Holy Brook Culvert, Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire
An Archaeological Watching Brief
For Arlington Property Investors
by Steve Ford
Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd
Site Code HCR 04/81
April 2005 Summary
Site name: Holy Brook Culvert, Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire
Grid reference: SU 7140 7320
Site activity: Watching Brief
Date and duration of project: 28th October 2004 to 10th February 2005
Project manager: Steve Ford
Site supervisors: Helen Moore and Jennifer Lowe
Site code: HCR04/81
Summary of results: The watching brief component of the project recorded the exposed outer surface of the culvert arch and a small part of the construction cut and outer wall surface. No earlier phases of culvert construction were revealed. There was no dating evidence available to contradict a 19th-century date of construction at least for the culvert roof. The building recording component of the project photographically recorded the interior fabric of the culvert.
Monuments identified: Culvert
Location and reference of archive: The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with Reading Museum in due course.
This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder
Report edited/checked by: Jennifer Lowe9 25.04.05 Steve Preston9 25.04.05
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Holy Brook Culvert, Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire An Archaeological Watching Brief
by Steve Ford and Helen Moore
Report 04/81
Introduction
This report documents the results of an archaeological watching brief carried out on the Holy Brook Culvert,
Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire (SU 7140 7320) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Mr Ian Lewis of
Fenland Hydrotech, 7 Chancery Lane, Thrapston, Kettering, Northants, NN14 4JL on behalf of Arlington
Property Investors.
Listed building consent has been granted by Reading Borough Council for repairs to the culvert containing the Holy Brook which is a listed building (grade II*). The consent was subject to a condition relating to archaeology, which requires an archaeological watching brief and building recording to be carried out during repair works involving the replacement of fallen stones and strengthening the overlying deposits in places. This is in accordance with the Department of the Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance, Planning and the Historic
Environment (PPG15 1994) and Archaeology and Planning (PPG16 1990) and the Borough’s policies on archaeology and historic buildings. The field investigation was carried out to a specification approved by Dr
Diane Green, Historic Buildings Inspector at English Heritage. The fieldwork was undertaken by Helen Moore,
Jennifer Lowe and Steve Ford between October 2004 and February 2005 and the site code is HCR04/81.
The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited at
Reading Museum in due course.
Location, topography and geology
The Holy Brook is located on the margins of the historic core of Reading town centre (Figs 1, 2). Reading is located on a ridge formed between the River Thames to the north and the River Kennet to the south and the site lies on the margins of the Kennet floodplain. The underlying geology is alluvium (BGS 1947) which was observed in the watching brief though chalk bedrock is likely to be present nearby. This stretch of the Holy
Brook, south of the town centre, is mostly culverted. The site lies at height of c.40m above Ordnance Datum.
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Archaeological background
The Holy Brook is the most northerly of a series of braided channels that occupy the floor of the Kennet Valley.
In common with the other channels close to the town, it has been extensively managed since at least medieval times and this has been documented archaeologically at several locations, with evidence of timber and stone revetments and earthwork embankments (Hawkes and Fasham 1997; Pine in press). A section of the Brook to the south-west of Reading at Coley appears to have been managed as early as mid-Saxon times (Terry 1997, 59).
At its eastern end, it was, from medieval times until relatively recently (1959) utilized for the watermill at the
Abbey (Slade 2001). The present water level within the section of culvert under study here is higher than that of the Kennet to the south suggesting an artificial creation of a head of water for milling.
The earliest cartographic sources, such as that of the Siege of Reading in 1643 (Slade 2001, fig. 5), show the Holy Brook in an open channel, yet by 1802 (Fig. 3) parts of the brook had been culverted, and more so by
1838 (Fig. 4). In 1802 the section within the study area immediately adjacent to Bridge Street was still an open channel but was culverted further to the west. Farwell’s (1997, 53) suggestion that stone taken from the Abbey after the Dissolution was used to roof the culvert west of Bridge Street as early as the 16th century (probably after 1560; cf, Slade 2001, 30) is incompatible with the cartographic evidence, but parts of it had certainly been roofed by 1802.
Extensive fieldwork prior to redevelopment of the former Courage Brewery site west of Bridge Street included recording of the Holy Brook culvert, and partly included sections within our study area (Farwell 1997).
This detailed work included lateral and a longitudinal profiles and illustrations of decorated stone and stone with masons’ marks (Farwell 1997, figs 39–40). The culvert is of variable profile and construction with widths varying from 3.3m to 3.5m and heights of 1.4m–2m being recorded (Farwell 1997, fig. 40).
Results
The fieldwork comprised two components: an archaeological watching brief during removal of overburden to expose the top of the culvert, and; photographic recording of the structure itself. Repairs were to take place on two sections: the eastern section 10m in length which involved removal of overlying deposits; and the western section, 35m in length where work was internal (Fig. 2).
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The watching brief
The watching brief was carried out on the eastern section. This initially comprised observation of the digging of a test pit which was eventually extended into an L-shaped plan across the northern and eastern margins of the main area (Fig. 2). Beneath the modern paving slabs, bedding sand and scalpins, an extensive slab of concrete was revealed with one drain joining the culvert from the north. This slab was c. 0.65m below the current ground level. The test pit on the southern side was dug to a depth of 2.65m at which the level of the culvert wall was exposed (the top of the culvert dome was higher at a depth of c. 1.7m). The lower levels exposed humic blue/grey sandy clay alluvium with brick, clay pipe and shell, etc, from the upper levels.
The full extent of the area was then dug and the concrete slab was broken out to reveal further overburden above a domed concrete cap to the culvert (Plate 1). The concrete cap was absent on the eastern part of the area and removal of overburden revealed the stone forming the culvert arch. Forming the southern margin of the excavation area was a brick wall of a 19th-century building basement above a gravel founding layer above alluvium. Aligned along the arch of the culvert was a second parallel brick wall foundation comprising a course of headers with stretchers above. This lay above overburden approximately 0.3m above the culvert stonework. A drain with a concrete surround joined the culvert obliquely from the north-west and traversed the brick footing on the arch top. At the eastern margin of the area the stone part of the culvert butted a brick part, but this was largely obscured beneath the baulk (Plate 2). The current access to this section of the culvert was via a square, brick-built manhole and this was exposed following the overburden removal. A second pipe encased in concrete at the western end of the area joined the culvert obliquely from the north-east.
The culvert arch was well constructed of limestone blocks typically up to 0.25m square in plan which were well laid tightly against each other. None of the exposed stone was obviously decorated. The southern side wall was also partly exposed to a depth of two courses and this was rather more roughly constructed of both limestone and brick in stretcher pattern (Plate 2).
The building recording
The building recording component of the project comprised a photographic record of the interior of the culvert to augment the previously recorded information (Farwell 1997) and to record any alterations that may have taken place in the interim. The repair work comprised the replacement of stones fallen from the roof and repointing as necessary.
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The internal repair works involved relatively minor alterations to the fabric of the culvert and no major changes to the structure took place. All of the distinctive features recorded in the previous survey were re- identified with specific decorated or marked stones and the distinctive ribbed roof noted. Gang junctions between the different segments of brick- and limestone-built culvert were noted, as was the arch carrying the road over Bridge Street. The survey was carried out 90m from the entry point (Fig. 2) to the open section of culvert on the eastern side of Bridge Street, a distance of some 62m.
The photographic archive is detailed in Appendix 1 and comprises 44 colour slides, 40 colour prints and 44 black and white prints (contact sheet). A small selection of views of the interior of the culvert are shown in
Plates 3 and 4.
Finds
No finds other than occasional fragments of modern pottery and clay pipe (not retained) were noted in the made ground and disturbed deposits for the watching brief.
Conclusion
The cartographic study indicated that the culvert stonework, or at the very least the roof, was constructed in relatively recent times (19th century). The watching brief has not revealed any finds or deposits to disagree with this interpretation and no deposits were identified to indicate earlier culvert structures such as made from timber.
The building recording component of the project comprised a photographic record of the interior fabric of the culvert.
References BGS, 1947, British Geological Survey, 1:63,360, Sheet 267, Drift Edition, Keyworth Farwell, D, 1997, ‘Bridge Street West (W122)’, in J W Hawkes and P J Fasham, Excavations on Reading waterfront sites, 1979–88, Wessex Archaeol Rep 5, Salisbury, 52–5 Pine, J, in press, ‘Excavations of a medieval building, reclamation deposits and other features at the rear of 31– 37 Castle Street, Reading’, in (ed) S Preston, Reading and Windsor: Old and New. Excavations 1995–2002, Thames Valley Archaeological Services monogr 7, Reading PPG15, 1994, Planning and the historic environment, Dept of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance 15, HMSO PPG 16, 1990, Archaeology and Planning, Dept of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance 16, HMSO Slade, C, 2001, The Town of Reading and its Abbey, Reading Terry, J, 1997, ‘Coley Park Farm (W120)’, in J W Hawkes and P J Fasham, Excavations on Reading waterfront sites, 1979–88, Wessex Archaeol Rep 5, Salisbury, 59–61
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Appendix 1: Photographic Catalogue
1A: Colour Slides Number Subject 1 Detail of brick arch and stone wall 2 Detail of brick arch and stone wall 3 Detail of ribbed roof 4 Detail of ribbed roof 5 General shot ribbed roof 6 Detail of ribbed roof showing missing stone 7 Detail of ribbed roof showing missing stone 8 Wall (limestone) with single brick course 9 Wall (limestone) with single brick course 10 General shot of roof stones, showing mason’s marks 11 General shot of roof stones 12 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 13 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 15 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stones 15 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stones 16 Detail of wall stonework 17 Detail of wall stonework 18 General shot of wall showing brickwork patch 19 General shot of wall showing brickwork patch 20 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stones 21 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stones 22 General shot of roof stones 23 General shot of roof, showing reused decorated stonework and stones with mason’s marks 24 General shot of roof, showing reused decorated stonework and stones with mason’s marks 25 Detailed shot of roof, showing repair or blocking 26 Detailed shot of roof, showing repair or blocking 27 Detailed shot of wall, showing various reused decorated stonework 28 Detailed shot of wall, showing various reused decorated stonework 29 Detailed shot of wall, showing various reused decorated stonework 30 General shot of culvert looking west showing stonework 31 General shot of culvert looking west showing stonework 32 Detailed shot of reused decorated stonework 33 Detailed shot of brick arch above stone wall 34 Detail of ribbed roof 35 Detail of ribbed roof 36 General shot ribbed roof 37 General shot ribbed roof 38 General shot ribbed roof, wall and brick arch 39 General shot ribbed roof and junction with brick arch 40 General shot ribbed roof 41 General shot ribbed roof 42 General shot ribbed roof and wall 43 Detail of wall (limestone) with single brick course 44 Detail of wall (limestone) with single brick course
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1B: Colour Prints Number Subject 1 Detail of ribbed roof showing missing stone 2 Detail of ribbed roof showing missing stone 3 General shot, ribbed roof looking east 4 General shot looking east 5 General shot, ribbed roof looking south east 6 General shot, ribbed roof and brick arch looking east 7 Detail of wall (limestone) with single brick course 8 Detail of wall (limestone) with single brick course 9 Wall and roof brickwork 10 Wall and roof brickwork 11 Detail of junction between ribbed roof and brick arch 12 Detail of junction between ribbed roof and brick arch 13 Detail of ribbed roof 14 Detail of ribbed roof showing missing stone 15 General shot, ribbed roof, limestone wall and brick course 16 General shot, ribbed roof, limestone wall and brick course 17 General shot of roof stones, showing mason’s marks 18 General shot of roof stones 19 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 20 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 21 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 22 Detail of wall stonework 23 General shot of roof stones, showing mason’s mark 24 General shot of wall showing brickwork patch 25 General shot of wall, showing various reused decorated stonework 26 Detailed shot of wall, showing various reused decorated stonework 27 Detailed shot of wall and roof 28 General shot of roof, showing reused decorated stonework and stones with mason’s marks 29 General shot of roof, showing reused decorated stonework and stones with mason’s marks 30 Detailed shot of roof, showing repair or blocking 31 Detailed shot of roof, showing repair or blocking 32 Detailed shot of wall, showing various reused decorated stonework 33 Detailed shot of wall and roof 34 Detailed shot of wall and roof 35 General shot of culvert looking west showing gang junction between brickwork 36 General shot of culvert looking west showing gang junction between brickwork 37 General shot of culvert looking west showing stonework 38 General shot of culvert looking west showing stonework 39 Detailed shot of reused decorated stonework 40 Detailed shot of brick arch above stone wall
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1C: Black and White (contact sheet) Number Subject 1 Detail of ribbed roof showing missing stone 2 Detail of ribbed roof showing missing stone 3 General shot, ribbed roof looking east 4 General shot, ribbed roof looking east 5 General shot, ribbed roof and wall looking south east 6 General shot, ribbed roof looking north east 7 General shot, ribbed roof looking south east 8 General shot, ribbed roof looking north east 9 Detail of wall (limestone) with single brick course 10 Detail of wall (limestone) with single brick course 11 Detail of junction between ribbed roof and brick arch 12 Detail of junction between ribbed roof and brick arch 13 Detail of ribbed roof 14 Detail of ribbed roof showing fallen stone 15 Detail of ribbed roof 16 Detail of ribbed roof 17 Detail of junction between ribbed roof and wall 18 Detail of junction between ribbed roof and wall 19 Detail of wall stonework 20 Detail of wall stonework 21 Detailed shot of reused decorated stonework 22 Detailed shot of reused decorated stonework 23 Detailed shot of reused decorated stonework 24 Detailed shot of reused decorated stonework 25 Detailed shot of wall 26 Detailed shot of wall 27 General shot of wall showing brickwork patch 28 General shot of wall showing brickwork patch 29 Detailed shot of wall 30 Detailed shot of wall 31 Detailed shot of wall 32 Detail of wall showing mason’s mark 33 Detail of wall showing mason’s mark 34 Detailed shot of roof, showing repair or blocking 35 Detailed shot of roof, showing repair or blocking 36 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 37 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 38 General shot of roof stones, showing reused decorated stone 39 General shot of culvert looking west showing gang junction between brickwork 40 General shot of culvert looking west showing gang junction between brickwork 41 General shot of culvert looking west showing stonework 42 General shot of culvert looking west showing stonework 43 Detailed shot of reused decorated stonework 44 Detailed shot of brick arch above stone wall
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SITE
73000
SU72000 HCR04/81 Holy Brook Culvert, Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire, 2005, Archaeological Watching Brief
Figure 1. Location of site within Reading and Berkshire.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey SU 77 SW at 1:5000. Ordnance Survey Licence 100025880 building recording
73200
watching brief
internal repairs
73100
SU71300 71400
HCR04/81 Holy Brook Culvert, Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire, 2005, Archaeological Watching Brief
Figure 2. Plan of site 2004 showing areas of watching brief and internal photographic recording.
Scale: 1:1000 SITE
HCR04/81 Holy Brook Culvert, Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire, 2005, Archaeological Watching Brief
Figure 3. Coates’map of Reading, 1802. SITE
HCR04/81 Holy Brook Culvert, Bridge Street, Reading, Berkshire, 2005, Archaeological Watching Brief
Figure 4. Tithe map of St Mary’s, Reading, 1838. Plate 1. Watching brief area looking west; scale: 1m.
Plate 2. Watching brief area looking north: scales: 1m, and 0.3m.
HCR04/81 Plate 3. General view of culvert looking west.
Plate 4. General view of wall and ribbed arch of culvert: scale: 1m.
HCR04/81