Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset. Archaeological Evaluation Project BATRM: 2012.14
Site centred on NGR 6551 6844
on behalf of
Bath & NE Somerset Council
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited Bristol: June 2012
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath and North East Somerset. Site centred at NGR ST 6551 6844
Frontispiece. Evaluation Trench 1 during excavation
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited Bristol: June 2012
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
Summary An archaeological evaluation involving the excavation of nine trial trenches was undertaken within the footprint of a proposed development site at Keynsham Town Hall, Keynsham (centred at NGR ST 6551 6844). The site has a footprint of approximately 9210 square metres and incorporates the 1960s Town Hall building plus a range of retail premises, areas of public open space and municipal car parking. It lies at the heart of the historic town and incorporates an area that underwent wholesale clearance of more than 30 historic properties and a range of associated ancillary buildings, all of uncertain and possibly medieval origin, prior to construction of the present complex in the 1960s. The present project was designed to inform the planning process and to establish the archaeological implications of future redevelopment of the site for a new integrated retail, commercial and amenity centre. A total of nine evaluation trenches were opened and evaluated at agreed locations. Trenches 1 to 5 were located in areas of public open space along the northern, Bath Hill, site frontage. With the exception of Trench 5, all these trenches revealed moderately to well preserved buried archaeological deposits and structures that as a whole date from the medieval and post medieval periods. This preservation was best illustrated in Trench 1, located at the junction of Bath Hill and Temple Street, where the uppermost horizon of a stratified sequence of wall foundations and a large stone culvert, along with associated deposits, the earliest elements of which are provisionally dated to the medieval period, was preserved at a depth of approximately 700mm. Similar structures and deposits were revealed in Trenches 2, 3 and 4, although here the structures were generally preserved at shallower depth, less than 500mm, and mainly reflected post-medieval settlement-related activity of the 18th to 20th centuries. Trenches 6, 7 and 8 were opened in the Civic Centre car park located in the central southern portion of the study area, to the rear of the existing retail premises. Two of the trenches revealed buried archaeological deposits and structures, the majority of which were dated to the post-medieval period. Features and finds of medieval date were, however, located in one of the trenches, Trench 6, although these deposits had clearly undergone significant truncation by modern activity. The preservation of medieval and post-medieval deposits in Trenches 6 and 7 raises the possibility that further deposits of similar date may survive beneath the footprint of the retail premises that currently front Temple Street. A deeper sequence of stratified modern deposits, up to 1.9m deep in total, was revealed in Trench 8, which demonstrated the presence of deeper modern fill material overlying the natural substrate in the eastern part of the car park zone. Finds of residual medieval pottery were recovered from later contexts in this area. Trench 9 was opened in the basement of the Town Hall complex, directly beneath the present library building. It revealed a well preserved stretch of wall foundation and a sequence of associated deposits, all of which appear to date to the post medieval period. The wall corresponds well with a boundary feature shown on the 1842 tithe map of the area. Finds were surprisingly limited, with the majority represented by post-medieval, 18th to 20th century, ceramics and domestic refuse. An assemblage of medieval pottery was recovered from stratified contexts in Trenches 1 and 6 and from secondary contexts elsewhere that indicate settlement-related activity within the study area during that period.
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
On the basis of the evidence gathered during the project it is concluded that no archaeological deposits of potentially National Importance were located in the trenches. The sequence of stratified and generally shallowly buried structures and deposits located in Trenches 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 indicates a zone of moderate to high archaeological potential (see Figure 4) in the area of the Bath Hill frontage and beneath the present library. Furthermore, the evidence from these trenches, combined with the evidence from Trenches 6 and 7 and the documentary sources, indicates some moderate archaeological potential for the area of the Temple Street frontage (see Figure 4), a part of the site currently occupied by retail premises where it was not possible to open evaluation trenches. The archaeological potential in the area of the Town Hall building and the lower part of the Bath Hill frontage, along with the Civic Centre car park and part of the area currently occupied by retail premises, is considered to be low (see Figure 4).
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CONTENTS Summary
3
Acknowledgements
7
Copyright
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1
Introduction
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2
Methodology
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3
Historical & Archaeological Background
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4
The Evaluation Trenches
13
5
Assessment & Summary Finds Reports by Sarah Newns
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6
Discussion and General Conclusions
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Bibliography & References
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APPENDICES I II III
Catalogue of the Ceramic Assemblage by Sarah Newns Stratigraphic Matrices for the Evaluation Trenches Extract from the 1842 tithe map with location of the study area and trenches superimposed
FIGURES Figure 1………. Site Location, UK and Regional. Scale 1:7,500 Figure 2………. Boundary of the Study Area. Scale 1:2000 Figure 3 ……… Trench Location Plan. Scale1:500 Figure 4 ……… Plan showing areas of interpreted Archaeological Potential Figure 5 ……… Plan of Trench 1 with Plates 1 and 2 Figure 6 ……… Plan of Trench 2 with Plates 3 and 4 Figure 7 ……… Plan of Trench 3 and Sections with Plate 5 Figure 8 ……… Plan of Trench 4 with Plates 6 and 7 Figure 9 ……… Plan of Trench 5 with Plates 8 and 9 Figure 10…….. Plan of Trench 6 with Plates 10 and 11
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Figure 11…….. Plan of Trench 7 with Plate 12 Figure 12…….. Plan of Trench 8 with Plates 13 and 14 Figure 13…….. Plan and Section of Trench 9 with Plate 15
PLATES Cover…….. left to right: Trench 1, during excavation, viewed from the south, Trench 9, during recording, viewed from the west, Trench 6, during initial cleaning, viewed from the northwest Frontispiece Trench 1 during excavation showing Culvert 106, viewed from the south Plate 1…….. Trench 1 during excavation, viewed from the south Plate 2 …….. Trench 1. Detail of Culvert 106, viewed from the east. Scale 1 x 1m Plate 3…….. Trench 2. Sondage 1: detail of Wall 213, viewed from the north. Scale 1 x1m Plate 4…….. Trench 2 after excavation, viewed from the west. Scale 2 x 0.5m Plate 5 …….. Trench 3 viewed from the northeast. Scale 1m Plate 6 …….. Trench 4 after excavation, viewed from the northeast. Scale 1m Plate 7…….. Trench 4. Sondage 2: detail of Cut 406, viewed from the east. Scale 1m Plate 8 …….. Trench 5 viewed from the southwest. Scale 2 x 1m Plate 9 …….. Trench 5 viewed from the northeast. Scale 2 x 1m Plate 10…….. Trench 6 viewed from the northwest. Scale 2 x 1m Plate 11…….. Trench 6. Detail of Drain 604, viewed from the southwest. Scale 2 x 1m Plate 12…….. Trench 7 viewed from the southeast. Scale 2 x 1m Plate 13
Trench 8 after initial cleaning, viewed from the northeast. Scale 2 x 1m
Plate 14
Trench 8 during excavation, viewed from the southeast
Plate 15…….. Trench 9. Detail of Wall 902, viewed from the west. Scale 2 x 0.5m
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited wishes to thank Bath & NE Somerset Council for funding the project and Richard Sermon, Archaeological Officer for Bath & NE Somerset Council, for his comments and advice throughout the project. Thanks are also due to Dr Jon Folly of Capita Symonds for his assistance in organising the site work and to Sarah Newns for undertaking the specialist reporting of the ceramics and finds at short notice. COPYRIGHT
The copyright to this report including all text, drawings and photographs, unless otherwise stated, rests with Avon Archaeological Unit Limited, Bristol. Copyright to this report only passes to the commissioners of the project upon the settlement of all accounts relating to the project. All enquiries to Avon Archaeological Unit Limited should be addressed to: Avondale Business Centre, Woodland Way, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 1AW Telephone and Facsimile 0117 960 8487 e-mail
[email protected] Ordnance Survey maps and plans are reproduced courtesy of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, Crown Copyright Reserved. Licence Number: AL 100005802
PROJECT HEALTH & SAFETY STATEMENT
In all matters pertaining to this fieldwork and research project Health and Safety has taken priority over all archaeological matters. All archaeological fieldwork has been undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out by the Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers (SCAUM 2002, Health & Safety in Field Archaeology) and also the relevant requirements set out in Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 1994 (Health & Safety Commission; 1994).
NOTE
Whereas Avon Archaeological Unit Limited have taken all care to produce a comprehensive summary of the known and recorded archaeological evidence, no responsibility can be accepted for any omissions of fact or opinion, however caused.
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Figure 1 Location of the Site Plans and maps based on the Ordnance Survey Sheets are reproduced by the permission of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.
N KEYNSHAM
•
ST 65
ST 68
Scale 1:25,000
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited - June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
© Crown Copyright Reserved. Licence Number: AL 100005802
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
Figure 2 Approximate Boundary of the Study Area outlined in red
0
50m
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited - June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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© Crown Copyright Reserved. Licence Number: AL 100005802
Keynsham Town Hall and Land Adjacent, Keynsham Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
NGR ST 6550
Ba th
NGR ST 6840
Hil l
Te m p
Library
e le Str et 0
5m
Moderate to High Potential
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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1
Introduction
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited were commissioned by Bath & NE Somerset Council to undertake an Archaeological Evaluation of the site of Keynsham Town Hall and land adjacent, at Temple Street, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset, centred on NGR ST 65512 68445 (Figures 1 and 2). The site has a footprint of c 0.85 hectares, and is bounded on the north and northeast by the B3116 road, Bath Hill, and on the west by Temple Street. A short distance to the east, the River Chew flows from south to north, towards its confluence with the River Avon, and represents a natural boundary, although not the site boundary itself, on this side. The proposed redevelopment will involve the demolition of the buildings currently on the site, and their replacement with a new, mixed development of civic offices, library, leisure and retail premises with associated parking, landscaping and public open space. The footprint of the site lies within the boundary of Keynsham’s High Street Conservation Area, which was designated in 1997. There are no other known blanket designations covering the study site, and there are no Scheduled Ancient Monuments either on or close to it, the nearest being the site of Keynsham Abbey (Monument Number BA2), which lies 320m to the north. The site is at about 24m OD, and occupies a triangular-shaped piece of land within the junction between Temple Street and Bath Hill. The underlying solid geology consists of interbedded clays and limestone of the Blue Lias Formation overlain locally by the Rugby Limestone Member (limestone and mudstone) and the Saltford Shale Member (mudstone) (BGS). It is located in an area of recognised archaeological potential, in particular for the preservation of buried archaeological deposits of medieval and post medieval origin associated with the historic development of the important market town. In view of this potential a programme of intrusive archaeological evaluation was requested by the Archaeological Officer for Bath & NE Somerset Council, in advance of redevelopment. The evaluation followed on from a preceding Desk-Based Assessment (Corcos 2011) and was designed to establish the presence or absence of significant buried archaeological deposits and, if present, their character and importance, and the potential impact the proposed redevelopment of the site may have on such remains. The project involved the excavation of nine evaluation trenches at agreed locations across the site and was undertaken in accordance with an archaeological Scheme of Work submitted to and approved by the Archaeological Officer for BNES Council. In general the project was carried out in accordance with the standard requirements of the Archaeological Officer of BNES Council, plus relevant guidelines of the Institute of Field Archaeologists, MoRPHE (2008), the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the standard procedures of Avon Archaeological Unit Limited. The programme of site work was carried out by the AAU team over a period of 4 working weeks, commencing on 23rd April 2012 and was followed by a further three weeks of post-excavation processing, analysis, reporting and compilation of the site archive. The project archive, which includes all site records, drawings, photographs and finds will be temporarily stored at the premises of the Avon Archaeological Unit Limited, Avondale Business Centre, Woodland Way, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 1AW. The archive will ultimately be deposited at the Roman Baths Museum for long-term curation and storage under museum accession number BATRM 2012.14. Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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2
Methodology
Nine evaluation trenches (Figures 3 and 5 - 13) were opened at selected locations and each was allocated a unique set of context-based record numbers prefixed with the trench number (e.g. Trench 1 - Context 100 onwards, Trench 2 - Context 200 etc.) The trenches (Figure 3) were located after careful consideration of public safety and practical constraints, including buried services, and the need to minimise the impact to existing commercial premises and public access. The trenches were also designed to target particular buildings and features shown on the 1842 tithe map for Keynsham, the buried remains of which could be preserved across the site. The principal aim of the project was therefore to establish the presence or absence of significant buried archaeological deposits on the site and, if present, their location, extent, quality, degree of survival, date range and overall archaeological importance. In view of the data gathered during the preceding Desk-Based Assessment and further to advice from the County Archaeological Officer, the evaluation trenches were targeted as follows: Trench 1 – measuring 8m long and located in the extreme northwestern corner of the site in an area that is currently public open space surfaced with level paving slabs. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of the former malthouse/brewery building and an adjacent building immediately to the north, later the Oxford Cafe, which stood at the corner of Temple Street and Bath Hill. These buildings are shown as properties 192 and 193 on the 1842 tithe plan and both could potentially have had medieval origins. Trench 2 – measuring 8m long and located alongside the northern boundary of the study area, in an area that is currently public open space and under grass. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of a range of three adjoining properties that fronted Bath Hill. The buildings are shown as properties 186, 189, 190 and 191 on the 1842 tithe plan and are listed as houses and a slaughterhouse. All these properties could potentially have had medieval origins. Trench 3 – measuring 5m long and located in an area that is currently public open space and under grass. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of a range of three properties that were sited to the rear of the buildings that formerly fronted Bath Hill. The buildings are shown as properties 197, 198 and 199 on the 1842 tithe plan and are listed as three small houses with separate occupants. All these properties could potentially have had medieval origins. Trench 4 – measuring 5m long and located alongside the northern boundary of the study area, in an area that is currently public open space and under grass. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of a range of former adjoining properties that extended eastwards down the south side of Bath Hill. The buildings are shown as properties 183 and 196 on the 1842 tithe plan and are listed as houses. Both properties could potentially have had medieval origins. Trench 5 – measuring 5m long and located in an area that is currently public open space and under grass. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of a range of residential properties that were located on the south side of Bath Hill. The buildings are shown on the 1842 tithe plan and are listed as small houses with separate occupants. These properties could potentially have had medieval origins.
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Trench 6 – measuring 5m long and located in an area that is currently under tarmac and part of the Temple Street public car park. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of two small adjoining buildings or structures that lay at the rear of a property (plot 222), formerly fronting Temple Street and an adjacent garden or paddock (plots 234 and 215 on the1842 tithe plan). The structures are shown as separate on the tithe map but not numbered individually. Their function and date are unknown. Trench 7 – measuring 5m long and located in an area that is currently under tarmac and part of the Temple Street public car park. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of a large extension attached to the rear of a property fronting Temple Street. The building is shown as a separate part of plot 214 on the 1842 tithe map where it is described as a house and outbuilding. The function and date of this building are unknown. Trench 8 – measuring 5m long and located in an area that is currently under tarmac and part of the Temple Street public car park. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of one (plot 213) of a series of open plots of land to the rear of the houses frontin Temple Street. The plots are described as gardens or paddocks on the 1842 tithe map and as such could provide undisturbed evidence of pre-medieval activity on the site. Trench 9 – measuring 4m long and located beneath the suspended ground floor of the Keynsham Library building, where archaeological deposits and structures including masonry foundations have been identified. The trench was designed to establish the preservation, date and character of these deposits and structures, which are located in an area that is shown to consist of mainly open gardens (plot 311) and boundary walls at the time of the 1842 tithe map. The location of each trench was related to the National Grid using a Total Station and levelled to a benchmark located on the southeastern corner of the Drill Hall on Bath Hill, which has a recorded value of 18.19m OD Archaeological field recording was undertaken using standard Avon Archaeological Unit Limited context-based record sheets. Significant archaeological features, structures and deposits were photographed and scaled drawings made where appropriate. Artefacts recovered during the trial excavation were bagged and marked with the appropriate context number and subsequently removed for in-house processing and specialist assessment where necessary. All stratified and nonstratified ceramics were retained for detailed reporting. Written, drawn and photographic records of all significant archaeological deposits were compiled for each trench, to include: i) A pro-forma context-based archaeological record for each stratigraphic unit. ii) Plan of each trench showing the extent of all significant stratigraphic units and appropriate detail within stratigraphic units. The archaeological plans and sections were drawn at the standard scale of 1:20 and 1:10 respectively. iii) A full photographic record was compiled for all significant stratigraphic units and in addition, a representative photographic record of the progress of the archaeological work. At the conclusion of fieldwork the trenches were handed over to Bath & NE Somerset Council for backfilling and reinstatement.
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3
Historical and Archaeological Background
The historical and documentary sources for the site were examined in detail as part of a preceding Desk-Based Assessment (Corcos 2011). The principal conclusions of the study were as follows: The study found that the Town Hall and associated development occupies a site which was formerly a residential area, with some of the houses also latterly involved in retail and service functions. The area had, according to the Keynsham Extensive Urban Survey, consisted of ‘town plots’ in the medieval period and is therefore likely to have been at least partially built up by the 13th century at the latest. Many of the houses previously occupying the site dated from at least the 17th century, and it is likely that some contained structural remains of medieval or late-medieval date. A high proportion of these buildings were of sufficient architectural and historic interest to be subject to statutory protection by formal listing, some as coherent architectural groups, but this was overridden by local planners and in the early-mid 1960s, the houses were delisted and then demolished en masse to make way for the new Town Hall, and a complex of other civic and retail buildings, which were opened in 1965. For a place of Keynsham’s clear historic importance, the documentary sources that are generally available for a study of this kind are surprisingly lacking. The apparent absence of early (ie 18th/early 19th century) maps is especially striking. There is no known large-scale survey earlier than the tithe map of 1842, and this has implications for the ability to trace the development of individual properties and plots from periods before the mid 19th century. 19th and 20th century building control plans from the former Keynsham Urban District Council survive and have the potential to be a key source, except that they are currently uncatalogued and therefore effectively unusable for research purposes. A trawl of the local authority HER carried out for the purposes of this study, revealed that there had been no previous archaeological work, of any kind, within the footprint of the proposed development area itself. Perhaps most notably however, the Town Hall basement contains in situ remains of coursed masonry walls, perhaps the lower courses of garden walls or other property boundaries relating to the properties fronting onto Bath Hill West. These structural remains are associated with what appears to be undisturbed archaeological deposits which may be a metre or more in depth in places. This is potentially an extremely important resource, but it is otherwise completely unrecognised and unexplored: it does not, for example, appear on the current local authority HER. In the case of future redevelopment this highly surprising survival has important implications for the potential preservation of buried archaeology site-wide and would need to lie at the heart of any future archaeological mitigation strategy. The form and construction of the modern buildings may also have implications for the survival of intact buried archaeological stratigraphy, since the construction of the Town Hall on the eastfacing slope of Bath Hill may have required the formation of extensive levelling deposits, thereby sealing the lower parts of earlier buildings or significant archaeological stratigraphy. On the basis of the evidence examined for the study it is considered that there is a site-wide moderate to high potential for the survival of sub-surface archaeological features and deposits, in particular relating to the medieval and pre-modern phase of domestic occupation in the area of the Town Hall building. Elsewhere on the site, and especially in the Temple Street frontage and in the area of the car park occupying the
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southern half of the site, the potential for the survival of significant buried archaeology is probably lower but cannot be discounted entirely.
4
The Evaluation Trenches
The majority of the trenches were opened by machine to the first significant archaeological feature or deposit, after which excavation and recording was undertaken by hand. Trench 9, located in the basement of the Town Hall and beneath the Library building, was opened entirely by hand. Where not included within the body of the text, Ordnance Datum levels can be taken from the individual trench plans (Figures 5 – 13). Stratigraphic matrices for each of the evaluation trenches are included below in Appendix II.
4.1
Trench 1 (Figures 3 and 5, plates 1 and 2)
Trench 1 was located at the corner of Temple Street and Bath Hill in the extreme northwestern corner of the study area. The trench was opened in a pedestrian footway surfaced with concrete slabs and was 6.8m long and up to 1.3m wide, the long axis orientated SSE to NNW. The natural bedrock (114) underlying the archaeological features was revealed at 24.19m OD. It had been cut by the construction cut (112) for a stone-lined drain (106), which ran the length of the trench. The drain (106/112) also truncated a series of earlier archaeological features, which sat directly over the natural substrate. The earliest features stratigraphically were represented by the remains of two limestone walls (Walls 107 and 117) and a spread of limestone rubble (116), the latter possibly reflecting the remnants of a metalled surface set in a clay matrix. Wall 107 was located in the centre of the trench and was aligned approximately northeast to southwest across it. It was truncated by Drain 112 but extended into the baulk to either side of it. Two courses of masonry remained to a height of 330mm. The wall was built of randomly-coursed and fair-faced limestone rubble and blocks bonded with clay. The facing blocks appeared to have been cropped roughly square and set around a limestone rubble core, bonded with clay. No construction cut for the wall was evident and it appeared to have been built directly above the solid natural bedrock. Wall 117 was located towards the northern end of the trench. It emerged from the base of the northeast facing section and ran to the northeast, parallel with Wall 107, before it was truncated by Drain 112. Only the bottom foundation course remained where it was constructed from roughly hewn limestone rubble and blocks of various sizes ranging from 100 x 80 x 76mm to 350 x 250 x 110mm. The masonry also appeared to be clay bonded. A spread of limestone rubble (116) was located within the space between Walls 107 and 117 (a small patch was also visible between Wall 105 and Drain 106). The deposit consisted of small angular pieces of limestone set within a matrix of ash-rich greenish-brown clay, the uppermost surface of which appeared to be compacted and consolidated. The deposit lay directly above the natural bedrock. Wall 107 was butted to the southwest by a third limestone wall (Wall 105), which was orientated southeast to northwest, at 90 degrees to Wall 107. Wall 105 was built from random-coursed limestone blocks bonded with mid-grey ash mortar. At least two courses of masonry survived although the full depth of stonework was not
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established. A foundation cut (113) was visible at the base of the wall that cut a continuation of Stone Spread 116. A large stone drain (106) ran from southeast to northwest through the centre of the trench along its entire length. The base of the drain channel was formed by the natural bedrock whilst the sides were built from roughly hewn limestone rubble and blocks ranging from small tabular pieces to larger blocks. The masonry was bonded with a grey ash mortar and the channel was covered with a series of capstones formed by larger tabular slabs, which spanned the drain channel. Two deposits filled the channel. The primary fill (115) consisted of a sandy mottled grey-brown silt with green patches and occasional inclusions of charcoal, which produced a single sherd of medieval pottery. It filled the base of the drain channel directly over the natural bedrock to a maximum depth of 230mm. The secondary fill (110) consisted of dark grey silt with gritty soot/clinker inclusions. The archaeological features at the southern end of the trench were sealed by a layer of demolition rubble (103) containing limestone rubble and mortar, in a matrix of dark grey silt. The features at the northern end of the trench were sealed below a similar, but more compact and less stony deposit of dark grey silt (111). Sealing both Deposit 103 and 111 was an intermittent layer of fine yellow sand and modern aggregate (102), which was deepest at the northern end of the trench where it contained a lead pipe (104). The uppermost layers, directly below the surface slabs, comprised scalpings and concrete (101), the latter bedding for the concrete slab surface (100).
4.2
Trench 2 (Figures 3 and 6, plates 3 and 4)
Trench 2 was located just over 6m to the east of Trench 1, on the southern side of Bath Hill and running roughly parallel with it, its long axis oriented WSW to ENE. The trench in its finished state was 7.60m long and 1.60m wide throughout. The undisturbed natural substrate was encountered at a depth of approximately 500mm. The trench was investigated partly by means of two separate archaeological cuttings, which were excavated through recent destruction deposits at the western (Sondage 1) and eastern (Sondage 2) ends of the trench respectively, and which varied in depth according to the archaeological remains which were encountered. In Sondage 2, the natural geology was encountered at a depth of 520mm, where it consisted of a stiff, yellow brown clay (206) inter-bedded with Lias limestone bedrock (207). The earliest feature revealed in this eastern part of the trench appeared to be a masonry wall foundation (Wall 208). This structure was exposed for a short length (1.4m), running roughly east to west down the long axis of the trench, and a further, shorter length, of 700mm, was revealed at the western end of the trench, in Sondage 1 (213). Wall 208 was constructed of Lias Limestone, bonded with a lime-based mortar, and in the eastern section, up to two courses of masonry survived in situ, to a maximum height of 0.17m. The exposed face was constructed of rather larger, semidressed stones, behind which was a core of smaller rubble, and it is likely that as constructed, this was a double-skinned wall with a mortared rubble core. The eastern end of Wall 208 appeared to terminate in a very large, flat stone, which measured approximately 700mm x 500mm in plan. Its relationship with the wall itself was uncertain. The upper surface of the stone showed no signs of continuous wear or polishing and did not appear to have been a threshold stone in a doorway; likewise, it did not seem to show any remnant mortar deposits. If it was a deliberate placement contemporary with the wall, it is possible that it was intended to act as a Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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stay through the body of the wall, tying the opposing faces together. It could alternatively have simply represented an upper exposure of the natural bedrock which was not removed, and over which the wall originally ran. Butting against the northern face of Wall 208 was a remnant of stone flagging or paving, (210), consisting of a flat stone and a few elongate stones, which clearly represented the remains of a surface directly associated with, and in front of the wall. This surface appeared to have originally extended to the west, all the way along the front of the wall, with a later surface (213) (see below) possibly a local replacement of it. Both the wall and the associated surface were sealed beneath a layer (203), consisting of a highly compacted layer of soil and Lias rubble, containing much broken ceramic building material, especially brick, to a maximum depth of 340mm. To the west, in Sondage 1, the same wall, here recorded as context (213), was sealed by Layer 204, which was the same as (203) at the western end of the trench. It seems very likely that the general layer (203/204) represented an initial, ‘rough’ phase of destruction directed at Wall 208/213, which was later sealed by a further demolition layer (202). The removal of Layer 204 exposed Wall 213 to a width of 300mm. A small area of remnant surface (214) butted against the northern face of Wall 213 whilst a modern concrete and tile surface was also revealed beneath Layer 204. A dark linear stain along the edge of this surface adjacent to the wall suggests that the masonry was originally plastered or faced at this location. Removal of this surface revealed the full surviving height of Wall 213, which was preserved to a height of 450mm, the upper courses of masonry being constructed on top of an additional 180mm of a rough foundation course. At the foot of Wall 213, was a cut into the natural clay (219), the fill of which (218) produced a few sherds of postmedieval pottery. There was no obvious relationship between the cut and the wall itself, although the nature of the finds from Fill 218 indicate that it is at least contemporary with, and in all probability later than, the wall itself. At the eastern end of the trench, a further cut into the natural (Cut 216) was sealed by Layer 202, and contained a fill which produced a small number of post-medieval ceramic sherds, among which was ceramic building material no earlier than 19th century in date; it appeared that this cut feature was part of the same general episode of probably very late activity which also produced Cut 219 at the western end of the trench in Sondage 1. In any event, at both places where the base of the wall (208/213) was exposed, it was clear that it was built directly on top of the natural bedrock.
4.3
Trench 3 (Figures 3 and 7, plate 5)
Trench 3 (Figures 3 and 7) was 5.60m long and 1.5m wide and was opened in an area of grass currently forming part of public open space. The cutting was sited in order to target three properties that formerly fronted Bath Hill. The buildings are shown as properties 197, 198 and 199 on the 1842 tithe plan and are listed as three small houses with separate occupants. Excavation of up to 400mm of topsoil (301) and modern demolition material (305) revealed a series of cut soil features and structures at heights of between 22.61m OD, and 22.10m OD. The natural clay and Lias Limestone bedrock was encountered at 22.30m OD.
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The principal remains revealed in the eastern end of the trench were represented by three inter-cutting soil features; Cuts 318, 325 and 327 and (Figure 7). Pit 318, stratigraphically the earliest of the three soil features, was represented by a shallow (220mm), curvilinear and vertical sided depression cut into the underlying natural clay substrate (319). The flat base of the cut was located at approximately 22.19m OD and contained up to 240mm of mixed dark grey charcoal-rich clay (316) and a thin red primary clay (317) with occasional lime flecks. These fill deposits were sealed by a single course of flat Lias limestone rubble (329) that possibly represented the remnants of a masonry structure. Finds from Fill 316 were restricted to fragments of animal bone whilst Feature 329 was aceramic. Despite this the nature of the soil fill deposits and the fabric of Feature 329 indicated that they could predate the cottages depicted on the 1842 tithe plan. Pit 318 was cut in turn by a second pit (Cut 325) and overlain by two large limestone blocks (Context 314) which possibly represented the southern face of a wall, although too little was exposed to be certain. Cut 325 was aligned southwest to northeast and presented a steep, sloping profile in section (Figure 7.3). It contained a single, re-deposited fill (324), distinguishable from the surrounding natural clay substrate by virtue of the small fragments of limestone rubble, occasional lenses of red clay and charcoal inclusions. A small collection of modern ceramics, all of 19th – 20th century date (see Section 5), was recovered from the pit, which was in turn truncated by Cut 327, the most recent of the three intercutting pits. Cut 327 was represented by a vertical cut, some 700mm deep, which contained two fills (328 and 326), each of which was virtually identical in composition comprising red and yellow clay and small limestone rubble and brick inclusions within a mixed clay subsoil matrix. Finds retrieved from the pit fills were restricted to a small assemblage of 19th – 20th century ceramics and a single, residual sherd of Redcliffe jug ware of 13th – 15th century date (see Section 5). The southwest portion of the trench was predominately occupied by a narrow (up to 300mm) L- shaped masonry foundation (311/313), constructed from worked limestone blocks and set within a narrow foundation cut (312). The masonry was bonded with pale lime-based mortar, flecked with charcoal, and retained evidence of plaster/render its western face. The remains of a flagstone floor (308), exposed at 22.61m OD to the southwest of the wall foundation, was considered to be contemporary with it and both appeared likely to represent remains of the buildings and structures shown on the 1842 tithe plan. Unstratified finds recovered from the trench were restricted to three sherds of 17th – 19th century pottery that included Bristol/Staffordshire yellow combed slipware and transfer printed ware (see Section 5).
4.4
Trench 4 (Figures 3 and 8, plates 6 and 7)
Trench 4 was opened in grass in the centre of the landscaped public space on the corner of Temple Street and Bath Hill. The cutting was orientated SSE to NNW and was 4.8m long and up to 1.4m wide. It was excavated to a maximum depth of 1.14m, with the underlying natural substrate (409), consisting of inter-bedded clay and limestone bedrock, revealed at c 23.65m OD. The trench was designed to evaluate the area to the rear of a range of former residential properties that extended down the south side of Bath Hill.
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No structural features were revealed within the trench, although the earliest feature stratigraphically, a sloping cut feature (406) cut into the natural in the base of a sondage located at the southern end of the trench could have represented part of such. The feature was up to 100mm deep and appeared to reflect a linear feature orientated roughly WSW to ENE. The fill, Deposit 407, consisted of a dark brown sandy soil that was texturally very similar to overlying Deposit 404, which lay directly over the natural substrate throughout the trench (the same deposit was recorded as 403 in Sondage 2 at the northern end of the trench). Deposit 403/404 was up to 1.14m thick and contained a variety of limestone and sandstone rubble plus fragments of modern ceramic building material, mainly red brick. The deposit produced 19th century pottery sherds (see Appendix I) but nothing to suggest that the deposit was formed during the construction of the present Town Hall and retail complex. Above Deposit 404 was a concrete footing (Figure 8.3, Feature 408), which possibly formed part of the foundations or formation for an adjacent Pennant Sandstone wall, part of the landscaped public space, which ran parallel to the eastern edge of the trench. Elsewhere, Deposit 403/404 was sealed by a dark brown layer (402) of rubbly soil, which was in turn sealed by turf and topsoil Layer 401.
4.5
Trench 5 (Figures 3 and 9, plates 8 and 9)
This trench was 4.20m long and up to 1.4m wide and was sited in order to evaluate a range of three former properties that are shown fronting Bath Hill on the 1842 tithe plan, all of which are of unknown origin. A simple stratigraphic sequence was revealed in the cutting, comprising approximately130mm of topsoil and turf (501) that overlay up to 690mm of modern made ground, Deposits 502 and 503, which contained brick and modern construction debris. The removal of Deposits 502 and 503 revealed a large linear concrete foundation (506) aligned northeast to southwest and an associated foundation cut (507/508). The foundation trench was cut into the underlying clay and bedrock substrate (504 and 505) that was encountered at c 21.64m OD. No archaeologically significant structures or deposits were revealed in this trench which was excavated to maximum depth of 1.06m (21.22m OD) below the modern ground surface. Pottery recovered from Deposits 502 and 503 was of 18th century and later date and included transfer printed wares (BPT 278) and porcelain (BPT 203). Unstratified finds retrieved from the trench were restricted to four sherds of modern white ware glazed wall tile of 20th century date, two fragments of modern stoneware water pipes and a single, residual sherd of North Devon gravel-tempered ware of 1600-1800 AD date (see Section 5).
4.6
Trench 6 (Figures 3 and 10, plates 10 and 11)
Trench 6 was located towards the southwestern corner of the municipal car park that lies behind (ie to the east of), and at the southern end of the rank of retail premises fronting the east side of Temple Street. The trench was oriented NNW to SSE, and
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aligned roughly parallel to, and about 2.5m to the east of the pavement bounding the western side of the car park. It was just over 5m long and just under 1.6m wide at its widest point close to the southern end, although decreasing in width to 1.3m at the northern end. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of two small adjoining structures shown to the rear of a property (plot 222) that formerly fronted Temple Street on the 1842 tithe map. Natural bedrock (615) was exposed in a Sondage (Sondage 1) excavated against the eastern side of the trench at a depth of 0.95m (25.08m OD) below the level of the tarmac car park surface. Archaeological deposits were revealed at the southern end of the trench, where a mixed soil layer (611), which extended over the southern twothirds of the trench, was cut by a series of separate features (Features 608, 610 and 612 below). Sample excavation of Deposit 611 produced a significant group of large, unabraded, sherds of medieval pottery of 12th-13th century date, probably all from a single vessel. Feature 612 was an irregular squared cut feature that appeared to represent the base of a posthole. The feature was filled by a very stiff, but plastic, dark yellowish-brown silty clay, with inclusions of charcoal and occasional stones. The fill produced no finds or dating evidence. Feature 610 was located adjacent to Posthole 612 and also cut into Layer 611. It was a rather larger feature, approximately 370mm square in plan, with a rounded depression at its centre. The cut was 600mm deep and filled by a deposit (609) that was texturally very similar to that of layer 611. No finds or dating evidence were recovered from the fill although it clearly represented a posthole for an earthfast timber of some kind. It was noted that a large fraction of the medieval pottery recovered from Deposit 611 came from a location between Postholes 610 and 612. A third square posthole (608) was located to the north of Posthole 610, in the middle of the trench. The cut (608) was approximately 340mm square in plan and up to 150mm deep with a U-shaped profile. It was filled by a deposit (607) of dark brown to black silty clay that incorporated remnants of a possible post-packing still surviving. No finds or dating evidence were recovered from the fill. A flat Lias slab (614) was located to the north of Posthole 608, directly over Layer 611. The stone was sub-square in shape, with sides of about 260mm in length. This feature appeared to have been deliberately placed and was interpreted as representing a possible post-pad as it and Postholes 610 and 608 formed an alignment, possibly indicative of a former timber structure. Post-pad 614 also marked an approximate division across the width of the trench at the junction of Layer 611 and Deposit 603. Layer 603 was truncated by two later features (Cuts 605 and 616); Cut 616, an irregular sub-circular feature that was itself truncated by Cut 616. The feature (616) was approximately 600mm deep, and contained some stone which may have represented a remnant of post-packing. The base of the cut was extremely flat throughout. Feature 616 was truncated by the southern side of a linear stone feature (Cut 613) consisting of an east-west alignment of loosely packed stones and rubble with no obvious structural arrangement. The stone (604) filled and partially overlapped a linear cut (613) in the natural clay (603). The feature crossed the trench from west to east and was up to 500mm wide. The original function of the feature was unclear at the time of excavation although it possibly represented a simple drain or soakaway. No dating evidence was recovered from Deposit 603 or Feature 604.
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A sub-circular cut feature (605) was cut into the top of Feature 604 at its eastern end. The cut extended into the trench section but where exposed was approximately 300mm in diameter, but no more than 100mm deep. The feature was interpreted to represent a posthole. The fill (606), a dark brown to black silty clay, contained the possible remnant of a post-packing, and produced a ctp stem. The possible alignment of this feature with features 608, 610 and 614 was noted at the time of excavation. Throughout the trench, and sealing all of the archaeological features described above, was a layer (Deposit 617) of dark grey clay, with occasional stones. This in turn was overlain by a layer of brownish-yellow, lime-based mortar with frequent flecks of charcoal, fragments of brick, and occasional stone (602) up to 360mm deep. Deposit 602 was interpreted to represent modern activity and was itself sealed by 601, the levelling layer, scalpings and modern tarmac surfacing. A second, larger archaeological sondage (Sondage 2) was excavated against the western trench section, just over 2.5m from the southern end of the trench. This cutting revealed the top of the natural clay substrate (603) at c 24.33m OD.
4.7
Trench 7 (Figures 3 and 11, plate 12)
Trench 7 was located in the northwestern corner of the Civic Centre car park and was orientated SSE to NNW. The cutting measured 5m by 1.6 m in plan and was excavated to a maximum depth of 1.31m (c 24.04m OD) below the surface of the car park. It was designed to evaluate the location of a large extension that is shown on the 1842 tithe map attached to the rear of a property that formerly fronted Temple Street. The property was described at that time as a house and outbuilding The underlying natural, a yellowish-brown clay (705), was located at c 24.29 m OD. The surface was mottled with impressed patches of lime mortar and green brown sandy silt. A series of cut features truncated the natural throughout the trench. The earliest stratigraphic feature revealed was represented by a linear cut (716) located at the western end of the trench, cut into the surface of the natural. The feature was gully-like with a shallow profile, curved edges and a flat base. It was filled by a deposit (717) of orange-brown sandy clay that produced no dating evidence. Cut 716 was truncated by the foundation trench (Cut 711) of a limestone rubble structure (Structure 710). Structure 710 formed part of an interconnected pair of stone rubble structures consisting of Structure 710 and Structure 718. The exact stratigraphic relationship between the two features was unclear, although they were interpreted to be broadly contemporary. Structure 710 represented the bottom of a stone-lined drain or channel. Where fully excavated the masonry formed a curved corner that turned from an east to west orientation to north to south. At its eastern end it appeared to truncate Feature 716, although the two may have originally formed part of a single overall structure. At its northern end Feature 710 was truncated by an irregularly shaped cut (712), which had also destroyed the relationship between Structure 710 and Structure 718. Structure 718 represented a limestone rubble feature bonded with grey ash mortar. It filled a deep foundation trench (719) cut into the natural clay. The stonework was crude with no coursing or deliberate facing, although the stone blocks were set within a mortar matrix. The feature appeared to be linear, aligned north to south, and Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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possibly represented the remnants of a wall foundation, with a short pier or buttress on its west side. Its full extent was not established, as its northern and eastern limits ran beyond the baulk of the trench. The southern extent of the structure may have originally been connected to Structure 710; however, the relationship between the two was interrupted by Cut 712. Cut 712 was an irregularly shaped pit with gradually sloping sides where it cut the natural clay and a more uneven, and acute, slope where it cut Structures 710 and 718. It was filled by a deposit (713) of gritty black soil containing mortar fragments and limestone rubble inclusions. Deposit 713 was very similar to the fill (707) of Linear Cut 706, which ran east from Cut 712, and they may have represented part of the same deposit. The features described above were sealed by a layer of demolition rubble (702), which was predominantly composed of limestone rubble with inclusions of modern brick and concrete. Rubble Deposit 702 was in turn sealed by a layer of scalpings (701), bedding for the tarmac surface of the car park (100).
4.8
Trench 8 (Figures 3 and 13, plates 13 and 14)
Trench 8 was located towards the northeastern corner of the Civic Centre car park and orientated approximately SW to NE. The trench was designed to evaluate the location of one of a series of open plots of land to the rear of the houses that fronted Temple Street, which are described as gardens or paddocks on the 1842 tithe map. The underlying natural substrate, a yellow brown clay, was revealed at a depth of approximately 1.9m (23.14m OD) below the modern ground surface. The earliest, and only, archaeological deposit (803) revealed in the trench was a greenish- brown clay layer (803) that contained occasional charcoal flecks and patches of silt. The surface of the layer produced an assemblage of animal bone. Layer 803 was overlain by a deep (up to 1.5m) and poorly consolidated deposit of mixed and modern made ground that contained mixed demolition rubble including limestone blocks brick and concrete in a matrix of powdered grey mortar and mid brown silt. Deposit 802 made up the entire baulk of the trench sections and was overlain by a layer of scalping and tarmac (801), which formed the surface of the car park. No stratified dating evidence was recovered from layer 803 although the unstratified finds recovered from the trench included three sherds of medieval pottery (see Section 5).
4.9
Trench 9 (Figures 3 and 13, plate 15)
Trench 9 was located beneath the suspended ground floor of the present Keynsham Library building in an area presently used for storage and an emergency exit. The cutting was orientated northeast to southwest and was 3.50m long and up to 860mm deep. It was excavated entirely by hand and sited in order to evaluate the location of a series of former garden plots and boundary walls shown on the 1842 tithe map. Insitu evidence for associated archaeological deposits and structures, including a
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masonry foundation, had been identified previously during the Desk-Based Assessment (Corcos ibid). The trench was opened by hand in extremely dry conditions through 360mm of modern dumped building debris and desiccated soil (901), and exposed a series of archaeologically significant deposits and structures at heights ranging between 23.21m OD and 22.95m OD. The underlying natural substrate, comprising clay and Lias limestone bedrock (909), was revealed at a depth of approximately 800mm (22.84m OD in the northeast, falling to approximately 22.39m OD in the west). The earliest deposits and structures recorded in the trench were represented by a layer (906/907) and Wall 902 (Figure 13). A relict garden soil (906/907) was revealed directly below Layer 901. The deposit comprised extremely dry, yellowish-brown clay and loam, flecked throughout with small fragments of burnt bone and decayed roots up to 350mm deep. A sondage (Sondage 1, Figure 13) through this layer exposed the natural clay and limestone bedrock (909) at heights of between 22.84m OD and 22.73m OD. Finds retrieved from the garden soil (906/907) included a small assemblage of 18th and 19th century pottery along with residual fragments of late medieval Redcliffe ware (BPT 118) and Minety ware (BPT 18). Two conjoining sherds of earlier Bath ‘A’ ware, dated to the 12th – 14th centuries, were recovered from the base of the deposit, pressed into the top of the natural clay substrate. The relict soil (906/907) was in turn truncated by a stone drain (905) and the foundation trench (904) for a wall (902). Wall 902 crossed the trench on a northwest to southeast alignment and was formed of Lias Limestone and occasional sandstone rubble, bonded with a lime-based mortar containing charcoal flecks. The wall was constructed on a slightly wider foundation course and set within a foundation trench (904) that was backfilled with dark yellowish-brown, gritty clay smeared with charcoal throughout. The height of the wall masonry, which was founded directly on the underlying bedrock (904), increased from 650mm in the northeast to 840mm in the southwest. Where best preserved the structure survived to a maximum of 12 courses. Drain 905, the latest structure exposed in the trench, lay on a similar alignment to Wall 902 although was not parallel to it. The feature was formed of loosely consolidated and fragmented Lias Limestone rubble, contained within a narrow (400mm wide), U-shaped cut. No bonding agent was visible. A small assemblage of 18th century pottery, including Bristol/ Staffordshire yellow slipware and a residual sherd of Ham Green ware, dated to the 12th – 13th centuries, was retrieved from the feature (see Section 5).
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5
Assessment & Summary Finds Reports by Sarah Newns
5.1
The Pottery
Summary The pottery assemblage, of which up to one third is unstratified, dates largely from the 18th century onwards, and principally represents domestic household wares in use during the occupation of the various cottages and premises that stood on the site until the mid-20th century (Table 1, Appendix I). A collection of medieval pottery was also recovered from five of the nine trenches, most of which was residual, with the notable exception of several large and unabraded sherds from Trench 6. The medieval wares are to be expected and are consistent with an area that is known to have lain within the focus of the medieval settlement. Introduction/Methodology The archaeological evaluation resulted in the recovery of an assemblage of 160 sherds of pottery, weighing a total of 3192g, dating to the medieval and postmedieval periods. For the purposes of the assessment the assemblage was scanned to determine the form and fabrics represented and compared with recognised local and regional pottery types identified and published elsewhere. The assemblage was quantified by sherd count and weight for each context. The resulting data is summarised in the pottery catalogue, Appendix I. Medieval A total of 32 sherds of medieval pottery, ranging in date from the 12th to the 15th centuries, was recovered during the evaluation, from Trenches 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9. The majority of the sherds are fairly small and abraded and residual within later contexts. Significantly, ten large, unabraded medieval earthenware sherds comprised the only pottery retrieved from Layer 611 in Trench 6. Similarly, two conjoining medieval fine ware sherds comprised the only finds from the primary silt within the stone-lined drain, Context 106, in Trench 1. Trench 9 yielded a total of eleven medieval sherds, five of which were significantly large, unabraded and retrieved from Layer 906, overlying the natural clay substrate. A further three medieval sherds were retrieved from the interface between the latter deposit and the natural. The majority of the medieval pottery consists of earthenware cooking/storage vessels in a variety of fabrics, including two flint tempered Bath ‘A’ ware sherds and ten (recovered from Trench 6, above), which resemble Eckweek medieval fabric type 5 (Young, forthcoming). Eight of the sherds represent fine-ware jug fabrics, including products from Bristol Redcliffe, Bristol Ham Green and Wiltshire Minety wares. Post-medieval The remaining pottery (128 sherds) is post-medieval, comprising a variety of wares commonly found in the Bristol area, including Somerset redware, modern white
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earthenware (including transfer printed ware), some porcelain (including bone china) and English stoneware. Significantly, there is very little earlier post-medieval pottery, for example Bristol/Staffordshire slipware and no delftware, and the majority of the post-medieval assemblage probably dates from the late 18th century onwards. One sherd, residual within rubble layer, Context 217, Trench 2, is an unusual oxidised fabric, with a cordon rim, possibly a sugar-refining ware (Brooks 1983, 2-4). Approximately one third of the post-medieval assemblage was unstratified, and much of the stratified pottery was retrieved from rubble/demolition deposits.
Potential and further work As a collection the present assemblage does not merit detailed publication at this stage, but if further work is undertaken at the locality the collection should be taken into account.
Pottery References Brooks, C.M., 1983. “Aspects of the Sugar-Refining Industry from the 16th to the 19th century”, Post-medieval Archaeology 17, 1-14. Burchill, R. and Jackson, R. “Pottery” in “Archaeological Work at 22-25 Queen Square and 42-44 Welsh Back, Bristol, 2002-2006”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 23, 23-33. Draper, J., 1984. Post-Medieval Pottery 1650-1800. Shire Archaeology no.40, Princes Risborough. Good, G.L. and Russett, V.E.J., 1987. “Common Types of Earthenware Found in the Bristol Area”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 6, 35-43. Gutierrez, A., 2007. “Medieval and Later Pottery” in C.Gerrard and M.Aston, The Shapwick Project, Somerset. A Rural Landscape Explored, The Society for Medieval Archaeology, Monograph 25, 601-671. Young, A.C., forthcoming. “Eckweek Shrunken Medieval Settlement, Peasedown St John, Somerset, Archaeological Survey and Excavations, 1987-88”. Forthcoming report.
5.2
Other Finds
Introduction A relatively small assemblage of other finds was recovered during the evaluation, ranging in date from the prehistoric to the modern period. The majority of the finds are post-medieval in date and probably derive from the buildings which formerly occupied the site from at least the 17th century onwards. Only one object of pre-17th century date was recovered, a probable Neolithic flint scraper, which was residual within an early post-medieval stone culvert. Structural items associated with the earlier buildings include nails, a fragment of lime mortar and a possible fragment of lead window came. Domestic occupation (and
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possible butchery) on the site is suggested by the relatively large number of large size animal bone fragments (concentrated in Trench 8). The remainder of the finds are also domestic in nature, date largely from the 18th century onwards, and include wine bottle shards, a small quantity of clay tobacco pipe, two buttons and a gilded and engraved thimble of probable 19th century date.
Animal bone The largest assemblage (in terms of number) is the animal bone, of which 59 fragments, weighing a total of 1308g, were recovered, mostly from Trenches 8 and 9. The majority of the identified fragments (28) are from large size animals (cattle or horse), with a smaller number (9 or 10) of medium size animal bone fragments (probably from sheep/goat or pig). Butchery marks are visible on only seven of the bone fragments, although it is likely that the majority of the bones would have derived from butchered animals. Approximately half the bone fragments (26) are derived from a single context, 803, an early post-medieval clay deposit in Trench 8.
Glass The second largest assemblage (in terms of number) is the glass assemblage, of which 23 shards were recovered, weighing a total of 975g. Approximately half are 18th/19th century wine bottle shards and half are modern, mainly window glass shards. The typologically earliest shards were recovered from Trench 9, and comprise two 18th/early 19th century bottle necks with string rings (Wilmott 2007, 773, 77; Ashurst 1971, 116-122) and one bottle base with “open pontil” of similar date (Kemp 2012). Unfortunately, only one of these (an 18th century bottle neck) was stratified, deriving from Context 904, the backfill of the foundation trench for Wall 902. The only other shards of possible interest are an embossed mineral water bottle shard, which was unstratified from Trench 9, and a possible glass slag fragment from Context 202, a rubble deposit immediately below the topsoil in Trench 2.
Ironwork A total of 19 iron objects, weighing 1341g, was recovered during the evaluation, almost exclusively from Trench 2. Of these, approximately half are nails, deriving from post medieval rubble layers, Contexts 202, 204 and 217. The remaining identifiable stratified objects comprise two spikes and two lengths of iron wire, also recovered from rubble layers in Trench 2.
Clay tobacco pipe Just fifteen fragments of clay tobacco pipe, mostly stems, were recovered during the evaluation, approximately half from Trench 9 and the remainder from Trenches 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The majority are undiagnostic fragments, with the exception of a single undated mouth-piece from the matrix of Drain/Soakaway 905, Trench 9, and an unusual curving stem fragment, of probable 19th century date (Jackson and Price 1974, 140), from the fill of Cut 712, Trench 7.
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Miscellaneous Of the miscellaneous finds, the most significant is a probable Neolithic flint scraper (Butler 2005, 125, 128, no.2) which was retrieved as a residual find from the fill of stone culvert, Context 106, Trench 1. The remaining miscellaneous finds are all of probable post-medieval date. The earliest amongst these are a fragment of possible lead window came (from the backfill of the foundation trench for Wall 902, Trench 9) and a lime plaster fragment (from rubble layer, Context 217, Trench 2). The remainder of the stratified miscellaneous finds are domestic items, comprising a lathe-turned bone button (Cox 1996, 534, no.8) from the surface of the natural in Trench 7, a tanged bone cutlery handle from rubble layer, Context 202, Trench 2, a gilded and inscribed copper alloy thimble from rubble layer, Context 702, Trench 7, and a 19th/20th century copper alloy button (Cuddeford 1994, 15, no.29) from rubble layer, Context 217, Trench 2.
Finds Bibliography Ashurst, D.,1971. “Excavations at Gawber Glass-house near Barnsley, Yorkshire” in PostMedieval Archaeology 4, 92-140. Butler, C., 2005. Prehistoric Flintwork, Stroud. Cox, A., 1996. “Post-medieval dress accessories from recent urban excavations in Scotland” in Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal 2, 52-59. Cuddeford, M.J., 1994. Identifying Metallic Small Finds, Ipswich. Gutierrez, A., 2007. “Bone, Ivory and Antler Objects” in C.Gerrard and M.Aston, The Shapwick Project, Somerset. A Rural Landscape Explored, The Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph 25, 790-796. Jackson, R.G. and Price, R.H., 1974. Bristol Clay Pipes: a study of makers and their marks, Bristol City Museum Research Monograph 1, Bristol. Kemp, J., undated. Pontils and Pontil Marks in www.diggersdiary, site accessed June 2012. Talbot, O., 1974. “The Evolution of Glass Bottles for Carbonated Drinks” in Post-Medieval Archaeology 8, 29-62. Wilmott, H., 2007. “Glass vessels” in C.Gerrard and M.Aston, The Shapwick Project, Somerset. A Rural Landscape Explored, The Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph 25, 765-778.
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Finds Catalogues (excluding pottery) Animal Bone Context no.
Count Weight (g)
115
2
2
316
2
6
328
2
18
400
2
30
600 714
1 4
14 40
803
26
798
904
8
138
905
9
244
906
3
18
Description 1 possible bird bone; 1 unidentified animal bone fragment. 1 probable rib fragment (small size animal); 1 unidentified animal bone fragment. 1 long bone (small size animal); 1 unidentified animal bone fragment (signs of gnawing). 1 (large size animal) head of long bone; 1 (large size animal) probable metatarsal. 1 (medium size animal) long bone fragment. 1 head of long bone (medium/large size animal); 1 rib fragment (large size animal); 1 tooth fragment (unidentified); 1 unidentified bone fragment. 5 long bone fragments (large size animal, including 1 with butchery marks); 7 long bone fragments (medium size animal, including 1 with butchery marks); 2 teeth (large size animal); 2 vertebrae with butchery marks (large size animal); 10 unidentified animal bone fragments (large size animal, including 2 with butchery marks). 1 long bone (medium size animal, with butchery marks); 1 possible rib fragment (large size animal); 1 vertebra fragment (large size animal); 5 unidentified animal bone fragments (large size animal). 1 long bone fragment (large size animal); 2 teeth fragments (large size animal); 1 tooth (small size animal); 5 miscellaneous unidentified animal bone fragments. 1 tooth (large size animal); 2 unidentified animal bone fragments (1 with butchery marks and signs of burning).
Glass Context no.
Count Weight (g)
202
2
50
215
1
12
400
1
12
702
2
66
710
2
15
713
7
222
900
5
530
Description 1 safety glass shard, textured, with wire in interior (discarded); 1 possible glass slag fragment. 1 highly iridescent and laminating olive green bottle glass shard (post medieval).. 1 clouded glass rim shard, starting to laminate, probable 20th century vessel glass. 1 clear glass bottle base shard (post-medieval); 1 olive green bottle glass shard (post-medieval). 1 frosted glass probable window glass shard (modern); 1 clear window glass shard (modern). 1 highly weathered, iridescent and laminating thick-walled bottle glass base shard with pronounced kick-up (post-medieval); 2 pale green thin-walled vessel glass shards (post-medieval); 1 clear glass vessel glass shard (modern); 3 window glass shards (including 2 frosted, modern). 1 thick-walled cylindrical wine bottle base with very pronounced kickup, in olive green glass with rare small air bubbles. Open pontil mark suggests pre-1860s (Kemp, see bibliography);
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
904
2
48
905
1
20
1 bottle-neck in olive green glass with rare small air bubbles, slightly barrel-shaped neck with string ring suggesting 18th century date (Wilmott 2007, 773, 777, no.G108; Ashurst 1971, 121, 122, no.22); 1 olive green vessel glass shard; 1 clear glass bottle rim, upright neck, bead rim (modern); 1 embossed probable mineral water bottle shard, showing letters, th “….ST…/…D.ST….” (late 19 century onwards, Talbot 1974, 41). 1 olive green laminating bottle glass shard; 1 bottle neck in olive green glass with triangular string ring (probably 18th century, Ashurst 1971, 116). 1 olive green wine bottle shard, starting to laminate (post -medieval).
Ironwork Context no.
Count Weight (g)
202
6
700
203
2
104
204
5
100
217
4
150
604 900
1 1
286 <2
Description 1 large unidentified iron/iron composite object, comprising an iron plate, 110mm x 75mm x 5mm, with a “fitting” in one corner; 1 curving length of iron wire, 110mm long; 2 modern nails with round-sectioned shanks, lengths 49mm and 92mm; 1 very large nail, 145mm long, square-sectioned shank, with solid, pointed head; 1 nail fragment, possibly square-sectioned bent shank, head missing. 1 unidentified iron fragment, heavily corroded and concreted, rectangular in section, length 70mm, width 15mm max., tapering to 3mm in centre; 1 iron spike, square/rectangular in section, tapering to a point, 138mm long, section 11mm x 7mm. 1 iron spike, rectangular in section, 116mm long, section T-shaped at top: 27mm x 27mm, tapering to a point; 1 short length of curved wire, or possible hook, square in section, length 41mm, section 3mm x 3mm; 3 nails, lengths 65mm, 82mm and 72mm, all heavily corroded (1 with possible mineralised wood adhering). 2 possible nails (1 bent), heavily concreted, lengths 52mm and 59mm; 1rectangular length of iron, rectangular in section, original form obscured by corrosion and concretions, dimensions 167mm x 20mm (max.) x 8mm (max.); 1 rectangular length of iron, rectangular in section, original form obscured by corrosion and concretions, dimensions 127mm x 28mm (max.) x 9mm (max.). 1 unidentified heavily corroded lump of iron. 1 short length of iron wire, 35mm long, diameter 1mm.
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
Table of Miscellaneous Finds (including clay tobacco pipe) Context
Material
Count
Weight (g)
Description
114
Flint
1
10
202
Worked bone
2
16
215
Clay tobacco pipe Copper alloy
1
<2
1 probable flint scraper, D-shaped, 29mm x 24mm x 7mm, with longitudinal dorsal spine and retouch along 3 of the 4 sides. Probable Neolithic side and end scraper (Butler 2005, 125, 128, no.2). 2 conjoining fragments forming probable complete cutlery handle, polished bone with at least 3 chamfered edges. In situ tang is circular in section. Handle is sub-rectangular in section. Overall dimensions: 78mm x 14mm x 5mm. Date: post medieval (Gutierrez 2007, 796). 1 clay tobacco pipe stem fragment.
1
<2
Plaster Clay tobacco pipe Clay tobacco pipe Copper alloy Clay tobacco pipe Clay tobacco pipe Clay tobacco pipe Copper alloy
1 2
26 2
1 copper alloy button, 4 eyelet holes, 16mm diameter. Late 19 -20 century probable overall/dungarees button (Cuddeford 1994, 15, no.29). 1 lime plaster fragment with lath impressions. 2 clay tobacco pipe stem fragments.
1
2
1 clay tobacco pipe stem fragment.
1
52
1 copper alloy dome shaped fitting, 65mm diameter, with central perforation.
1
2
1 clay tobacco pipe stem fragment.
1
6
1 clay tobacco pipe stem fragment.
1
2
1 clay tobacco pipe stem fragment.
1
6
Clay tobacco pipe Worked bone
1
6
1 copper alloy thimble, regularly aligned “pits”, bead rim. Probably machine-made, 19 century or later. (Cuddeford 1994, 48, no.9). Traces of gilding and inscription around rim, “..W..” Top is fractured and whole thimble is slightly squashed. th 1 curving novelty clay tobacco pipe stem fragment with mouth-piece, probable 19 century date (Jackson and Price 1974, 140).
1
<2
Clay tobacco pipe Unknown metal Clay tobacco pipe Lead Clay tobacco pipe
2
6
1 discoidal button of highly polished bone, 19mm diameter, lathe-turned, with incised ring and 4 unequally sized drilled perforations (post medieval). (Almost identical to Cox 1996, 53-4, no.8). 2 clay tobacco pipe stem fragments (including 1 with fractured probable spur heel0.
1
40
1 modern table fork, electroplated metal, embossed, “G BROS S GR”. Four tines, finial on inside face of handle.
1
<2
1 undiagnostic clay tobacco pipe bowl fragment.
1 4
<2 10
1 lead strip, possible window came or off-cut. Dimensions: 69mm x 5mm (max.) x <1mm. 4 clay tobacco pipe stem fragments (including 1 mouthpiece).
217 217 217 218 400 400 503 605 702 713 714 900 900 904 904 905
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th
th
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset, Archaeological Evaluation Project
6
Discussion and General Conclusions
Discussion Medieval The earliest archaeological deposits identified during the evaluation project were represented by masonry structures and deposits within Trenches 1 and 3 and deposits in Trench 6. Unfortunately most of these features were accompanied by a relative lack of stratified dating evidence and the following discussion, by necessity, draws on comparative and documentary evidence. It is well understood that Keynsham was an important medieval town and indeed, its origins as a settlement may well pre-date the medieval period; there is certainly a wealth of Roman remains locally, most significantly the large villa at Durley Hill and the settlement at Somerdale, both of which lie on the outskirts of the town. However, it was during the medieval period that the origins of modern day Keynsham were defined, at least in terms of the basic layout. The study area (Figure 2) lies on the corner of Temple Street and Bath Hill, in the very centre of the modern town, both of which were almost certainly medieval streets; it is also widely thought that Temple Street follows the course of a Roman road. Archaeological excavations at two sites on the western side of Temple Street (Young 2011) confirmed the presence of medieval structures and deposits close to the Study Area and the former Court House on Bath Hill, sadly demolished during the destructive redevelopments of the early 20th century, was of 15th to 16th century origin and may well have had ‘medieval antecedents’ (Corcos 2011) One of the characteristics of the 2011 excavations on the western side of Temple Street (Young 2011) was that the clay surface of the natural was littered with medieval finds and it appeared to have formed the contemporary ground surface during the medieval period. Although not as abundant, or widespread, the current evaluation found similar evidence within Trench 6, where ten sherds of medieval pottery were found within Layer 611, which may represent the heavily disturbed upper horizon of the natural clay. Trench 6 also recorded a linear stone spread (604) that filled a shallow cut in the surface of the natural clay. This deposit bore some similarity to stone spread features identified at numbers 34 to 36 Temple Street (Young 2011), which were dated as medieval. A similar stone spread (116) was revealed overlying the natural substrate in Trench 1 and was bounded to the north and south by Walls 107 and 117, both of which appeared to have been constructed directly on the surface of the natural substrate. No dating evidence was recovered for either wall or the stone spread but their physical characteristics and appearance closely resembled those of medieval features found locally elsewhere, including the excavations on the western side of Temple Street (Young ibid). This relative dating is supported stratigraphically, as Walls 107 and 117 and the stone spread (116) were all cut by Drain 106, which is dated to the earlier post-medieval period. Limestone Feature 329, in Trench 3, and associated Feature 318 also produced no direct dating evidence, but clearly pre-dated the other structural features within the trench and are considered likely to reflect medieval activity. This evidence, in conjunction with the archaeological and historical background for the immediate area, indicates that medieval structures and deposits, the former including the foundations of one or more substantial buildings, may survive at relatively shallow depth in the area of the Bath Hill frontage, the areas evaluated by Trenches 1, 2 and 3. Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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The evidence from Trenches 6 and 7, which were located to the rear of the premises that previously fronted Temple Street, raises the possibility of significant, if moderate, potential for further buried evidence of medieval settlement-related activity in the zone currently occupied by the retail premises directly fronting Temple Street. Post-Medieval Prior to their destruction in the early 20th century, the corner of Bath Hill and Temple Street was occupied by terraced properties, many of which were listed and recorded as of 17th or 18th century origin. However, Corcos (Corcos, 17) notes that listings are often carried out “only through brief, and frankly superficial external inspection. It is highly likely therefore, that many, if not most of the buildings demolished in the 1960’s and 70’s, while presenting 17th and 18th century frontages to the world, internally were in fact medieval or later medieval buildings…” The precise description of each property is contained in the listing files held at the NMR in Swindon and they do not need repetition here. The existence of the terraced properties is not debated and, indeed their locations are recorded on plan with reasonable accuracy. However, detailed assessment of their fabric, construction style and material, along with archaeological dating, is lacking and was not recovered prior to or during their demolition. With this in mind, one of the principal objectives of the evaluation was to establish the presence or absence of buried deposits and structures relating to these properties and, if present, their extent and character. Structural features and deposits relating to the properties were identified within all of the trenches (Trenches 1, 2 and 3) targeting the street front of Bath Hill and Temple Street. Structural remains of broadly similar date were also revealed in Trenches 7 and 9. The most substantial remains were those revealed in Trench 1. The large stone drain (106), although strictly undated, has close similarities with stone drains found elsewhere in Keynsham (see, for example, Young 2011), which have been dated to the 17th century and later. It is clear that Drain 106 followed the route of the Temple Street frontage and likely serviced the terraces which formerly fronted onto the street. When compared with the layout of properties shown on the 1842 tithe plan, it appears to have crossed several property boundaries; and the excavated evidence confirms that it was built as part of a phase of reorganisation and rebuilding (Wall 705 appeared to be contemporary with the drain) when at least one earlier building that previously fronted Temple Street, quite likely of medieval origin, had probably been demolished. Wall 208 in Trench 2 ran parallel with Bath Hill, some distance back from the street front. This position indicates that it may represent the rear wall of one of the terraced properties. Dating evidence from deposits associated with the wall provide a terminus ante quem of the late 19th to early 20th century origin although, by definition, this does not provide any firm date for the construction of the wall itself. It was clear that in its later arrangement the wall defined at least one boundary of an internal space, as indicated by the presence of a concrete surface (214). Whilst the structural remains in Trench 2 were clearly of late post-medieval origin, this should not be taken as evidence that the buildings to which they belong were necessarily of the same date, and it is considered entirely possible that the structures identified there may reflect an extension, possibly to the rear of a building that fronted Bath Hill.
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset, Archaeological Evaluation Project
The structural remains within Trench 3 were less substantial than those found elsewhere and the level of preservation seems to be a consequence of the 1960s construction of a large retaining wall and associated landscaping. Nonetheless, elements of the buildings that formerly fronted Bath Hill are preserved in this area, for example Wall 311, probably the remains of an internal wall, whose fabric indicates an 18th – 19th century origin. Trench 7, located to the rear of the Temple Street frontage, revealed a series of truncated features and deposits that are consistent with the features shown on the 1842 tithe map (Appendix III) and the degree of levelling and disturbance that is likely to have been undertaken to construct the present car park. The preservation of post-medieval structures and deposits in both this trench and Trench 6, increases the likelihood that further remains of similar date survive beneath the footprint of the retail premises that occupy the Temple Street frontage. Trench 9 targeted part of a limestone wall (902) that was visible at surface level within the basement of the Library. An 18th century glass bottleneck was recovered from the construction cut for the wall, which is itself consistent with the boundary wall shown at this approximate location on the 1842 tithe map (Appendix III), defining the boundary of plots 176 and 211. This, in conjunction with the sequence of deposits recorded butting the wall, appears consistent with the nature of this part of the site as indicated by the tithe map, which depicts an area to the rear of the residential properties that was principally given over to less intensive activity associated with gardens and horticulture. Archaeological deposits of post-medieval date were also located in Trenches 4, 6 and 8. The silty deposits (403, 404 and 407) in Trench 4 were all of later post-medieval date (19th to 20th century) and appeared consistent with garden soils that accumulated to the rear of the street frontage properties. In addition they indicate that there is in places a substantial depth, potentially over 1 metre, of stratification in the area of Trench 4, a factor which may well have protected earlier archaeological features such as Feature 406. However, it is also likely that modern landscaping will have truncated some of that stratigraphy within the area evaluated by Trench 4 and, accordingly, that preservation of archaeological deposits may be variable in this zone. Trench 5 was the only cutting that revealed no significant archaeological features or deposits, and indicates that landscaping works, and the construction of the revetment wall south of the trench and north of the Town Hall building, are likely to have removed any archaeological remains in that area.
General Conclusions An archaeological evaluation involving the excavation of nine trial trenches has been undertaken within the footprint of a proposed development site at Keynsham Town Hall, Keynsham. The site incorporates the 1960s Town Hall building plus a range of retail premises, areas of public open space and municipal car parking. It lies at the heart of the historic town and incorporates an area that underwent wholesale clearance of more than 30 historic properties and a range of associated ancillary buildings, all of uncertain and possibly medieval origin, prior to construction of the present complex in the 1960s. The project was designed to inform the planning process and to enable the archaeological implications of future redevelopment of the site for a new integrated retail, commercial and amenity centre, to be understood.
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset, Archaeological Evaluation Project
The nine trenches (Trenches 1 - 9) were sited at agreed locations across the study area and designed to target particular areas or structures indicated by documentary sources. The principal aim of the trenches was to establish the presence or absence of significant buried archaeological structures and deposits and, if present, to ascertain their quality, extent and archaeological significance. Trenches 1 to 5 were located in areas of public open space along the northern, Bath Hill, site frontage. With the exception of Trench 5, all these trenches revealed moderate to wellpreserved buried archaeological deposits and structures that as a whole date from the medieval and post-medieval periods. This range of preservation is best illustrated in Trench 1, where the uppermost horizon of a stratified sequence of wall foundations and a large stone culvert, along with associated deposits, the earliest elements of which are provisionally dated to the medieval period, was preserved at a depth of approximately 700mm below the modern ground surface (bmgs). Similar structures and deposits were revealed in Trenches 2, 3 and 4, although here the structures were generally preserved at shallower depth, less than 500mm bmgs. The dating evidence suggests that the majority, if not all these structures, reflect post-medieval settlement-related activity of the 18th to 20th centuries. Trenches 6, 7 and 8 were opened in the municipal car park located in the central southern portion of the study area, to the rear of the existing retail premises. Each of the trenches revealed buried archaeological deposits and structures, the majority of which were dated to the post-medieval period. Stratified features and finds of medieval date were, however, located in one of the trenches, Trench 6, which possibly represented the remains of earthfast timber structures. These deposits had, however, clearly undergone significant truncation by modern activity. The preservation of medieval and post medieval deposits in Trenches 6 and 7 raises the possibility that further deposits of similar date may survive beneath the footprint of the retail premises that currently front Temple Street, a zone along the Temple Street frontage that was previously occupied by a continuous rank of residential and commercial premises. A deeper sequence of stratified modern deposits, up to 1.9m deep in total, was revealed in Trench 8, which demonstrated the presence of deeper modern fill material overlying the natural substrate in the eastern part of the car park zone. Finds of residual medieval pottery were recovered from later contexts in this area, but the evidence from Trench 8 indicates that modern disturbance is likely to have been more extensive here than elsewhere across the site. Trench 9 was opened in the basement of the Town Hall complex, directly beneath the present Library building. It revealed a well-preserved stretch of wall foundation and a sequence of associated deposits, all of which appear to date to the post-medieval period. The wall corresponds well with a boundary feature shown on the 1842 tithe map of the area. The recovery of medieval pottery sherds from secondary contexts indicates some settlementrelated activity of that date in this part of the site. Overall, finds were surprisingly limited, with the majority represented by post-medieval, 18th to 20th century, ceramics and domestic refuse. An assemblage of medieval pottery sherds was recovered from stratified contexts in Trenches 1 and 6, and from secondary contexts elsewhere, that indicate settlement-related activity within the study area during that period.
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Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset, Archaeological Evaluation Project
On the basis of the evidence gathered during the project it is concluded that no archaeological deposits of potentially National Importance were located in the evaluation trenches. The sequence of stratified and generally shallowly buried structures and deposits located in Trenches 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 indicates a zone of moderate to high archaeological potential (see Figure 4) in the area of the Bath Hill frontage and beneath the present Library. Furthermore, the evidence from these trenches, combined with the evidence from Trenches 6 and 7 and the documentary sources, indicates some moderate potential for the area of the Temple Street frontage (see Figure 4), a part of the site currently occupied by retail premises where it was not possible to open evaluation trenches. The archaeological potential in the area of the Town Hall building and the lower part of the Bath Hill frontage, the majority of the Civic Centre car parks and part of the current retail premises is considered to be low (see Figure 4). 7
Bibliography & References
Aston, M. & Iles, R. (eds.), 1986 The Archaeology of Avon: A review from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages, Avon County Council. B&NES, undated Core Strategy Summary: Keynsham http://consultations.bathnes.gov.uk/gf2.ti/f/179842/3061701.1/pdf//4%20Core%20Strategy%20Keynsham%20web.pdf (accessed 15th Dec. 2010). Bateman, C., Enright, D., 1998 “Medieval and Post-Medieval Structures at the Victoria Methodist Church, High Street, Keynsham: Excavations in 1997”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 15, 33-43. Bateman, E., 1999 Avon Extensive Urban Survey: Archaeological Assessment Report, Keynsham, Bath and North-East Somerset Council. Beresford, M. W., Finberg, H. P. R., 1973 English Medieval Boroughs: A Hand-List, David & Charles. Blair, J., 1996 “The Minsters of the Thames”, in J. Blair and B. Golding (eds.), The cloister and the World: Essays in Medieval History Presented to Barbara Harvey, Oxford. Blair, J., 1996a “Palaces or Minsters? Northampton and Cheddar Reconsidered”, Anglo-Saxon England 25, 97-121. Blair, J., 2005 The Church in Anglo-Saxon Society, Oxford. Buchanan, A., Cossons, N., 1969 Industrial Archaeology of the Bristol Region, David & Charles. Corcos, N., 2002 The Affinities and Antecedents of Medieval Settlement: Topographical Perspectives from Three of the Somerset Hundreds, BAR British Series 337, Archaeopress. Corcos, N., 2011 Keynsham Town Hall and Land Adjacent, Temple Street, Bath and North-East Somerset, Archaeological Desk-based Assessment, Avon Archaeological Unit unpublished client report. Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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David, A., Cole, M., Horsley, T., Linford, N., Linford, P. and Martin, L. 2004 A rival to Stonehenge? Geophysical Survey at Stanton Drew, England, Antiquity vol 78, pp.341-358. DCMS 2000 Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of B&NES (Formerly Wansdyke), Formerly County of Avon, Parishes of Keynsham and Saltford, NMR, Swindon. DoE, 1990 Planning Guidance Note 16 in Archaeology and Planning, Department of the Environment, London. Dyer, C. C., 1985 “Towns and Cottages in Eleventh-Century England”, in H. Mayr-Harting and R. I. Moore (eds.), Studies in Medieval History Presented to R. H. C. Davis, 91-106. Hambledon. Dyer, C. C., 1997 “Recent developments and future prospects in research into English medieval rural settlements”, in G. de Boe and F. Verhaeghe (eds), Rural Settlements in Medieval Europe 6 , Proceedings of the 1997 Medieval Europe Conference, Bruges. English Heritage, 1991 Management of Archaeological Projects (2), HMSO London. English Heritage, 2011 Listed Buildings Online, English Heritage register of listed buildings, http://lbonline.englishheritage.org.uk/, accessed 11th January, 2011. Ellis, P., 1987 “St. John’s Keynsham: A report on small-scale excavations in 1979”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 6, 64-65. Faith, R., 1997 The English Peasantry and the Growth of Lordship. Leicester. Hoare, P. G., Sweet, C. S., 2000 “The orientation of early medieval churches in England”, Journal of Historical Geography 26, 162-173. IHR/CMH Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516, online resource of the Institute of Historical Research, Centre for Metropolitan History, http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/gaz. Leech, R., 1975 Small Medieval Towns in Avon: Archaeology and Planning. Committee for Rescue Archaeology in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset. Loveluck, C., 2007 Rural Settlement, Lifestyles and Social Change in the Later First Millennium AD: Anglo-Saxon Flixborough in its Wider Context, Oxbow. Newns, S., 1992 Back Lane, Keynsham: Archaeological Evaluation, unpublished report, Avon Archaeological Unit. Pevsner, N., 2002 The Buildings of England: North Somerset and Bristol, Yale. Prosser, L., 1995 Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
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The Keynsham Hundred: A Study of the Evolution of a North Somerset Estate, 350-1550, unpublished PhD thesis, University of Bristol. Russell, J., 1985 “The Keynsham Roman Villa and Its Hexagonal Triclinia”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 4, 612. SCAUM, 2002 Health and Safety in Field Archaeology, The Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers. Schofield, J., Vince., A., 1994 Medieval Towns. Leicester. Slater, T., 2004 “Planning English medieval ‘street towns’: the Hertfordshire evidence”, Landscape History 26, 19-35. Stokes, P., 1996 The Organisation of Landscape and Territory on the Estates of Glastonbury Abbey: A Case Study of Ditcheat and Pennard, unpublished MA thesis, Leicester. Strutt, K., 2009 Report on the Geophysical Survey at Stanton Drew, Somerset, University of Southampton School of Humanities. Archaeological Prospection Services of Southampton. Unpublished client report, SREP/4/2009. Thorn, F. and C. (eds), 1980 Domesday Book: Somerset, Phillimore. Whittock, M., 1987 “Domesday Keynsham – a retrospective examination of an old English Royal Estate”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 6, 5-10. Yorkston, D., 1996 “Excavation of a Medieval Site at Keynsham Nursery, The Park, Keynsham”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 13, 57-77. Young, C., J., 1977 Oxfordshire Roman Pottery, BAR 43, Oxford. Young, D., 2011 Archaeological Recording at two sites on Temple Street, Keynsham, Bath and North East Somerset, nos. 34/36 and 42/44, Avon Archaeological Unit unpublished client report.
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fig . 5.2
N
Fig 5.3
102
102
W. 107 0
2m
Culvert 106
W. 105
5.2) Plate 1.Trench 1: During excavation, viewed from the south
5.3) Plate 2. Trench 1: Detail of Culvert 106, viewed from the east, scale 1 x 1m
Figure 5 Trench 1: Plan and Photographs
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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5.1) Trench 1: Plan as Excavated
N
fig 6.3
W.208
Sondage 1 C.216
fig 6.2
Sondage 1
Context 202
Sondage 2 0
2m
W.213 W.213 Concrete slab 214
6.3) Plate 4. Trench 2: after excavation, viewed from the west, scale 2 x 500mm Context 202
C.214 Bedrock 207
Figure 6 Trench 2: Plan and Photographs
6.2) Plate 3. Sondage 1: detail of W. 213, viewed from the north, scale 1 x 1m
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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.1) Trench 2: Plan as Excavated
N
fig 7.3
Surface 308 fig 7.4 fig 7.2
316
317
W.311
W.313 Natural 319 0
2m
C.325
7.2) Trench 3: Southwest facing Section
C.318
7.3) Trench 3: Northwest facing Section
C.322
7.4) Plate 5. Trench 3: viewed from the northeast, scale 2 x 1m C.327
0
1m
Figure 7 Trench 3: Plan, Sections and Photograph
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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7.1) Trench 3: Plan as Excavated
N
fig 8.3
fig 8.2
Sondage 2
408
C.406 404 Sondage 1 0
2m
407 Context 402
8.3) Plate 7. Trench 4. Sondage 1: detail of C.406, viewed from the east, scale 1 x 1m
Context 408 Sondage 2
Context 403/404 Sondage 1
Context 404
8.2) Plate 6. Trench 4: after excavation, viewed from the northeast, scale 1 x 1m
Figure 8 Trench 4: Plan and Photographs
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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.1) Trench 4: Plan as Excavated
N
fig 9.2 Bedrock 505 502 503
fig 9.3 Sondage 1
0
2m
Concrete 506
C/F. 508
C/F. 507
9.2) Plate 8. Trench 5: viewed from the 9.3) Plate 9. Trench 5: viewed from the northeast, scale 2 x 1m southwest, scale 2 x 1m
Figure 9 Trench 5: Plan and Photographs
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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.1) Trench 5: Plan as Excavated
N fig 10.3 Sondage 2
C.613
Sump/ Sondage 1
fig 10.2
C.610 C.612 C.610
Postpad 614
sump Sondage 1
C.605 C.616 0
2m
Drain 604
10.2) Plate 10. Trench 6: viewed from the northwest, scale 2 x 1m
10.3) Plate 11. Detail of Cut 613, viewed from the southwest, scale 2 x 1m
Figure 10 Trench 6: Plan and Photographs
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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.1) Trench 6: Plan as Excavated
N
Context 705
C.712
fig 11.2
C.706 710 0
2m
C.716
11.2) Plate 12. Trench 7: viewed from the southeast, scale 2 x 1m
Figure 11 Trench 7: Plan and Photograph
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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.1) Trench 7: Plan as Excavated
N
fig 12.3
fig 12.2
0
2m
Context 803
12.2) Plate 13. Trench 8 after initial cleaning, viewed from the northeast, scale 2 x 1m Context 803
12.3) Plate 14: during excavation, viewed from the southeast
Figure 12 Trench 8: Plan and Photographs
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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12.1) Trench 8: Plan as Excavated
N
fig .13.3
fig .13.2
13.2) W.902, Southwest facing Section
Sondage 1
0
0
1m
13.3) Plate 15: Detail of W.902, viewed from the west, scale 2 x 500mm
2m
Figure 13 Trench 9: Plan, Section and Photograph
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
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13.1) Trench 9: Plan as Excavated
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
Appendix I Table 1: Catalogue of the Ceramic Assemblage Context
Count
115
2
Weight (g.) 6
202
9
212
204
2
10
215
4
80
217
14
350
218
3
16
300
3
14
324
4
158
326
3
86
328
4
174
400
17
232
403
1
<2
404
2
16
1 glazed Somerset redware rim sherd, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 1 Bristol/Staffordshire yellow slipware body sherd with brown slip decoration, 1650-1800 (BPT 100).
500
4
262
1 modern white ware glazed wall tile sherd; 2 modern stoneware water pipe sherds; 1 North Devon gravel-tempered pancheon rim sherd, 1600-1800 (BPT 112).
Description 2 conjoining micaceous medieval fine ware base sherds, externally oxidised. 3 modern ceramic building material sherds; 1 glazed Somerset redware base sherd, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 4 transfer-printed ware sherds (2 base, 2 body, 1770 onwards, BPT 278); 1 blue shell edge pearlware rim sherd, 1780-1890 (Gutierrez 2007, 630, fabric A33, BPT 202); 1 plain white china body sherd, 1770 onwards (BPT 202). th 1 glazed white china body sherd, 18 century onwards (BPT 202); th 1 glazed white china rim sherd with hand-painted blue rim, 18 century onwards (BPT 202). 2 modern ceramic building material sherds; 1 glazed Somerset redware base sherd, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 1 medieval earthenware base sherd, cooking/storage vessel, grey fabric, buff surfaces, frequent lime/shell inclusions, occasional quartz. 7 glazed Somerset redware sherds (1 base, 6 body, 1550-1800, BPT 285); 2 modern ceramic building material sherds; 3 bone china sherds (2 base, 1 rim, 1770 onwards, ?BPT 202); 1 hand-painted pearlware rim sherd, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 1 possible late medieval/early post medieval? oxidised earthenware sherd with cordon rim (?sugar-refining ware?) 1 glazed Somerset redware body sherd, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); th 2 glazed white bone china rim sherds, 18 century onwards (?BPT 202). 1 Bristol/Staffordshire yellow combed slipware body sherd, 16501800, (BPT 100); 1 glazed Somerset redware body sherd, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 1 probably burnt transfer print white ware rim sherd, 1770 onwards (BPT 278). 2 modern ceramic building material sherds; 2 modern stoneware water pipe sherds. 2 modern ceramic building material sherds; 1 basal angle sherd, medieval glazed fineware jug fabric th th (?possible Redcliffe ware, 13 -15 century, BPT 118). 1 modern glazed ceramic wall tile sherd; 1 modern ceramic building material sherd; 1 modern stoneware water pipe sherd; th th 1 modern redware body sherd, (?18 /19 century, ?BPT 264). 1 ceramic building material sherd (modern); th 3 flower pot rim sherds, 18 century onwards (BPT 201); 1 glazed Somerset redware body sherd, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 2 possible white stoneware sherds (1 rim, 1 body with transferprint, 1835 onwards, BPT 200); 1 possible bone china base sherd with foot-ring and gilded th decoration, 19 century (Gutierrez 2007, 630, ?BPT 202); 2 transfer print body sherds, 1770 onwards (BPT 278); 1 white china body sherd with green and amber-coloured glaze, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 6 porcelain sherds (2 plain rims, 1 plain base, 2 over-glaze gilded rims, 1 over-glaze painted rim (modern), 1770s onwards (Gutierrez 2007, 630, BPT 203). th 1 white ware (?handle) sherd, 18 century onwards (BPT 202).
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
Ceramic date medieval th
th
th
th
19 /20 century
19 /20 century
modern
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
19 /20 century
18 /19 century 18 /19 century
19 /20 century th th 19 /20 century modern
th
th
19 /20 century
Probably th th 19 /20 century th th 17 /18 century th
20 century
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
503
3
40
600
4
50
611
10
210
702
13
168
709 710
2 4
186 12
713
10
292
714
2
10
800
3
8
900
16
364
2 transfer-printed white ware sherds (1 rim, 1 body), 1770 onwards, BPT 278); 1 under-glaze hand-painted porcelain basal angle sherd, ?English porcelain, 1770 onwards (BPT 203). 1 plain white china body sherd, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 1 glazed Somerset redware body sherd, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 1 medieval cooking/storage vessel sherd, dark grey fabric basal angle, micaceous with quartz temper; 1 medieval cooking/storage vessel body sherd, grey fabric, buff surfaces, micaceous, quartz temper. 10 medieval earthenware cooking/storage vessel sherds (5 base, 1 basal angle, 4 body). Sherds have external (and internal) sooting, grey fabric with frequent quartz temper and rare flint temper (similar to Eckweek fabric type 5, Young forthcoming). 1 ceramic building material sherd (modern); 2 unglazed modern redware body sherds (poss. flowerpot) (BPT 201/264); 1 blue shell edge pearlware rim sherd, 1780-1890 (Gutierrez 2007, 630, fabric A33; BPT 202); 2 hand-painted pearlware base sherds, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 1 underglaze hand-painted china body sherd, blue, brown and white bands around rim, manganese decoration below, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 3 plain white ware body sherds, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 1 transfer print body sherd 1770 onwards (BPT 278); 1 tea/coffee ware upright rim sherd in glazed red earthenware with white slip line on rim and white sprigged decoration (poss. th “Astbury ware”, 18 century, Draper 1984, 40, 41); th th 1 modern English glazed stoneware body sherd, 18 /19 century (BPT 200). 2 modern ceramic building material sherds. 1 upright rim with white slip decoration, red glazed earthenware th (possible “Astbury ware”, 18 century, Draper 1984, 40, 41); 1 transfer printed ware body sherd, 1770 onwards (BPT 278); 1 plain pearlware base sherd, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 1 moulded white china rim sherd with external brown slip, 1770 onwards (BPT 202). th th 2 modern redware sherds (1 body, 1 rim, ?BPT 264, 18 /19 century); 2 glazed Somerset redware base sherds, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); th th 1 English brown stoneware rim sherd of handled vessel, 17 -19 century (BPT 277); 3 transfer-printed white ware sherds (2 rim, 1 base, 1770 onwards, BPT 278); 2 white ware base sherds, 1770 onwards (BPT 202). th 1 white china base sherd, 18 century onwards (BPT 202); 1 blue shell edge pearlware rim sherd, 1780-1890 (Gutierrez 2007, 630, fabric A33; BPT 202). 1 medieval earthenware body sherd with traces of translucent green glaze, some external sooting; 1 medieval earthenware body sherd in light grey fabric, buff surfaces, micaceous, some external sooting; 1 fine ware glazed jug fabric body sherd (possibly Ham Green tth th ware, 12 -13 century, BPT 26/27). 5 miscellaneous redware sherds (including 2 conjoining rims of handled vessel, 1 unglazed base, 1 unglazed body and 1 partially glazed ribbed body), 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 1 possible Bristol-type stoneware body sherd (Gutierrez 2007, 633, no.M427, 19th century, BPT 200); 1 Bristol/Staffordshire yellow slipware body sherd, partially glazed, 1650-1800 (BPT 100); 2 English porcelain rim sherds, gilded (Gutierrez 2007, 630, fabric A22, 1760s onwards, BPT 203); 1 modern printed porcelain base sherd (Gutierrez 2007, 630, fabric A53, BPT 203); 1 transfer printed white ware plate rim sherd, 1770 onwards (BPT 278); 2 plain white ware body sherds, 1770 onwards (BPT 202); 1 medieval earthenware base sherd, light grey fabric, buff surfaces, remnants of translucent green glaze; 1 later medieval glazed fineware jug fabric (possible Ham Green th th fabric A, 12 -13 century, BPT 26); th 1 glazed stoneware bottle neck and rim, probable ink bottle, 19 century (Gutierrez 2007, 633, BPT 200).
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
th
th
19 /20 century th
?18 /19 century
th
th
th
12 -13 century th
19 century
th
th
19 /20 C th th 19 /20 century
th
19 century
th
19 century
medieval
th
19 century
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
905
10
116
906
8
106
908
3
14
5 glazed Somerset redware sherds (2 base, 1 body, 2 rims with white slip decoration), 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 1 late medieval glazed fine ware jug fabric body sherd (probably th th Ham Green ware, 12 -13 century, BPT 26/27); 4 conjoining base sherds of Bristol/Staffordshire yellow slipware with brown slip decoration, 1650-1800 (BPT 100). 1 possible ceramic building material sherd (undated); 1 basal angle sherd of redware colander, 1550-1800 (BPT 285); 1 later medieval fine ware jug basal angle sherd with external thth glaze and frilled base (possible Redcliffe ware, 13 15 century, BPT 118); 1 later medieval fineware body sherd, jug fabric with external green glaze and incised line decoration (possible Minety ware, th th 12 -15 century, BPT 18); 1 probable medieval coarseware base sherd, pale grey fabric, buff surfaces; 1 upright rim of probable medieval cooking/storage vessel, pale grey fabric, pinkish surfaces, slightly micaceous; 1 base sherd of medieval cooking/storage vessel, internally oxidised, micaceous. 1 medieval earthenware rim sherd, grey fabric, oxidised surfaces, with flint, lime and dark grey inclusions; 2 conjoining possible Bath “A” ware body sherds, internally oxidised, large flint inclusions, 1150-1250 (BPT 46).
th
18 century
th
th
th
th
18 /19 century
12 -14 century
Summary Total sherd count: 160. Total weight: 3192g. Total medieval sherd count: 31. Total unstratified sherd count: 57.
Bibliography Brooks, C.M., 1983. “Aspects of the Sugar-Refining Industry from the 16th to the 19th century”, Post-medieval Archaeology 17, 1-14. Burchill, R. and Jackson, R. “Pottery” in “Archaeological Work at 22-25 Queen Square and 42-44 Welsh Back, Bristol, 2002-2006”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 23, 23-33. Draper, J., 1984. Post-Medieval Pottery 1650-1800. Shire Archaeology no.40, Princes Risborough. Good, G.L. and Russett, V.E.J., 1987. “Common Types of Earthenware Found in the Bristol Area”, Bristol and Avon Archaeology 6, 35-43. Gutierrez, A., 2007. “Medieval and Later Pottery” in C.Gerrard and M.Aston, The Shapwick Project, Somerset. A Rural Landscape Explored, The Society for Medieval Archaeology, Monograph 25, 601-671. Young, A.C., forthcoming. “Eckweek Shrunken Medieval Settlement, Peasedown St John, Somerset, Archaeological Survey and Excavations, 1987-88”. Forthcoming report.
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited – June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
Appendix II Summarised Harris Matrices
Trench 1
Trench 2
Trench 3
Trench 4 Avon Archaeological Unit Limited - June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
Trench 5
Keynsham Town Hall & Land Adjacent, Keynsham, Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
Appendix II (cont.)
Trench 6
Trench 7
Trench 8
Avon Archaeological Unit Limited - June 2012 BATRM 2012.14
Trench 9
Keynsham Town Hall and Land Adjacent, Keynsham Bath & NE Somerset Archaeological Evaluation Project
NGR ST 6550
Ba th
NGR ST 6840
Hil
l
Te m p
Library
e le Str et
1:500 scale
0
5m
