cattle market road bristol - cotswold archaeology · 2014. 10. 29. · t4 t2 t3 t1 stsststt 723 599...

CATTLE MARKET ROAD BRISTOL

PROGRAMME OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING

MARCH 2005

For

WESSEX WATER ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TEAM

CA REPORT: 05004

CATTLE MARKET ROAD BRISTOL

PROGRAMME OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING

CA PROJECT: 1868 CA REPORT: 05004

Author: Derek Evans

Approved:

Signed:

Simon Cox

…………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 4 MARCH 2004

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

© Cotswold Archaeology

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

Cattle Market Road, Bristol: Programme of Archaeological Recording

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CONTENTS

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

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

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

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

Geotechnical trenches (Trenches 1-3)................................................................. 6 Sewer shaft (Trench 4) ........................................................................................ 6

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS................................................................... 7

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 7

5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 7

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS..................................................................... 8

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

Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:500)


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SUMMARY

Site Name: Cattle Market Road Location: Bristol NGR: ST 59937 72289 Type: Programme of archaeological recording Date: 15-29 November 2004 Location of Archive: To be deposited with Bristol City Museum Accession no. 2004/77 Site Code: CMB 04

A programme of archaeological recording was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA)

during groundworks associated with a sewer upgrading programme at Cattle Market Road,

Bristol.

No features or deposits of archaeological interest were recorded and no artefactual material

predating the modern period was recovered. This may have been due to the nature of the

groundworks, which restricted archaeological observation.


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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In November 2004 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out a programme of

archaeological recording at the request of Wessex Water Environmental Services

Team (WWEST) at Cattle Market Road, Bristol (centred on NGR: ST 59937 72289;

Fig. 1).

1.2 The programme of archaeological recording formed part of a sewer upgrading

programme, which constitutes permitted development. It was requested by WWEST

acting on the advice of the Bristol City Archaeologist, Mr Bob Jones. The objective of

the programme of archaeological recording was to record any archaeological

remains exposed during the development.

1.3 The archaeological fieldwork was carried out in accordance with a written scheme of

investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2004) and approved by WWEST acting on the

advice of Bob Jones. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an

Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999).

The site

1.4 The site is presently open public ground bisected by a foot/cycle path. It is bounded

to the north by Cattle Market Road and to the south by the River Avon (Fig. 2).

1.5 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Estuarine Alluvium (BGS 1962).

Archaeological background

1.6 The 18th century Roque Plan of Bristol shows the site on the north bank of the River

Avon within the large, enclosed fields of Temple Meads. No buildings are marked.

Later industrial development of the area saw the recutting of the Avon’s channel and

the construction of the Floating Harbour system (completed in 1809). The general

area of the site was now occupied by Totterdown Lock (SMR 767M), a canal lock

linking the junction of the Floating Harbour and the Feeder Canal with the new cut of

the River Avon.


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1.7 A stone-built bridge (SMR 768M) crossed Totterdown Lock at the northern limit of

the site, connecting Cattle Market Road and the road now known as Feeder Road.

John Plumley and George Ashmead’s 1828 plan of Bristol records a tollgate at this

bridge, which also served as a lock keeper’s cottage (SMR 3700). The lock was

infilled during the Second World War and the tollgate was demolished in 1966.

1.8 Limekilns are known to have stood immediately to the east of the site (SMR 4816).

These were extant by 1792 and are recorded on Plumley and Ashmead’s 1828 plan.

They had been demolished by the time of the Ordnance Survey (OS) first edition

(1883), which shows a stone yard (SMR 21084) occupying the land. The OS map

records the stone yard as a walled enclosure with small buildings on the northern

and western sides. The entrance to the yard was off Victoria Road, and a second

gateway on the south side gave access to fever and smallpox hospitals (SMR 21086

and 21087).

Methodology

1.9 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2004). An

archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks, which comprised the

mechanical excavation of a series of geotechnical trial trenches (Trenches 1-3) and

a new sewer shaft (Trench 4; Fig. 2). The shaft was sunk by mechanically forcing a

concrete ring of 6m inner diameter into the ground, with the displaced earth being

removed from the centre of the ring by mechanical excavator. The excavation

methods and depth of groundworks involved precluded close examination of the

stratigraphic sequence by the CA archaeologist and description of the stratigraphy

by CA’s geoarchaeology consultant as provided for under the WSI.

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

Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

1.11 Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the finds and site archive will be

deposited with Bristol City Museum under accession number 2004/77.


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2. RESULTS (Fig. 2)

2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of

the recorded contexts are to be found in Appendix 1. Due to health and safety

concerns involving the deep and unstable nature of the excavations, all given

dimensions are approximations only.

Geotechnical trenches (Trenches 1-3)

2.2 Grey-blue alluvial clay was encountered 3.5m below the present ground level

(BPGL). This was sealed by up to 2m of brown alluvial clay, which was in turn

covered in Trenches 2 and 3 by a 1.3m thick deposit of ash/coal dust containing

common red brick and sandstone fragments and some slag (202/302). In Trench 1,

the brown alluvial clay was sealed by 1m of dark grey ashy clay, 103, which was

then covered by 0.8m of ash/coal dust layer 102. This ashy material was sealed in

all three trenches by the modern concrete surface.

Sewer shaft (Trench 4)

2.3 The methodology employed in the excavation of Trench 4 limited the amount of

archaeological observation and recording possible (see ‘Methodology,’ above). The

concrete ring obscured the stratigraphic sequence, and the great depth of the shaft

meant that CA staff were not permitted within 2m of the edge of excavation.

Although sunk to a maximum depth of 12m BPGL, only the excavation of the initial

7m was monitored archaeologically. All dimensions given are approximations only.

2.4 Grey-brown alluvial clay 405 lay at 5m BPGL. This was sealed by 1.5m of grey-blue

alluvial clay 404, which was in turn covered by 2m of brown alluvial clay 403.

Overlying this was a 1.3m thick deposit of ash/coal dust 402, containing common

red brick and sandstone fragments and some slag, which was itself sealed by the

modern concrete surface.

2.5 No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during

groundworks and, despite visual scanning of spoil, no artefactual material pre-dating

the modern period was recovered.


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3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

3.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological

background above), the programme of archaeological recording identified no

archaeological remains within the area of observed groundworks. This absence of

archaeological deposits may indicate that structural remains associated with the

industrial development of the area do not extend as far as the current works. The

stone-built bridge (SMR 768) and associated tollgate (SMR 3700) were probably

sited to the north of the present excavations.

3.2 Additionally, the method employed to sink the new sewer shaft (see ‘Methodology,’

above) greatly limited the amount of archaeological observation which could take

place, although it is considered likely that structural remains would have been

identified should any have been present.

3.3 The layer of ash/coal dust containing slag, red brick and sandstone found

throughout the site would appear to be a make-up deposit comprised of modern

local industrial waste.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

4.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Derek Evans, who also compiled this report. The

illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled by Derek

Evans, and prepared for deposition by Sam Inder. The project was managed for CA

by Simon Cox.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1962 1:50,000 Geological Survey of Great Britain

(England and Wales): Bristol District (Parts of Sheets 250, 251, 264, 265, 280, 281)

2nd impression

CA 2004 Cattle Market Road, Bristol: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological

Watching Brief


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APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 Max. depth: 4m (NB: All dimensions are approximations) 101 Modern concrete surface. Depth 0.2m 102 Dark grey-black ash/coal dust with common red brick and sandstone and some slag. Depth 0.8m 103 Dark grey-black sandy ashy clay. Depth 1m 104 Mid brown alluvial clay. Depth 1.5m 105 Mid grey-blue clay. Depth >0.5m Trench 2 Max. depth: 4.4m (NB: All dimensions are approximations) 201 Modern concrete surface. Depth 0.2m 202 Dark grey-black ash/coal dust with common red brick and sandstone and some slag. Depth 1.3m 203 Mid brown alluvial clay. Depth 2m 204 Mid grey-blue clay. Depth >0.9m Trench 3 Max. depth: 2m (NB: All dimensions are approximations) 301 Modern concrete surface. Depth 0.2m 302 Dark grey-black ash/coal dust with common red brick and sandstone and some slag. Depth 1.3m 303 Mid brown alluvial clay. Depth >0.5m Trench 4 Monitored to 7m depth; max. depth: 12m (NB: All dimensions are approximations) 401 Modern concrete surface. Depth 0.2m 402 Dark grey-black ash/coal dust with common red brick and sandstone and some slag. Depth 1.3m 403 Mid brown alluvial clay. Depth 2m 404 Mid grey-blue clay. Depth 1.5m 405 Grey/blue/brown clay. Depth >2m

Bristol

SCALE PROJECT NO.

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

N

FIGURE NO.

0 2.5km

Site

Cattle Market Road, Bristol

Site location plan

1:25,000@A4 1868

Reproduced from the 1997 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permissionof Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust AL50196A c

1

T4

T2

T3

T1

STSTSTST

723

599

SCALE PROJECT NO.

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

N

FIGURE NO.

0 50m

observed groundworks

trench not monitored

Cattle Market Road, Bristol

The site, showing location ofgroundworks

1:500@A4 1868

Reproduced from the 2005 Ordnance Survey Superplan map with the permissionof Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust AL50196A c

2

1868 cattle market road, bristol report cover.pdf1868 cattle market road, bristol WB report 05004.pdf1868 Cattle Market Road Bristol Fig 1 [Converted].pdf1868 Cattle Market Road Bristol Fig 2 [Converted].pdf

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