2019

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AT APPLETREE AVENUE, DINAS, , CYNON TAF

Cardiff Archaeological Consultants Jean-Yves Robic, MCIfA Project 2018-019 March 2019 Report 2019-03 Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy,

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AT APPLETREE AVENUE, DINAS, TONYPANDY, RHONDDA CYNON TAF

Planning Permission:

15/1621/10 Condition 11

Project 2018-019

Report 2019-03

Prepared by J.-Y. Robic, MCIfA

For

WRW Construction Ltd

March 2019

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

CONTENTS

1. Summary / Crynodeb 2. Site location and description 3. Summary of archaeological potential 4. Aims and objectives of the investigation 5. Methodology 6. The watching brief results 7. The finds 8. Conclusions 9. Acknowledgements 10. References 11. Appendices 11.1 Summary list of contexts

ILLUSTRATIONS

Figures

Figure 1: Location maps Figure 2: Location plan Figure 3: Plan of the proposed development Figure 4: The development site in 1842 and 1885 Figure 5: The development site in 1901 Figure 6: The development site in 1921 Figure 7: Location plan of former mineshafts Figure 8: Plan of the site investigations Figure 9: Location of the watching brief areas Figure 10: Plan of the watching brief areas Figure 11: Area A, Sections 01 to 03 Figure 12: Area B, Sections 04 to 06

Plates

Front cover: Area A after excavation from the east

Plate 1: Area A prepared for pilling from west Plate 2: Area A prepared for pilling and Section 03 from the south Plate 3: Area A, modern manhole from the east Plate 4: Area B prepared for pilling from the west Plate 5: Area B prepared for pilling from the east Plate 6: Area B, Section 06 from the east

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

Copyright

Cardiff Archaeological Consultants retain the copyright of this document under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and have granted a license to WRW Construction Ltd to use and reproduce the material contained within. Plans reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey® on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Office. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number 100057058

The opinions expressed here are of a personal nature and alternative views may have equal validity; no responsibility can be accepted, however, for any omissions of fact or opinion, however caused.

Cardiff Archaeological Consultants, Cardiff Archaeological Consultants

33 Nicholl Court, Boverton, Llantwit Major CF61 2LR , tel 01446 795552, [email protected]

12 Seymour Road, Bristol BS7 9HR, tel.0117-9858 109, [email protected]

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

1. Summary

Cardiff Archaeological Consultants was commissioned by WRW Construction Ltd to undertake an archaeological watching brief in January and February 2019 during groundworks for the construction of a new housing development at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf. The watching brief revealed that the development area had been heavily infilled with demolition rubble and that the construction of the former housing blocks in the late 1960s or early 1970s may have already impacted the potential archaeological resource. The geological horizon was reached in Area A and only partially in Area B. No archaeological deposits or features were uncovered.

Crynodeb

Comisiynwyd Cardiff Archaeological Consultants gan WRW Construction Ltd i ymgymryd â briff gwylio archeolegol ym misoedd Ionawr a Chwefror 2019 yn ystod y gwaith gosod seiliau ar gyfer datblygiad newydd o dai yn Rhodfa Appletree, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Dangosodd y briff gwylio bod yr ardal ddatblygu wedi ei lenwi â rwbel, a’i bod yn debygol i’r broses o godi’r blociau o dai oedd ar y safle yn yr 1960au neu’r 1970au cynnar effeithio eisoes ar yr adnoddau archeolegol potensial yno. Cyrhaeddwyd yr haenlin pridd yn Ardal A ac yn rhannol yn unig yn Ardal B. Ni ddadorchuddiwyd unrhyw waddodion na nodweddion.

2. Site location and description

2.1 The site which forms the subject of this specification is located at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf (NGR ST 01344 91720; Figures 1 and 2). The proposed development site is located in an irregular shaped plot previously occupied by two residential blocks of flats, now demolished, with garages, paths and access road. The site is bordered by the Rhondda Fawr River to the north and by the A4058 Dinas road to the south. To the west the boundary is formed by Dinas Park and by residential housing to the east of Appletree Avenue. The development area covers some 1.44 hectares (Figures 2 and 3) and lies at an altitude varying from 117m OD to the south to 106m OD near the northern boundary. The proposed development area occupies the former Dinas-isaf Pit site, thought to have been the first shaft in the Rhondda Valley sunk by in 1812, close to his Dinas levels, which date from 1809 (Newman 1995, 527, Lewis 1959, 41).

2.2 Cardiff Archaeological Consultants was commissioned to carry out an archaeological watching brief for WRW Construction Ltd following the granting of Planning Permission 15/1621/10 by the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to RCT Homes for the development of 14 no. residential dwellings (flats) and associated works at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

2.3 The watching brief and specification were requested to fulfil the requirements of condition 11 of the Planning Permission. The condition reads:

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

“No development shall take place until the applicant, or their agents or successors in title, has secured agreement for a written scheme of historic environment mitigation which has been submitted by the applicant and approved by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, the programme of work will be fully carried out in accordance with the requirements and standards of the written scheme.

Reason: To identify and record any features of archaeological interest discovered during the works, in order to mitigate the impact of the works on the archaeological resource in accordance with Policy AW7 of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Local Development Plan."

2.4 An ordered archive will be deposited with Rhondda Heritage Park, . The report and data resulting from the project will also be submitted to the -Gwent Archaeological Trust HER in accordance with the Welsh Archaeological Trusts 'Guidance for the Submission of Data to the Welsh Historic Environment Records (HERs) July 2018'. If necessary, a note of any conditions relating to confidentiality that the client may wish to impose should be attached.

3. Summary of archaeological potential

3.1 The Historic Landscape Characterisation of the Rhondda Valleys (HLCA 001 : Gateway to the Rhondda Valleys) compiled by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust provides a well research archaeological and historical background to the wider area of the proposed development site and is partly reproduced below:

'The colliery settlement of Dinas predates the mid-late 19th century industrial development of the Rhondda and is the earliest industrial settlement in the Rhondda. The Tithe map of (1842) depicts the settlement as a linear scatter of cottages with a chapel, Ebenezer, built 1830, the first Methodist Chapel in the Rhondda (Lewis 1959), arranged along the southern bank of the Rhondda Fawr under the ownership of a Morgan David. At least two of these groups of cottages, one of which was a terrace of six dwellings, were leased to Walter Coffin, who was first to exploit the coal of the Rhondda. His Dinas Lower Colliery (Dinas-isaf), sunk in 1812 was the first pit to be sunk in the Rhondda, and soon was at the forefront of 'sea-sale' coal production in Glamorganshire (Carpenter 2000). By 1841 Walter Coffin is known to have had 41 houses in his possession in and around Dinas (Fisk 1996). Two surviving examples of the type of housing built at the time in Dinas are Penygefnen and Ty Mellyn. The first edition 6-inch OS map of 1875 shows a slightly expanded linear ribbon settlement with a bridge crossing to Pandy Station () on the north bank of the Rhondda Fawr. The settlement of the time has a Post Office, at least three Inns/Public Houses and two chapels: the Methodist Chapel and Bethania Chapel (Independent). Depicted in addition to the Dinas-isaf pits mentioned above is the Dinas Middle Colliery with an extensive area of coke ovens served by rail (first edition 6-inch OS map surveyed 1875); this colliery which opened in 1832, was notorious for being the site of the first major colliery explosion to occur in the Rhondda, with the death of 12 men and boys on 1 January 1844. Despite the opening of a new shaft in 1869 to improve conditions and increase production ten years later disaster struck again, this time the death toll was sixty-three. The second edition 6-inch OS map of 1901, (revised 1892) shows only

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

minor settlement development, comprising two parallel terraces, the concrete houses, owned by the Dinas Steam Colliery Company, named on the 1921 edition (now demolished), and a school all at Graig-ddu to the south of Dinas. The pits at Dinas closed in 1893; the remaining major colliery in the area being the Upper Cymmer Colliery.'

3.2 The development area

Specific archaeological or historical information regarding the site of the new development is limited. The 1842 tithe map for the Parish of Llantrisaint confirms that the fields 3397 and 3398 are occupied by Walter Coffin who was mining the Dinas-Isaf pit since 1812. The field are still described as pasture and no industrial buildings have been erected at this time (Figure 4). The 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1885 (surveyed in 1874-75) depicted a fully industrialised landscape where the agricultural pasture once stood. To the west of the proposed development site a series of coke ovens are served by railways sidings to take the coke over the Rhondda Fawr River toward Porth. Dinas-Isaf Pit is marked on the map and a mineshaft is also visible on the western end of the development site. An engine house is also depicted immediately adjacent but outside the south-east site boundary. Further to the east, the farmland is now occupied by Appletree houses (Figure 4).

By the time of the 1901 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map, the landscape has lost most of its industrial features. The coke ovens have been demolished and only the railway sidings and the bridge over the Rhondda Fawr River remained. The Dinas-Isaf Colliery had been closed in 1862 (Lewis 1959, 84) and its name, mineshaft and engine house are no longer depicted on the map (Figure 6).

On the 3rd edition Ordnance Survey map of 1921 only the railway bridge over the river remained; the sidings have been totally removed or in-filled and to the east a large building housed the Mines Rescue Station. The development site remains largely unbuilt with only a north-south road traversing the site and an east-west range of buildings (workers cottages?) near its northern boundary (Figure 6). In the years following WWII, a factory was built to the west of the development site and landscaping to form recreation grounds that would later become Dinas Park was carried out between the new factory and the western boundary of the development site. The demolished housing blocks on the development site were not built until the late 1960s or early 1970s.

The site investigations report by Johnson Poole and Bloomer (Johnson Poole and Bloomer 2015) confirms the existence of two infilled mineshafts in the north-western end of the development site (Figure7). The two documented mineshafts referred to the "Dinas Lower Shaft" (301191-002, sunk to a depth of 343.2 metres and "filled with weathered shale in 1960") and to "Dinas Isaf Pit" (301191-032, depth unknown and filled in 1965 but no details of the fill materials used) (Johnson Poole and Bloomer 2015, 11).

The same report also provides the results of intrusive ground investigation in the form of boreholes and windowless sampling (Figure 8). The borehole logs indicate that the upper ground horizon is composed of several stratified-made ground layers extending to a depth varying between 1.50m and 2.60m. Sherds of Blue and White printed transfer ware were recovered at 1.70m below ground level in borehole 1, fragments of brick at 1.50m below

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

ground level in borehole 2 and traces of coal at 1.70m below ground level in borehole 3 (Johnson Poole and Bloomer 2015, Appendix C). The borehole logs show that the potential archaeological resource, if it exists in the proposed development site, is covered by up to 2.60m of made ground.

4. Aims and objectives of the investigation

4.1 The proposals involve the erection of 14 no. residential dwellings (flats) and associated works work (Figure 3).

4.2 The groundworks for the construction of the new dwellings, car parking areas, drainage and associated works could have a deleterious effect on potential buried archaeological resource that may exist below ground throughout the whole of the proposed development site. The site investigation report shows that the potential archaeological resource is covered by up to 2.60m of made ground (Johnson Poole and Bloomer 2015, Appendix C). It is likely that the above ground structures associated with the 19th century industrial activities have been demolished but their foundations could still be in situ.

4.3 The excavation and recording will examine and record the archaeological resource within the specified area using appropriate methods and practices. These will satisfy the stated aims of the project and comply with the Code of conduct, Code of approved practice for the regulation for contractual arrangements in field archaeology and other relevant by- laws of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. It will result in appropriate published accounts and an ordered, accessible archive.

4.4 The excavation and its record will provide sufficient information by which to determine the level of importance of surviving archaeological features and place them in an interpretative framework.

4.5 To recover artefactual, environmental and technological evidence from the excavated deposits to provide cultural and chronological data towards an interpretation of the evaluated site.

5. Methodology

5.1 The watching brief was carried out during January and February 2019 in the proposed development footprints during the preparation work for the new dwellings foundations. Unfortunately, the removal of the concrete floor slabs and brick foundations of the former housing blocks had been carried out before the involvement of the watching archaeologist and could not be directly recorded. The watching brief was then limited to the final phase of ground preparation in advance of the construction of the piling mats in Areas A and B. The work was conducted by trained archaeological professionals to the standards set by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (2014).

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

5.2 The watching brief was carried out following the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief adopted by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (2014) and Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MoRPHE Project Managers' Guide (Historic England 2015).

5.3 Written, drawn and photographic records to an appropriate level of detail were made including context sheets, a site diary, three-dimensional field drawings and survey data. Plans and section drawings were at a scale of 1:200. The drawings were cross-referenced to fixed boundaries on the relevant OS plan.

6 The watching brief results

6.1 The watching brief was carried out by Jean-Yves Robic between January and February 2019 under generally dry weather conditions.

6.2 The groundwork consisted of the removal of the concrete slabs, grubbing of the brick foundations of the former housing blocks and excavation of the northern grassed areas to provide the new development area. As most of the ground reduction works had been carried out prior to the involvement of the watching archaeologist, the watching brief consisted mainly of the observation of the final phase of ground preparation in advance of the construction of the piling mats in Areas A and B and recording of sections, where possible. Topographical survey and site survey data were provided by the project manager and helped the reconstruction of sections in both watching brief areas.

6.3 Area A (Figures 10 and 11)

Area A was located to the south-west of the development site and occupied the footprints of the former housing block and extended further to the north. It measured 32m long by 17m wide and was excavated to formation level at 109.18m OD (Plates 1 and 2) on the geological horizon. The concrete floor slab (Context 01), brick foundations (Context 02) and brick manholes (Plate 3) of the former housing block were mechanically removed and the ground levelled. The excavation of the northern side of the new development area exposed the undisturbed stratigraphy (Figure 11, Section 03). The 0.20m thick topsoil layer (Context 03) overlaid a backfill deposit (Context 04) becoming thicker to the east. The backfill layer was composed of black soil with stones, bricks, slags and domestic artefacts consistent with demolition rubble. The demolition rubble 03 covered the geology (Context 05) formed by yellow-orange sandy clay with rounded pebbles. No archaeological features were uncovered.

6.3 Area B (Figures 10 and 12)

Area B was located to the north-east of the proposed development site. It measured 41m long by 13m wide. Concrete floor slab 01 and the brick foundations 02 were mechanically removed and the excavation was terminated at 105.34m OD. The formation level was still within the backfill layer 02, except in the western end odd Area B where Section 06 shows

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

part of the same geological horizon (Context 03) in its northern end (Figure 12, Section 06). No archaeological features were uncovered.

7 The finds

In Areas A and B, context 04 produced an eclectic mix of demolition rubble and domestic artefacts and included, stone, bricks, iron pipes, ceramic drain pipe, industrial metal, slags, domestic pottery and glass. A small sample was collected for identification.

The pottery included mainly Blue and White or Grey printed transfer ware coarse ware with internal brown lead glaze, sherds of cups and plate in white porcelain (Some with banded decorations or floral motifs), stone ware ribbed marmalade jar. All could be attributed to the Late 19th century or Early 20th century).

The glass comprised fragments of rectangular sectioned 'medicine' bottles in pale or dark green glass. The underside of one base was stamped with the glassmaker markings: P & E B

The base and lower body of an aerated water bottle in pale green glass was of note. The name and location of the retailer and glassmaker were stamped on the body:

[THO]MAS & EVANS

[POR]TH

CANNINGTON SHAW & CO MAKERS ST HELENS and on the base underside:

T & E

All the glass fragments are also dated Late 19th century and this seems to be consistent with the cartographic evidence that showed that most of the industrial structures on sites had been demolished by 1902 (See 3.2 above).

None were retained.

8 Conclusions

8.1 The watching brief confirms that the development site had been heavily and extensively backfilled in the Late 19th century, as document by the historical cartographic sources, with demolition material. The construction of the former housing blocks in the late 1960s or early 1970s may have also impacted on the potential buried archaeological resource in area A

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

where the natural horizon was reached by the building foundations. In Area B, it is possible that the archaeological resource is still present below the backfilling material 04, if it exists in this area. It remains difficult to ascertain the effects of the landscaping associated with the construction of the former housing blocks on the formation of the actual landscape but it is likely that material excavated during the 1960s or 1970s may have been used to landscape the area surrounding the new housing blocks.

9 Acknowledgements

The author is pleased to acknowledge the help of Richard Loft and Ken Smyth WRW Construction Ltd, in providing information and site survey and for facilitating the watching brief, of Carwyn Graves for providing the Welsh language summary and of Judith Smith for editing this document.

10 References

Bibliography:

Carpenter, DJ, 2000, Images of : Rhondda Collieries. Stroud.

CIfA 2014. Standard and guidance for archaeological watching brief. Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

Historic England 2015. Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MoRPHE Project Managers' Guide.

Johnson Poole and Bloomer 2015. Site investigations at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Porth. Report for RCT Homes.

Lewis, ED, 1959, The Rhondda Valleys: A Study in Industrial Development, 1800 to the Present Day. Pheonix House, London.

Newman, J., 1995. The buildings of Wales. Glamorgan. London.

Spence, C. (ed.), 1990. Archaeological Site Manual. Department of Urban Archaeology, Museum of London.

Cartographic sources:

Tithe Map of the Parish of Llantrisaint in the County of Glamorgan, 1842 (Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff) OS map, Glamorgan XXVII, 1st edition 1885, 1/10560 (Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff)

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

OS map, Glamorgan XXVII S-E, 2nd edition 1900, 1/10560 (Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff)

OS map, Glamorgan XXVII N-E, 2nd edition 1900, 1/10560 (Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff)

OS map, Glamorgan XXVII, 3rd edition 1921, 1/10560 (Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff)

Digital sources:

Welsh Coal Mines:

Dinas Rhondda http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk (Accessed 01/02/2018)

GGAT Historic Landscape Characterisation: http://www.ggat.org.uk/cadw/historic_landscape/Rhondda/English/Rhondda_Main.htm (Accessed 01/02/2018)

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Archaeological Watching brief at Appletree Avenue, Dinas, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

11 Appendices

11.1 Summary list of contexts

No. Location Brief description Relationship Notes 01 All Concrete floor slab Over 02 20th C 02 All Brick foundation Under 01 20th C 03 All Topsoil Over 04 20th C 04 All Backfill layer, demolition rubble Under 03 Late 19th C 05 All Yellow-orange sandy clay Under 04 Geology

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Dinas 2019 Appletree Avenue

N

Wales

Cardigan

South Wales

Chepstow

Swansea Dinas Newport

Cardiff

Bristol

River Severn

ST 01 02 03 04

93

92

91

OS Explorer Map 166, 1:25 000, 2006 © Crown copyright

Dinas, Appletree Avenue Figure 1: Location maps Dinas, Appletree Avenue

Figure 2: Location plan Figure 3: Plan of the proposed development Dinas 2019 Appletree Avenue 1842

1885

Development site Figure 4: The development site in 1842 and 1885 Dinas 2019 Appletree Avenue

1901

Development site Figure 5: The development site in 1901 Dinas 2019 Appletree Avenue

1921

Development site Figure 6: The development site in 1921 Figure 7: Location plan of former mineshafts Figure 8: Plan of the site investigations B

A

Watching bief areas Figure 9: Location of the watching brief areas A SURVEY TRIMMED DOWN AS PER CLIENT'S 26.11.14 AWJ REQUEST. B EXTRA TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY ADDED 08.05.15 MJH AND CULVERT TRACED.

1. SITE GRID AND LEVELS ARE BASED UPON ORDNANCE SURVEY VIA THE ACTIVE GPS NETWORK.

. 105.33m

105.33m.

B 105.34m. 105.33m.

105.34m.

105.34m.

. 109.18m

.109.18m 109.17m . A

.109.16m 17 The Pines 109.18m. , ALPINE South Wales CF44 9QW Tel/Fax: 01685 814007 Mobile: 07980 404 208 109.18m LAND S . SURVEYORS

Former Housing block

Watching brief areas 0 10m Figure 10: Plan of the watching brief areas All levels AOD Dinas 2019 Appletree Avenue N S01

N 112.34m. S03

(01) 109.96m . S02 (02) 109.18m (02) . Area A (05)

Section 01 115.30m.

(01) (02) N

(01) Road .109.95m (02) 109.18m. (02) (05)

Section 02

112.75m . N (03) 111.37m (04) . (05) 5m Concrete

Brick Section 03 1/100 Excavated area

Figure 11: Area A, Sections 01 to 03 Area: A 10m CAC Archive 1/200 N°: S01, S02, S03 0 All levels AOD Dinas 2019 Appletree Avenue 112.35m. N

N S04

S05 S06 Road 107.08m. (01) Area B (02) 105.34m. (02) (04)

Section 04

109.07m . N

106.37m (01) . (02) (02) 105.34m . (04)

Section 05

108.70m N (03) . 107.68m . (04)

(05)

105.34m. 5m Concrete Section 06 Brick 1/100 Excavated area

Figure 12: Area B, Sections 04 to 06 Area: B 10m CAC Archive 1/200 N°: S04, S05, S06 0 All levels AOD

Plate 1: Area A prepared for pilling from west

Plate 2: Area A prepared for pilling and Section 03 from the south

Plate 3: Area A, modern manhole from the east

Plate 4: Area B prepared for pilling from the west

Plate 5: Area B prepared for pilling from the east

Plate 6: Area B, Section 06 from the east