town square, stratford-on-avon - cotswold archaeology · town square, stratford-on-avon: programme...

Town Square, Stratford-on-Avon

Archaeological Watching Brief

for UK and European Investments

CA Project: 660623CA Report: 160154Site Code: TSQ15

March 2016

Town Square, Stratford-on-Avon

Archaeological Watching Brief

CA Project: 660623 CA Report: 160154

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

Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for

revision Approved

by A 08/03/2016 JSJ


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Town Square, Stratford-on-Avon: Programme of Archaeological Works

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 2

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 3

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................. 4

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................................... 5

4. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 6

5. RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 6

6. THE FINDS .......................................................................................................... 8

7. DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................... 8

8. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 10

9. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 10

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 11

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM ............................................................................ 12

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000)

Fig. 2 Trench and watching brief location plan (1;300 and (1;3000)

Fig. 3 Site looking north-east

Fig. 4 Site looking south-east

Fig. 5 Test pit 1: post excavation looking west

Fig. 6 Trench 1: post excavation looking west

Fig. 7 Pipe trench west; south facing section

Fig. 8 Pipe trench east; north facing section

Fig. 9 Watching brief, removal of foundation blocks

Fig. 10 Test pit 2 looking south-east (photograph)

Fig. 11 1913 OS Map, 25 inch to 1 mile survey.


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SUMMARY

Project Name: Town Square, Stratford-on-Avon

Location: Stratford-on-Avon

NGR: SP 2002 5487

Type: Programme of archaeological observation, investigation and

recording.

Date: 02 February – 08 March 2016

Planning Reference: Stratford-on-Avon District Council (15/02621/FUL)

Site Code: TSQ15

In February and March 2016 a programme of archaeological works including trial trenching

and a watching brief on intrusive groundworks was undertaken at the Town Square site,

Stratford on Avon. Archaeological works coincided with the removal of below-ground

footings belonging to the former Somerfield supermarket and the Public toilets adjacent to

the Town Square, and the subsequent excavation of service trenches, prior to the

redevelopment of the site.

An area in the northern half of the site was selected as suitable for trial trenching, as it

avoided buried services. This revealed a single feature cut into made ground, the fill of

which contained a large concentration of ceramic roof tiles. This feature is thought to be

associated with the former range of buildings associated with the Plymouth Arms, a public

house fronting onto Wood Street, which is depicted on the 1913 Ordnance Survey 25 inch

sheet covering the proposed development area.

No other traces of the Victorian back-plots, such as property boundaries, foundations or

garden soils were revealed during monitoring. It was concluded that groundwork and

preparation of the foundations for the 1970’s supermarket had involved cleaning the site

down to natural substrate.


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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In July 2015, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out a programme of archaeological

observation, investigation and recording at the site of the former Town Square

shopping centre, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire (centred on NGR: SP 2002 5487;

Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by UK & European Investments and was

carried out during the demolition and groundworks phase of the shopping centre

redevelopment. The redevelopment involves the demolition of the former

Somerfield building, as well as the range of buildings to then north including the

block housing the public toilets; other units within the complex are to be retained.

The planning application has been granted by Stratford-on-Avon District Council

(SoADC) subject to an S106 Agreement (app ref: 15/02621/FUL).

1.2 As part of the consultation process, Anna Stocks, Warwickshire County Council’s

Planning Archaeologist (WCCPA) advised that a program of archaeological

mitigation should be carried out, as the site is located within the historic core of the

town. The program of mitigation was set out in a Written Scheme of Investigation

(CA, 2015), having been agreed by the WCCPA. It consisted of a watching brief on

all intrusive groundworks as well as trial trenches targeted on suitable areas of the

former building footprints.

The site

1.3 The site, which encloses an area of approximately 0.25ha, comprises the Town

Square Shopping Centre, Stratford-upon-Avon. This is located in the centre of the

town, behind the frontages of High Street, Wood Street, Ely Street and Rother

Street. The shopping centre, which was built in the late 1970s, consists of modern

retail units arranged around an open paved area, with paved access off the

surrounding streets. Ground level lies at approximately 39m above Ordnance Datum

(aOD).

1.4 The bedrock geology of the site comprises Triassic rocks of the Mercia Mudstone

Group, a subgroup of the New Red Sandstone Supergroup (BGS 2016). This is

overlain by superficial Pleistocene cold phase deposits of the Wasperton Sand and

Gravel Member, which underlie the Second Terrace gravels of the River Avon.


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1.5 Ground investigation works in the south western corner of the site revealed natural

substrate at a depth of 0.8 metres below present ground level, consisting of mid-red

brown sandy clay silt and mid reddish brown silts. At the eastern end of the site a

clean deposit of silty sand, with frequent rounded river cobbles was recorded at 1.0

metres below present ground level. These are likely to be gravel terrace deposits.

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.3 This section is summarised from the archaeological DBA of the site prepared by CA

(2015). In brief, this demonstrated that there are no designated or undesignated

heritage assets within the site, although the street frontages surrounding the site

contain a number of medieval and post-medieval listed buildings. It also established

that the site has not been subject to previous archaeological investigation and that

no archaeological remains are recorded from the time of the development of the

current shopping centre in the late 1970s.

2.4 There are few archaeological sites in the surrounding area that pre-date the

medieval period and it is anticipated that any archaeology that may survive within

the site dates from the late 12th century or later, following the establishment of New

Town by the Bishop of Worcester in c. 1196. Largely located behind the street

frontages, the site is located in an area that would have been occupied by yards and

gardens in the medieval period; historic and modern mapping shows that the open,

‘backyard’ character of the site was maintained into 1970s, when the current

shopping centre was built.

2.5 Given the historical development of the site, the archaeology is likely to consist of

features associated with medieval and post-medieval ‘backyard’ activity, for example

wells, cess pits, property boundaries, outbuildings and refuse tips. Evidence for

industrial activity may also be encountered, as has been demonstrated at similar

sites in the town. Building remains (i.e. the walls of houses, tenements etc.) are

unlikely to be encountered in the main development area, although they may survive

in the access areas approaching the street frontage.

2.6 Reference to the ground investigation results (RPS 2015) shows that the geological

substrate occurs at a depth of between 0.3m and 1.0m below modern paved and

concrete surfaces. This is overlain by grey, brown or orange sandy, gravelly soil,


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occasionally containing ash and fragments of brick, tile and concrete; this deposit is

considered to be made-ground and is likely to derive from redeposited garden soil,

alluvial gravels and building rubble.

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 The general aim of the archaeological investigation was to establish whether

archaeological remains survive within the site and, if present, determine and

understand the nature, function and character of the archaeology and place it within

its cultural and environmental setting.

3.2 The archaeology of the site is currently poorly understood, although the site was

considered to have the potential to contain the remains of medieval ‘backyard’

activity dating from the establishment of New Town at the end of the 12th century.

The initial aims of the project were to:

determine the extent to which archaeological horizons have been impacted

by the 1970s development, so that a predictive deposit model can be

developed for the site;

establish the extent of any archaeological remains that may survive within

the site;

recover artefactual evidence to date any evidence of past settlement or land-

use in the investigation areas;

use information gathered from the archaeological investigation to build up a

deposit model of the site;

identify, through a programme of environmental sampling and the collection

of ecofacts, any activities that may have been carried out within or in the

vicinity of the site in order to investigate domestic and industrial economies

of the medieval town and the general nature of the environment immediately

surrounding the site.

3.4 The requirement for the archaeological investigation is in accordance with planning

guidance stated in the National Planning Policy Framework (DCLG 2012).


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4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2015). An

archaeological watching brief was maintained during all intrusive groundworks. This

included the excavation of a geotechnical test-pit prior to the demolition of the

above-ground structures. The watching brief was re-established following the

demolition of the above-ground structures (see Figs 3 & 4). Removal of slab,

ground beams and pile caps, and the excavation of new service trenches were

undertaken under constant archaeological monitoring. A single trial trench (2 x 25m)

was excavated, using a 25 tonne excavator equipped with a toothless ditching

bucket, within the footprint of the northern range of buildings.

4.2 Where archaeological deposits were encountered, written, graphic and photographic

records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork

Recording Manual.

4.3 The project archive is currently held by CA at their offices in Milton Keynes and will

be deposited with Warwickshire Museums Service (WMS). A summary of

information from this project, as set out within Appendix B, will be entered onto the

OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

5. RESULTS

5.1 In the western end of the site, including the footprint of Somerfield, Fountain Way

and the public toilets, natural substrate was encountered at a depth of 0.9 – 1.1m

below present ground level. The substrate was cut by excavations for foundation

pads, measuring two metres long a metre wide and a metre deep, and for water,

electricity and gas services. The pads and upper interface of the natural had been

sealed by a small deposit of dark orange-brown clayey sand containing possible

demolition rubble, observed in the western end of the Somerfield development and

in Trench 1 – 109. This was sealed by a deposit of made ground 1.1 – 0.9 metres

thick, consisting of redeposited natural, crushed stone and demolition rubble. This

deposit had been levelled with a layer of crushed stone, which served as bedding for

the reinforced concrete floor of the supermarket, and paving stones outside on

Fountain Way.


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Test Pit 1 (Figs. 2 & 5)

5.2 Test pit 1 was located at the site access point, outside the south western corner of

the development area. Clean geological substrate 104 was encountered at a depth

of 1.6 metres below present ground level; this was sealed by mid-red brown sandy

silt 105, which was tentatively interpreted as a silty lamination within the gravel

terrace, and also part of the natural substrate. This was sealed by a deposit of

mixed mid-to very dark grey brown clayey silt 103. A highly compact mid yellow

brown clayey silt 102 had been laid down over the garden soil, providing a solid

underpinning for a levelling layer of crushed stone 101 which in-turn served as

bedding for the road surface 100.

Test Pit 2 (Figs. 2 & 10)

5.3 Test pit 2 was located at the site access point, outside the south western corner of

the development area. Clean geological substrate 104 was encountered at a depth

of 1.5 metres below present ground level; this was sealed by mid-brown red sand

116. A similar deposit was identified in previous ground investigations (RPS 2015)

and thought to represent made ground with brick and ash inclusions; no inclusions

were noted in this test pit. This deposit was sealed by brick based made ground 115

which was 0.75m thick which was in turn sealed by a gravel bed 114 for tarmac road

surface 113. Modern truncations, from directly below the road surface were seen

impacting to a depth of over 2.1m.

Trench 1 (Figs. 2 & 6)

5.6 Geological substrate 110 was encountered at a depth of 1.15 – 1.25 metres below

the present ground level. A layer of dark orange-brown clayey sand sealed the

substrate at a depth of 0.15m. This was cut by a large post-medieval rubbish pit

108, situated at the western end of the trench. The pit fill 107 contained a glass

ginger beer bottle belonging to RM Bird and Co – Stratford-on-Avon. Made ground

106 sealed the pit fill, to a depth of 1.0 metres.

Pipe Trench (Figs. 2, 7 & 8)

5.7 A pipe trench was excavated for the diversion of a water main, crossing the northern

half of the site from west to east. This afforded the opportunity to record levels of

truncation in a profile crossing the length of the site.

5.8 At the western end of the trench cut, geological substrate 110 consisting of mid

yellow orange sandy gravels was encountered between 0.90 and 1.10 metres below


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the present ground level. This was sealed by a red orange layer of sandy gravels

111 with an average depth of 0.25 metres. At the centre of the site, levels of

truncation were such that concrete pile bases, brick inspection chambers and

service trenches associated with a large sewer had effectively removed the

geological substrate and 111 above. At the western end of the trench, 111 was

sealed by a deposit of made ground (equated to 106) which consisted of lenses of

modern building material, including crushed stone, sand and redeposited natural

substrate.

5.9 The eastern portion of the trench was situated outside the footprint of the former

shopping centre, and cut instead across an open, paved area. The make-up of the

ground differed accordingly. The geological substrate was encountered at an

average depth of 1.00 metres, and consisted of light orange-brown sands and

gravels. The upper interface between the natural and the former land surface had

been removed, and the ground made up with a highly compact layer of red sand

112, measuring 0.45 – 0.55 metres in depth. This was sealed by a series of modern

deposits underpinning a layer of reinforced concrete, the bedding material for the

paving stones and finally the paved surface.

Watching Brief (Figs. 2 & 9)

5.10 Intrusive groundworks during February and March consisted of removal of slab

using a mechanical breaker and flat bladed ditching bucket, followed by the

excavation of foundation blocks. Blocks were substantial, measuring 1.2 x 1.2 x 2.4

metres in most cases, and had been poured into pits excavated into the natural

substrate. Truncation of the site in the areas taken up by building footprints is

estimated at a total depth of 3.5 metres below present ground level (see Figure 2).

6. THE FINDS

6.1 No artefactual material pre-dating the modern period was recovered.

7. DISCUSSION

7.1 The watching brief and trial trench have been successful in determining the extent to

which archaeological horizons have been impacted by the 1970s development. The

pre 1970 site horizon, garden soil 102/109 was recorded outside the south western

corner of the site in Test Pit 1, 0.4 – 0.5 metres below the present ground level. It


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was picked up again in Trench 1, and during the watching brief at the western end of

the Somerfield building, this time at a depth of 0.9 – 1.1 metres. In the west and

central portions of the site, this layer was not visible, and it is therefore assumed that

the pre 1970 site horizon was removed during the construction of the shopping

centre. At the eastern end of the site, which was formerly given over to a paved

pedestrian precinct, similar levels of truncation were recorded, with geological

substrate recorded at a depth of 1.00 metres, sealed by modern made ground and

concrete reinforcement.

7.2 The map of Stratford-on-Avon made up for the local board of Health in 1851 (CA

2015) shows the site bounded by Buildings fronting onto Wood Street, High Street,

Ely Street and Rother Street, and occupied by back-plots belonging to those

buildings. The Plymouth Arms, a public house fronting onto Wood Street is recorded

on the First Edition Ordnance Survey town plan (CA 2015). A range of buildings

and a garden belonging to the pub extends south into the present site and the

immediate vicinity of pit 107 – which may explain the presence of a late 19th – early

20th century beer bottle in fill 108. The historic map evidence would appear to

suggest that the area had been given over to back-plots since up to the mid-19th

century.

7.4 The Ordnance Survey’s 25 inch to the mile survey dated 1913 (Warwickshire

XLIV.6) shows a large range of buildings extending the southern range of the

Plymouth Arms into the garden plot previously depicted on the 1st edition town plan

(Fig. 11). The construction of a large range of buildings over the central portion of

the site in the latter half of the 19th century suggests that the attrition of the

archaeological record preceded the construction of the shopping centre. Only

circumstantial evidence for the late 19th century buildings was recorded during the

watching brief, which suggests that they were completely removed during the

construction of the 1970’s shopping centre and pedestrian precinct. The level of

reinforcement implemented in the 1970’s suggests engineering and architectural

concerns with the stability of the ground. This may explain why the black-plot

garden soils, which are susceptible to varying levels of compaction and subsidence,

have been removed from the development footprint.

7.5 Deep deposits of modern made ground with interspersed lenses of redeposited

geological substrate directly overlay the substrate. This indicates that the site has

undergone extensive ground disturbance. It is probable that this disturbance


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occurred during the construction and demolition of the late 19th-century structures

on site and the subsequent construction of late 20th century commercial properties

within the site. It is likely that this ground disturbance has removed any below-

ground archaeological remains which may once have been present at the site.

8. CA PROJECT TEAM

8.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Peter Boyer, Julian Newman and Jake Streatfeild-

James. The report was written by Jake Streatfeild-James, The illustrations were

prepared by Leo Heatley. The archive has been compiled by Emily Evans, and

prepared for deposition by Hazel O’Neill. The project was managed for CA by Simon

Carlyle.

9. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) Geology of Britain Viewer http://maps1.bgs.ac.uk/geology

viewer_google/googleviewer.html Accessed 08 March 2016

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2011 Town Square, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire:

Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, CA report 11037

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2015 Town Square, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire:

Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, CA project 5495

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2016 Town Square, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire: Written

Scheme of Investigation.

DCLG (Department of Communities and Local Government) 2012 National Planning Policy

Framework

RPS 2015 Town Square Shopping Centre, Stratford-upon-Avon: Phase 2 Environmental and

Geotechnical Site Investigation Report, report HLE130660-002R


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APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench No.

Context No.

Type Context interpretation

Description L (m) W (m)

Depth/ thickness(m)

Spot-date

TP1 100 Layer Concrete Concrete road surface - - 0.13

TP1 101 Layer Made Ground Coarse sand bedding - - 0.21

TP1 102 Layer Made Ground Mid yellow brown compact clayey silt

- - 0.15

TP1 103 Layer Buried Surface Mid grey brown compact clayey silt

- - 0.15 Pre 1970

TP1 104 Layer Substrate Mid red brown sandy clay - - 0.80

TP1 105 Layer Substrate Mid red brown sandy silt - - 0.08

TR1 106 Layer Made Ground Lensed material, crushed stone, sand and redeposited substrate

- - 0.80

TR1 107 Fill Fill of Pit Loose, dark grey black silty sand, frequent modern tiles

1.20 1.25 >0.60

TR1 108 Cut Cut of Pit Steep sides, base not recorded 1.20 1.25 >0.60 Post 1913

TR1 109 Layer Made Ground Dark orange brown gravelly sand - - 0.25

TR1 110 Layer Substrate Light brown yellow sandy gravels

111 Layer Made ground Mid red-orange silty sand and gravel

0.25

112 Layer Made ground Highly compacted red sand 0.50 Post 1970

TP2 113 Layer Concrete Concrete road surface 0.07

TP2 114 Layer Made Ground Type 1 gravel 0.28

TP2 115 Layer Made Ground Brick and stone sandy rubble in mid red brown silty sand

0.75

TP2 116 Layer Made Ground Mid brown red gravel in sand matrix

0.4 Post 1970

TP2 117 Layer Substrate Light grey orange silty gravels >0.6


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APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS Project Name Town Square, Stratford on Avon Short description

In February and March 2016 a programme of archaeological works including trial trenching and a watching brief on intrusive groundworks was undertaken at the Town Square site, Stratford on Avon. Archaeological works coincided with the removal of below-ground footings belonging to the former Somerfield supermarket and the Public toilets adjacent to the Town Square, and the subsequent excavation of service trenches, prior to the redevelopment of the site. An area in the northern half of the site was selected as suitable for trial trenching, as it avoided buried services. This revealed a single feature cut into made ground, the fill of which contained a large concentration of ceramic roof tiles. This feature is thought to be associated with the former range of buildings associated with the Plymouth Arms, a public house fronting onto Wood Street, which is depicted on the 1913 Ordnance Survey 25 inch sheet covering the proposed development area. No other traces of the Victorian back-plots, such as property boundaries, foundations or garden soils were revealed during monitoring. It was concluded that groundwork and preparation of the foundations for the 1970’s supermarket had involved cleaning the site down to natural substrate.

Project dates 02 February – 11 March 2016 Project type Programme of archaeological trial trenching and monitoring Previous work Not known Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Town Square, Stratford on Avon Study area (M2/ha) c. 0.25ha Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference) SP 2002 5487 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator Warwickshire County Council Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology Project Manager Simon Carlyle Project Supervisor Julian Newman MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content Physical

Warwickshire HER

None Paper WSI, pro-forma registers,

recording forms. Digital Report, digital photographs,

digital survey data BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2011 Town Square, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire: Archaeological Desk-Based

Assessment, CA report 11037

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2015 Town Square, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire: Archaeological Desk-Based

Assessment, CA project 5495

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2016 Town Square, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire: Written Scheme of

Investigation.

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