreholes in the western part of the site
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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demonstrated made-ground to a depth of between 0.22m and 1.1m, overlying the
geological substrate.
1.6 A full account of the historical and archaeological sites in the area surrounding the
site has been presented in the DBA prepared by CgMs (2011). The
Buckinghamshire Historic Environment Record (HER) contains no records of any
archaeological remains within the site, although due to its proximity to the historic
core of the town the site is considered to have the potential to contain medieval and
later remains.
Archaeological objectives
1.7 The general aim of the evaluation, as outlined in the WSI (CgMs 2012), was to
determine, as far as reasonably possible, the location, form, extent, date, character,
condition, significance and quality of any surviving archaeological remains,
irrespective of period, liable to be threatened by the proposed development. The
specific objectives were to:
• establish the presence or otherwise of medieval, post-medieval and modern
activity, together with any earlier activity, and to define the date and nature of
such activity;
• establish the environmental context of medieval, post-medieval and modern
deposits, together with any earlier and/or later activity;
• evaluate the likely impact of past land use and development;
• and provide sufficient information to construct an archaeological mitigation
strategy.
Methodology
1.8 The evaluation comprised the excavation and investigation of two trial trenches
(each 4m x 2m) within the site, positioned in accordance with the approved trench
plan (Fig. 2), although with the approval of CgMs, Trench 2 was moved 0.8m
northwards from its approved position due to the proximity of a standing building
and power cable. The trenches, which were positioned to investigate the footprints
of the proposed buildings, were set out by tape from a plan supplied by CgMs.
1.9 The trenches were excavated using a 5 tonne tracked mechanical excavator fitted
with a 1.5m wide toothless ditching bucket. A breaker was used to break up the
tarmac and concrete surface. All machine excavation was undertaken under
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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constant archaeological supervision to the top of the first significant archaeological
horizon or the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Where
archaeological deposits were encountered they were excavated by hand and
recorded, in accordance with Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (CA
2007).
1.10 No suitable deposits were encountered that warranted environmental assessment.
All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with Technical Manual 3:
Treatment of Finds Immediately after Excavation (CA 2010). The finds, all of which
are modern, have been collected for dating purposes but will not be retained in the
archive.
1.11 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their
offices in Milton Keynes. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner, the site
archive will eventually be deposited with the Buckinghamshire Museum Service. A
summary of information from this project will be entered onto the OASIS online
database of archaeological projects in Britain.
2. FIELDWORK RESULTS
2.1 Trench 1
The geological substrate, 104, which occurred as gravelly, light to mid yellowish-
orange silty clay with bands of sandy gravel, was encountered at a depth of 0.87m
below current ground level (bcgl). It was overlain by subsoil, 109, which consisted of
gravelly mid greyish-brown sandy silt and was up to 0.23m thick in the north-east
corner of the trench.
2.2 The subsoil was largely truncated by the northern edge of a cut feature, possibly the
edge of a reduced area, 106 (Fig. 3). The edge of this feature, which was well-
defined and aligned north-west to south-east, had a shallow slope and extended
beyond the trench to the south-west, so its full character and extent could not be
determined. It was filled with two distinct backfill deposits, 107 and 108, that largely
consisted of gravel, soil, mortar, fragments of brick and larger quantities of broken
roof tile. A fragment of clay pipe stem, fragments of late post-medieval or modern
bottle glass and a sherd of late 18th/early19th-century glazed earthenware (Ed Mc
Sloy pers. comm.) were recovered from the basal deposit, 107.
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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2.3 Feature 106 was sealed by a layer of compacted dark grey clayey silt, 105, that had
the appearance of redeposited topsoil and contained small fragments of brick and
tile. Overlying this was a layer of modern building rubble, 103, which had been laid
down to form the base for the concrete and tarmac surface of the car park (102 and
101 respectively). These layers had a combined thickness of c. 0.6m.
Trench 2 2.4 The sequence of deposits in Trench 2 was almost identical to that recorded in
Trench 1. The geological substrate, 201, was encountered at a depth of 0.74m bcgl
and the overlying subsoil, 202, which was slightly thicker than that recorded in
Trench 1, probably because it had not been so extensively truncated, was 0.30m
thick (Fig. 4).
2.5 There was some evidence that the cut feature noted in Trench 1 (106) continued to
the south-east, as the subsoil in Trench 2 was truncated at the extreme southern
end of the trench and the deposits in the north-facing section (Fig. 4) at this depth
were almost identical to those known to fill the cut feature in Trench 1. Three sherds
of late 18th/early 19th-century pottery were recovered from these deposits.
2.6 The sequence of deposits sealing the cut feature, 203, comprised a layer of topsoil,
206, consisting of dark greyish-brown slightly sandy clayey silt with charcoal and
small fragments of brick and tile, succeeded by a layer of sand and building rubble,
207, that was c. 0.25m thick at the northern end of the trench and petered away to
0.05m at the southern end. This layer formed the base for the concrete and tarmac
surface of the car park (208 and 209 respectively).
3. DISCUSSION
3.1 The evaluation demonstrated that the original land surface within the footprint of the
proposed buildings had largely been truncated in the late 18th/early 19th century by
probable ground reduction to the south of the trenches. The northern edge of this
truncation was clearly visible in Trench 1, where it cut into the gravel, and there was
tentative evidence to suggest that this edge continued to the south-east as the
subsoil at the extreme end of Trench 2 was similarly truncated and then made up
with a similar sequence of deposits. Finds from these deposits largely comprised
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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fragments of roof tile and brick, fragments of bottle glass, clay pipe stem and four
sherds of late 18th/early 19th-century pottery.
3.2 The nature and extent of this truncation remains unclear, but the deposits within the
feature had been deliberately backfilled or dumped and there was little evidence for
natural silting. It is possible that the material derives from the demolition of buildings
that once occupied the yards to the rear of London End.
3.3 Subsequent layers of topsoil, concrete and tarmac, and associated activity, are
consistent with the use of the area as a garden, yard and car park between the late
19th century and the present time, as shown on historic maps of the site (CgMs
2011).
4. CA PROJECT TEAM
The fieldwork was undertaken by Simon Carlyle, assisted by Peter James. The
report was written by Simon Carlyle and the illustrations were prepared by Peter
Moore. The archive will be compiled and prepared for deposition by Jeremy Mordue.
The project was managed for CA by Roland Smith.
5. REFERENCES
BGS (British Geological Survey) 2012 Online resource at
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex.html accessed 13 June 2012
CgMs 2011 Archaeological desk-based assessment, 37-47 London End,
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire,
CgMs 2012 Written Scheme of Investigation for an archaeological evaluation, 37-47
London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, RM/12580
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS
Trench 1
No. Type Description Length (m)
Width (m)
Depth (m)
Spot-date
101 Tarmac Thin layer of tarmac - - 0.05 Modern
102 Concrete Layer of concrete forming base for tarmac surface
- - 0.24 Modern
103 Made-ground
Layer of sand and modern building rubble. - - 0.20 Modern
104 Geological substrate
Firm light to mid yellowish –orange silty clay with very freq. fine to coarse flint pebbles and bands of sandy gravel.
- - - -
105 Layer Layer of dark grey clayey silt with freq. pebbles, charcoal and small fragments of brick and tile. Probably redeposited.
- - 0.25 Modern
106 Ground reduction?
N edge of a substantial, shallow cut, aligned WNW-ESE, edge well defined, very shallow slope.
4.1+ 1.5+ 0.35+ LC18th-EC19th
107 Fill of 106 Loose, mid greyish-brown sandy clay with freq. pebbles, mostly flint, some chalk, 0.35m thick. Contains fragments of roof tile, brick, clay pipe and sherds of C19th pottery.
- - 0.35 LC18th-EC19th
108 Fill of 106 Loose, mid brown sandy clay with freq. pebbles, mostly chalk, at least 0.20m thick.
- - 0.20+ LC18th-EC19th
109 Subsoil Soft, rather loose, mid greyish-brown sandy silt with very freq. fine-coarse flint pebbles.
- - 0.30 Post-med
Trench 2
No. Type Description Length (m)
Width (m)
Depth (m)
Spot-date
201 Geological substrate
Firm light to mid yellowish-orange silty clay with very freq. fine to coarse flint pebbles and bands of sandy gravel.
- - - -
202 Subsoil Soft, rather loose, mid greyish-brown sandy silt with very freq. fine-coarse flint pebbles.
- - 0.30 Post-med
203 Ground reduction?
Possible cut, on projected line of cut (106) investigated in Trench 1. Cut only seen in section at S end of trench.
- - - LC18th-EC19th
204 Fill of 203 Loose, mid greyish-brown sandy clay with freq. pebbles, mostly flint, some chalk, 0.35m thick. Contains fragments of roof tile, brick, clay pipe and sherds of C18th pottery.
- - 0.08 LC18th-EC19th
205 Fill of 203 Loose, mid brown sandy clay with freq. pebbles, mostly chalk, at least 0.20m thick.
- - 0.19 LC18th-EC19th
206 Layer Layer of soft, dark grey ish-brown slightly sandy clayey silt with occ. pebbles, charcoal and small fragments of brick and tile.
- - 0.20 Modern
207 Layer Layer of sand and modern building rubble, thicker in N half of trench, peters away to S
- - 0.14 Modern
208 Concrete Layer of concrete forming base for tarmac surface
- - 0.16 Modern
209 Tarmac Two thin layers of tarmac. - - 0.08 Modern
© Cotswold Archaeology 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation
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APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM
PROJECT DETAILS
Project name 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield
Short description
Overlying the natural gravels, which occurred at c. 0.9m below current ground level, was gravelly subsoil. This was truncated by probable ground reduction in the area to the south of the trenches, with the excavated hollow subsequently backfilled with redeposited gravel, soil, broken roof tiles, mortar and fragments of brick; clay pipe stem, late post-medieval or modern bottle glass and three sherds of late 18th/early 19th-century pottery were recovered from these deposits. The northern edge of this area of probable ground reduction and made-up ground, which was aligned north-west to south-east, was encountered in Trench 1 and possibly at the extreme southern end of Trench 2. It was sealed by topsoil and a layer of modern made-ground that had been laid as a base for the concrete and tarmac surface of the car park.
Project dates 13-14 June 2012
Project type Field evaluation Previous work None
Future work Unknown Monument type None
Significant finds Late 18th/early 19th-century pottery, clay pipe, roof tile PROJECT LOCATION
Site location Baker’s Court, 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Study area c. 350m2
Site co-ordinates SU 9470 9019 PROJECT CREATORS
Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology (CA)
Project Brief originator - Project Design (WSI) originator CgMs
Project Manager Simon Carlyle (CA), Richard Meager (CgMs) Project Supervisor Simon Carlyle (CA) PROJECT ARCHIVE
Accession no: n/a Content
Physical None
Paper
Site records
Digital Buckinghamshire HER Report, digital photos
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2012 37-47 London End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Evaluation. CA typescript report 12142
Buckinghamshire
CotswoldArchaeology
Cirencester 01285 771022
Milton Keynes 01908 218320
Andover 01264 326549
w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
PROJECT TITLE
FIGURE TITLE
FIGURE NO.DATEREVISIONSCALE@A4
PROJECT NO.DRAWN BYAPPROVED BY
N
0 1km
Site location plan
37-47 London End, BeaconsfieldBuckinghamshire
18-06-2012001:25,000
660060PJMPJM 1
Reproduced from the 1998 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109
c
site
CotswoldArchaeology
Cirencester 01285 771022
Milton Keynes 01908 218320
Andover 01264 326549
w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
PROJECT TITLE
FIGURE TITLE
FIGURE NO.DATEREVISIONSCALE@A4
PROJECT NO.DRAWN BYAPPROVED BY
4
3
3 Trench 1, east facing section, looking west (scale 1m)
4 Trench 2, north facing section, looking south (scale 1m)
Photographs
37-47 London End, BeaconsfieldBuckinghamshire
18-06-201200N/A
660060PJMPJM 3 & 4