land at backfields st paul s bristol · bonded sandstone wall footings, 1104, 1105, 1207, 1208,...

LAND AT BACKFIELDS ST PAUL’S BRISTOL

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

OCTOBER 2007

For

on behalf of

LEADBITTER CONSTRUCTION

KNIGHTSTONE HOUSING ASSOCIATION

CA PROJECT: 2393 CA REPORT: 07135

LAND AT BACKFIELDS ST PAUL’S BRISTOL

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

CA PROJECT: 2393 CA REPORT: 07135

Author: Kelly Saunders

Approved:

Signed:

Laurent Coleman

…………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 15 OCTOBER 2007

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

Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail:[email protected]

Land at Backfields, St Paul’s, Bristol: Archaeological Watching Brief

2


CONTENTS

SUMMARY........................................................................................................................3

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 4

The site ................................................................................................................4 Archaeological background.................................................................................. 5 Methodology ........................................................................................................5

2. RESULTS ............................................................................................................6

3. DISCUSSION.......................................................................................................7

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...........................................................................................8

5. REFERENCES ....................................................................................................9

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS..................................................................... 10 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:50,000)

Fig. 2 The site showing location of groundworks (1:250)


3


SUMMARY

Site Name: Land at Backfields

Location: St Paul’s, Bristol

NGR: ST 592 738

Type: Watching brief

Date: 20–28 September 2007

Planning Reference: 07/01051/F/C

Location of Archive: to be deposited with Bristol’s Museums, Galleries and Archives

Accession no. BRSMG2007/80

Site Code: BAF 07

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA) during

additional site investigation works associated with the redevelopment of land at Backfields,

St Paul’s, Bristol.

A number of stone wall footings relating to a 18th-century circular stable block were

identified together with a stone wall footing predating the construction of the circular stable

block. Brick-built structures, probably relating to 19th-century housing, modern concrete

foundations and services were also identified.


4


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In September 2007 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological

watching brief at the request of Leadbitter Construction on behalf of Knightstone

Housing Association, during additional site investigation works on land at Backfields,

St Paul’s, Bristol (centred on NGR: ST 592 738; Fig. 1).

1.2 A planning application (ref. no. 07/01051/F/C) for redevelopment of the site to

provide 69 dwellings and 4,400 sq. ft of use Class 1 employment floorspace and

associated works has been submitted to Bristol City Council. The archaeological

watching brief was required during additional site investigation works comprising the

excavation of geotechnical test pits (soil investigation). These test pits were excavated

by Terra Firma (Wales) Limited under archaeological supervision. Rotary probeholes

and trial pits to assess underlying shallow ground conditions and extract soil samples

were also excavated but were not subject to archaeological supervision.

1.3 The archaeological fieldwork was carried out in accordance with a Written Scheme

of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2007) and approved by Peter Insole,

Archaeological Officer, Bristol City Council. The fieldwork also followed the Standard

and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute of Field

Archaeologists (2001) and the Management of Archaeological Projects (English

Heritage 1991).

The site

1.4 The site occupies an area of approximately 0.4ha, and is bounded to the east by

Brunswick Street, to the west by Backfields, and to the north and south by

residential properties. The site lies at approximately 15m AOD, and is currently

occupied by warehouses and offices with associated areas of hard standing.

1.5 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Keuper (Redcliffe) Sandstone of

the Triassic era (BGS 1974).


5


Archaeological background

1.6 An archaeological desk-based assessment and field evaluation of the site was

carried out by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services (BaRAS 2006a and

2006b); the results are summarised below. During the medieval period the site was

under agricultural use by the estate of St James’ Priory, and were enclosed by the

14th century. Following the Dissolution of the monasteries the lands continued in

agricultural use until 1761 when the Circular Stables were built. These stables were

the home of the first riding school in Bristol, and remnants of the buildings survived

until at least the 1950s. Towards the end of the 18th century, the land at Backfields

was used by a circus, with the first timber structure built in 1839. The circus was

destroyed by fire in 1895. To what extent the circus buildings damaged the stables is

not known, however, sections of walls relating to the outer circular wall were

identified during the field evaluation (BaRAS 2006b). Terraced houses with

basements built in the 1860s were also likely to have impacted upon any

archaeological remains, as would the 20th-century development of the site for

warehouses.

1.7 A Ground Probing Radar (GPR) survey was also undertaken (Ampthill Geophysical

Consulting (AGC) 2007) in order to clarify the locations of the walls comprising the

circular stable block which had been identified during the evaluation. The possible

location of the outer circular wall of the stables was identified by the GPR survey (Fig.

2).

Methodology

1.8 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2007). An

archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks, comprising the excavation

of geotechnical test (soil investigation) pits excavated by Terra Firma (Wales) Limited.

The area and location of the test pits was adjusted from that proposed by the WSI due

to parts of the site being inaccessible to the mechanical excavator and/or containing

live services. The proposed north-west/south-east and north-east/south-west

orientated test pit layout which extended across the location of the circular stable block,

as proposed in the WSI, was reduced to the test pit layout depicted in Fig. 2, in

consultation with Peter Insole, Archaeological Officer, Bristol City Council. The rotary


6


boreholes and trial pits to assess underlying shallow ground conditions and extract soil

samples were not excavated under archaeological supervision (Fig. 2).

1.9 Written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA

Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007).

1.10 The site archive will be deposited with Bristol’s Museums, Galleries and Archives

under accession number BRSMG2007/80.

2. RESULTS (FIG. 2)

2.1 The earliest feature identified during the watching brief was wall footing 1108 which

was located at a depth of 1.17m below present ground level (bpgl) and comprised

sandstone blocks. This wall footing was wider than, and on a different alignment to,

the adjacent wall footings comprising the circular stable block. No features predating

the construction of the circular stable block were identified during the evaluation,

although pottery sherds of medieval date were recovered from a layer of disturbed

natural in trench 1 (BaRAS 2006b, 5). This wall was covered by a layer of brown

clay, 1106. Clay layers of the same character as 1106, and probably comprising a

single layer across the site, were identified within test pits 12, 14 and 15, 1209, 1425

and 1507 respectively (not illustrated (n.i.)). The clay layer was also identified in the

evaluation and was found to contain pottery dating to the 18th century.

2.2 These clay layers were cut by the construction trenches for a series of mortar-

bonded sandstone wall footings, 1104, 1105, 1207, 1208, 1415, 1422 and 1506.

These wall footings were identified across the site and appeared to represent the

remains of the 18th-century circular stable block. Wall footings 1104 and 1208,

together with walls 108 and 319, the latter two identified during the BaRAS

evaluation, appeared to represent the remains of the external circular wall of the

building. Wall footings 1105 and 1207 were parallel to, and located inside, the

external circular wall of the building. Wall footings 314 and 1415 were perpendicular

to the external circular wall and appeared to represent internal divisions of the

structure. A single wall footing, 1506, was located within the central part of the

structure. Finally the evaluation also identified stone drains, 117 and 220, which

were also interpreted as being part of the circular stable block, although they may

have been later additions (BaRAS 2006b).


7


2.3 The remains of these wall footings were identified at depths of between 0.42m and

1.7m bpgl and were covered by a series of modern demolition deposits.

2.4 Brick-built wall footings 1204, 1205, 1309 and 1310 (n.i.), probably relating to the

basements of terraced houses dating to the 19th century, were also identified during

the watching brief, most notably within test pit 13 where the construction of cellars, to

a depth of at least 2m bpgl had removed all evidence of the circular stable block.

Modern concrete foundations and services were also identified in test pits 11 and 14,

evidence for the circular stable block may have survived below these features.

The Finds and Biological Evidence

2.5 No artefactual evidence was recovered during the watching brief. No archaeological

deposits suitable for environmental sampling were identified and therefore no

samples were recovered during the course of the watching brief.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 The date and function of the wall within the southern part of the site was unknown,

but it was sealed by a clay layer which was cut by the foundation trenches for the wall

footings comprising the circular stable block.

3.2 Due to the limited archaeological investigation of the site to date, the internal

structure of the circular stable block is perhaps best understood from Ashmead’s plan

of 1828. The data resulting from the archaeological evaluation and watching brief

(particularly the location of wall footings 1108, 1319 and 1208 and the diameter of the

building, as projected from these wall footings) correlates strongly with Ashmead’s

plan. The archaeological data has therefore been used to locate the structure of the

building (as depicted by Ashmead’s plan) within the site (Fig. 2).

3.3 The correlation between the archaeological data and the results of the GPR survey

was, particularly in the eastern part of the site, less strong. The survey identified the

location of the external wall up to 2.5m to the east of where it had been identified

during the archaeological investigations.


8


4. CA PROJECT TEAM

4.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Kelly Saunders, who also compiled this report. The

illustrations were prepared by Pete Moore. The archive has been compiled by Kelly

Saunders, and prepared for deposition by Kathryn Price. The project was managed

for CA by Laurent Coleman.


9


5. REFERENCES

AGC 2007 Report on a Ground Probing Radar Survey for the Location of Buried Circular

Stable Foundations at Backfields, Bristol. Unpublished typescript report AGC253/07

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2007 Land at Backfields, St Paul’s, Bristol: Written Scheme

of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

BaRAS (Bristol and Region Archaeological Services) 2006a Archaeological Desktop

Evaluation of Nos. 1 & 2 Backfields Industrial Estate, Upper York Street, Bristol

Unpublished typescript report, BaRAS no. 1595/2000

BaRAS (Bristol and Region Archaeological Services) 2006b Archaeological Evaluation of

land at Nos. 1 & 2 Backfields Industrial Estate, Upper York Street, Bristol

Unpublished typescript report, BaRAS no. 1607/2006 BGS (British Geological Survey ) (England and Wales) 1998 1:50,000 series solid and drift

geology: England and Wales Sheet 264: Bristol


10


APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 11 1101 Concrete surface. 0.2m thick 1102 Gravel bedding for 1101. 0.08m thick 1103 Demolition deposit. Black ashy silt with flecks of lime mortar. 0.44m thick 1104 Sandstone wall with creamy grey mortar. 0.43m wide, 0.18m tall 1105 Sandstone wall with creamy grey mortar. 0.53m wide, 0.15m tall 1106 Mid brown slightly silty clay, occasional flecks of charcoal and lime mortar. 0.45m thick 1107 Red brick wall. 0.6m long, 0.09m tall 1108 Sandstone wall, only top visible. 0.63m wide 1109 Mid grey brown silty clay, frequent lime mortar, charcoal and CBM flecks. Unexcavated Trench 12 1201 Concrete surface. 018m thick 1202 Gravel bedding for 201. 0.32m thick 1203 Modern demolition deposit. Dark brown grey ashy silt with frequent bricks, mortar fragments, metal and

asbestos. Up to 1.1m thick 1204 Brick wall, mainly stretcher bond. 1m tall 1205 Brick and stone wall contaning metal fitment. Two brick thickness. 1m tall 1206 Dark grey brown ashy silt. 0.1m thick 1207 Sandstone wall with pale grey mortar. 0.2m wide 1208 Sandstone wall with pale yellow mortar. 0.45m wide 1209 Mid brown clay, occasional lfecks of CBM, lime mortar and ash. Unexcavated Trench 13 1301 Concrete surface. 0.18m thick 1302 Gravel bedding for 1301. 0.22m thick 1303 Red brick surface. 0.1m thick 1304 Concrete strip foundation. 1305 Concrete wall on 1304 1306 Concrete strip foundation 1307 Stone and concrete wall 1308 Demolition deposit, mainly brick and metal work. Over 1.5m thick 1309 Lime-washed red brick cellar wall. Over 0.7m tall 1310 Red brick cellar wall. Over 0.4m tall 1311 Dark brown grey ashy silt including CBM, lime mortar, charcoal and metal work. 1.4m thick 1312 Cut for wall 1310. Unexcavated 1313 As 1311 Trench 14 1400 Concrete surface. 0.25m thick 1401 Gravel bedding for 1400. 0.2m thick 1402 Concrete strip foundation. 1.9m long, 0.4m wide 1403 Gravel bedding for 1402. 0.9m wide 1404 Cut for 1402. 0.9m wide 1405 Concrete strip foundation. 8.8m long, over 1m wide 1406 Cut for 1405. Unexcavated 1407 Demolition deposit, unexcavated 1408 Possible brick capped void. Unexcavated 1409 Dark brown grey ashy silt, with frequent fragments of CBM, mortar and charcoal. Up to 0.5m thick 1410 Stone-capped brick drain. 1.05m by 0.3m 1411 Backfill around 1410. Mid grey ashy silt. 0.05m eash side of 410 1412 Cut for 1410. 0.4m wide 1413 Stone-capped brick drain with a slate base. 0.3m by 0.3m


11


1414 Mid yellow lime mortar around 1413.75m by 1.2m 1415 Stone wall with mid grey mortar. 0.38m wide by 1.1m long 1416 Cut for 1415. 0.48m wide 1417 Cut stone drain. 0.3m by 0.25m 1418 Brick lined drain. 0.4m by 0.45m 1419 Cut for 1418. 0.4m by 0.45m 1420 Fill of 1418. Mid grey yellow ashy mortar with charcoal. 0.35 by 0.4m. 1421 Red brick wall in mid yellow ashy mortar. 0.45m by 0.5m 1422 Stone wall, mid grey ashy mortar. 1.8m by 0.4m, 0.45m tall 1423 Backfill around 1422. Mid grey ashy lime mortar. 0.4m wide 1424 Cut for 1422. 0.4m wide 1425 Mid brown slightly silt clay with flecks of charcoal, lime mortar and CBM. Unexcavated Trench 15 1500 Concrete surface. 0.2m thick 1501 Gravel bedding for 1500. 0.25m thick 1502 Demolition deposit. Black silt and ash. 0.15m thick 1503 Red brick wall. 1,4m long, 0.25m wide 1504 Demolition deposit. Mid grey yellow ashy mortar. 0.15m thick 1505 Demolition deposit. Dark grey ashy silt with frequent lenses of mortar, CBM and metal work. 1.05m thick 1506 Stone wall with mid yellow mortar. 0.45m wide 1507 Mid brown silty clay, frequent fragemtns of lime mortar and charcoal. Unexcavated

site

Bristol

N

SCALEDRAWN BY PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO.

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

0 2.5km

Reproduced from the 1997 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permissionof Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 c

1:25,000@A4 2393PJM 1

Land at Backfields, St Paul’s, Bristol

Site location plan

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

SCALEDRAWN BY PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO.

0 25m

Land at Backfields, St Paul’s, Bristol

The site showing location ofgroundworks

1:250@A3 2393PJM 2

test pits subject to archaeologicalwatching brief showing location ofwall footings and drains

previous evaluation trenches (BARAS2006) showing location of wall footingsand drains

modern disturbance

test pits not subject to archaeologicalwatching brief

results of radar survey - suggestedwall position

results of radar survey - assumedwall position

projected location of circular stablesfrom Ashmead’s plan of 1828

wallfooting

108

N

wallfooting1415

wallfooting1422

drain117

TRENCH 1

TESTPIT 14

TESTPIT 15

wallfooting1506

TESTPIT 13

TESTPIT 12

TRENCH 2

wallfooting1207

wallfooting1208

drain220

TRENCH 3

wallfooting

314

wallfooting

319

TESTPIT 11

wallfooting1105

wallfooting1108

wallfooting1104

land at backfields st paul s bristol · bonded sandstone wall footings, 1104, 1105, 1207, 1208,...

Documents