Go Ahead Bus Garage, Cowley Road, Cowley, Oxford
An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment
for Berkeley Homes (Oxford) Ltd
by Melanie Hall
Thames Valley Archaeological Services
Site Code GAG00/32
June 2000 Go Ahead Bus Garage, Cowley Road, Cowley, Oxford An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment
Report 00/32
by Melanie Hall
Introduction
This desk-based study is an assessment of the archaeological potential of a plot of land off the Cowley Road,
Oxford (centred on SP5380 0500) (Fig. 1). The project was commissioned by Mr J Neville of Berkeley Homes
(Oxford) Limited, Berkeley House, 20 Marcham Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1AA. It comprises the first stage of a process to determine the presence/absence, extent, character, quality and date of any archaeological remains which may be affected by redevelopment of the area.
Site Description, Location and Geology
The site lies to the south-east of Oxford city centre in the Cowley Marsh area and covers approximate 3.8 hectares (Fig. 1). It is bounded to the south-west by Cowley Road, to the west by Glanville Road and the gardens of houses fronting Glanville Road, to the north by Barracks Lane and to the west by a sports field, housing and
Saunders Road (Fig. 2). A site visit was carried out on 31st May 2000. A large portion of the site is currently the depot of the Oxford Bus Company. This includes: the main depot buildings, with some sunken inspection pits and underground fuel tanks; a row of two-storey buildings used for offices; a detached house (Canterbury
House) on the corner of Cowley Road and Glanville Road; various car parking areas; and a three-storey building adjacent to Saunders Road. The rear of the site comprises an old playing field, which is now overgrown, separated from the depot by a metal fence and a line of trees.
Geological maps of the area show the site to be on the West Walton Formation (dark grey silty mudstone)
(BGS 1994). The site slopes gradually from approximately 60m above Ordnance Datum at the Cowley Road end
(south-west) to 67m at Barracks Lane (north-east).
The British Geological Survey have no records of boreholes on the site. Boreholes records are present from nearby but these were not consulted.
1 Planning Background and Development Proposals
Planning permission is to be sought for the development of this plot of land for housing. At the time of writing there are no firm development plans in place.
The treatment of archaeological and historic landscape matters in the planning process is covered by three strands of guidance; Archaeology and Planning, the Oxfordshire Structure Plan and the Oxford Local Plan. The
Department of the Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance Note Archaeology and Planning (PPG16 1990) points out that where a desk-based assessment has shown that there is a strong possibility of significant archaeological deposits in a development area it is reasonable to provide more detailed information from a field evaluation so that an appropriate strategy to mitigate the effects of development on archaeology can be devised.
Paragraph 21 states:
‘Where early discussions with local planning authorities or the developer’s own research indicate that important archaeological remains may exist, it is reasonable for the planning authority to request the prospective developer to arrange for an archaeological field evaluation to be carried out...’
Should the presence of archaeological deposits be confirmed further guidance is provided. Archaeology and
Planning stresses preservation in situ of archaeological deposits as a first consideration as in paragraphs 8 and
18.
Paragraph 8 states:
‘...Where nationally important archaeological remains, whether scheduled or not, and their settings, are affected by proposed development there should be a presumption in favour of their physical preservation...’
Paragraph 18 states:
‘The desirability of preserving an ancient monument and its’ setting is a material consideration in determining planning applications whether that monument is scheduled or unscheduled...’
However, for archaeological deposits that are not of such significance it is appropriate for them to be ‘preserved by record’ (i.e. fully excavated and recorded by a competent archaeological contractor) prior to their destruction or damage.
Paragraph 25 states:
‘Where planning authorities decide that the physical preservation in situ of archaeological remains is not justified in the circumstances of the development and that development resulting in the destruction of the archaeological remains should proceed, it would be entirely reasonable for the planning authority to satisfy itself ... that the developer has made appropriate and satisfactory provision for the excavation and recording of remains.’
The Oxfordshire Structure Plan to 2011 (adopted August 1998) also outlines policy regarding the archaeological potential of development sites. Policy EN10 states:
2 ‘There will be a presumption in favour of physically preserving nationally important archaeological remains, whether scheduled or not, and their settings. Where development affecting other archaeological remains is allowed it should include appropriate measures to secure their preservation in situ or where this is not feasible, recording of archaeological features before development.’
Further guidance is provided by the Oxford Local Plan adopted in February 1998:
Policy EN 40:
‘Where there are known archaeological remains or a desk assessment has shown that there are likely to be such remains, and they are considered to be important, the Council will normally require applicants to submit sufficient information, including where necessary the results of an evaluation by fieldwork, to define the character and extent of the remains and enable an assessment of the impact of the proposals upon the remains to be carried out before deciding upon an application.’
Policy EN 42:
‘The council will not normally grant planning permission for development that would have a serious adverse effect that cannot be mitigated on important archaeological remains or their setting.’
Policy EN 43:
‘Where a proposed development would affect important archaeological deposits or remains and the Council is satisfied the development can proceed: a. The Council will normally seek the preservation of the deposits or remains and the modification of designs, including siting and foundations, to mitigate the adverse effects. b. Where the preservation of important deposits or remains is not possible or justified the Council will normally want to be satisfied, before granting planning permission for development affecting the deposits or remains, that appropriate and satisfactory provision for the excavation and recording of the deposits or remains and publication of the results has been made and may seek to enter into an agreement to this effect. c. Where less important deposits or remains are involved, or where otherwise appropriate, the Council may require that a watching brief only is provided for.’
Methodology
The assessment of the site was carried out by the examination of information derived from a number of sources recommended by the Institute of Field Archaeologists paper ‘Standards in British Archaeology’ covering desk- based studies. These sources include historic and modern maps held at the Central Library in Oxford, the
Oxfordshire Sites and Monuments Record, geological maps, borehole surveys, aerial photographs (if relevant) and publications or reports.
3 Archaeological Background
The name ‘Cowley’, meaning Cufa’s wood or clearing, dates from the Anglo-Saxon period (VCH 1957, 76). The main settlements in this area grew up on a west-facing slope at the east end of the parish some two miles from
Magdalen Bridge, where the Corallian ridge rises out of the Oxford Clay (ibid.). By the 12th century Church
Cowley lay round the parish church and Temple Cowley round the Templars’ preceptory (ibid., 77). Part of the present Cowley Road was known as ‘Berrye Lane’ in 1605. For a long time the main route to Oxford, it crossed the marsh as a causeway, passing St Bartholomew’s Hospital to East (Magdalen) Bridge. The marsh was the common pasture nearest the village at this time (ibid., 79).
A search of the Oxfordshire Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) was made on 26th May 2000 in order to obtain any archaeological and historical information relating to the vicinity of the development area. A search was made for approximately a 1km radius around the site and the results of this have been summarised in
Appendix 1 and illustrated on Figure 1. The search revealed 14 entries in the vicinity of the site but no entries for the site itself.
Evidence of prehistoric activity in the area is limited. The earliest of the SMR entries relates to an Iron Age coin discovered to the south-east of the site [Fig. 1, 6]. However, several entries relate to Roman activity in the area. The Dorchester–Alchester Roman road passed c. 2km to the east and there is considerable evidence to show that a substantial Roman pottery industry existed to the east of the Cherwell and Thames and to the north of Dorchester (Young 1986, 62). This began in the 2nd century with the production of wares such as mortaria. In the 2nd and early 3rd centuries the Oxford potters were producing fine table-wares and by the early to mid 4th century were one of the major pottery producers of Roman Britain (ibid.). In the vicinity of this development there is evidence of Roman pottery kilns of 2nd to 4th century date. Evidence of Roman occupation and pottery kilns at St Luke’s Road [2] was originally discovered in 1934 and part excavated in 1939–40. Rescue excavation in 1972 found a kiln flue, a stokehole, pits and a pottery tip; all of 2nd century date. A watching brief at
Churchill Hospital located a late 3rd to 4th century kiln. An evaluation further south along the Cowley Road revealed a probable 3rd–4th century Roman feature [4] and another evaluation close by revealed evidence of a
2nd century Roman kiln [5]. There is also some evidence of Roman inhumation burials to the east of the development site [7] discovered in a quarry at Cowley Barracks in the 19th century. However, the grid reference for this entry is uncertain. Nearer to the development, evidence of a possible Roman kiln in the form of large quantities of pottery was recovered during the levelling of playing fields at Southfield School, Cowley, just to the north of the site [9].
4 There is also evidence of Medieval and post-Medieval activity in the area. A watching brief at St
Christopher’s First School revealed a possible 12th century field boundary ditch that may relate to a Medieval manor, together with debris from a ?demolished Medieval building and a post-Medieval wall footing [1].
Medieval rubbish pits containing 14th–16th century and some 17th century pottery were discovered during an evaluation on the Cowley Road [3]. Large Medieval pits were also discovered during evaluation at the former
Joinery Works on Temple Road, Cowley, together with evidence of post-Medieval cottages [5]. To the north- west of the development is the site of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Chapel and Farm [11–13]. (The house and farm are listed (grade II*) and the chapel is listed (grade A) but all are well beyond the boundaries of the development site.) St Bartholomew’s Hospital was founded by Henry I in 1129. It was originally designed for a chaplain and 12 leprous brethren; the building survived the Dissolution but was later destroyed during a siege in the Civil War. The main buildings were rebuilt by Oriel College in 1649, when it was in use as an almshouse; it is now called Bartlemas House. The hospital may have had an associated cemetery, the location of which is unknown. The chapel was constructed after the leper hospital, in the 14th century, and passed from Adam de
Brome to Oriel College in 1326. An excavation in advance of the construction of a swimming pool to the north- east of the chapel revealed a stone wall and a ditch on a different alignment from the house and chapel, indicating that the original hospital may have been located south of the chapel or under the allotments (Durham
1990, 21). St Bartholomew’s Farm has undergone extensive alteration and consists of a 16th century stone house with later additions. A post-Medieval workhouse [10], built in 1862–5, later became the geriatric unit of the
United Oxford Hospital, which was closed in 1980 and demolished in 1986. A post-Medieval clay pit/stone quarry is believed to have been on the north side of the Cowley Road, probably between Cumberland Road and
Glanville Road, to the west of the site [8]. Lastly, a 17th century post-Medieval barn, demolished in 1973, once stood to the north of the site [14].
Listed Buildings
There are no listed buildings within the area to be developed.
Cartographic and Documentary Sources
A range of Ordnance Survey and other historical maps of the area were consulted at the Oxfordshire Record
Office in order to ascertain what activity had been taking place throughout the sites’ later history and whether this may have affected any possible archaeological deposits within the proposal area (see Appendix 2).
5 The earliest available map of the area is Davis’ Map of Oxfordshire dated 1793/4 (Fig. 3). This does not show the site in any detail but it was clearly part of Cowley Common at this time. The 1840 Plan of Open Fields and Commonable Lands (Fig. 4) also shows little detail but the Cowley Road can be seen crossing what was then known as Cowley Marsh. A pre-enclosure plan of Cowley (1850, not illustrated) was examined but provided no further detail. The Inclosure Award Map for Cowley, dated 1853, shows that there were still no properties on the site at this time although a rectangular shape marked on the plan may be the site of a cricket pitch (see later maps). The Tithe map of Cowley, dated 1853, is a little clearer and individual plots of land can be made out (Fig.
6; Table 1). The site remained undeveloped, with the Cowley Road to the south and a stream or track to the north. The Tithe map of Iffley, dated 1865, also shows this area and a cricket ground for Exeter college is clearly marked (not illustrated).
The First Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1879 is the first to show the site in any detail (Fig. 7). The only development on the site are the two buildings on the Cowley Road, one of which may be Canterbury House, which still stands today. The only other structures within the development area at this time are the Exeter
College and Wadham College cricket pavilions. The Second Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1899 (Fig. 8) shows little change, but a group of buildings have appeared behind Canterbury house. The site was clearly still used as a cricket ground at this time. The 1921 Edition of the Ordnance Survey shows no change (not illustrated). The 1956 Ordnance Survey (Fig. 9) is the first to show the new Bus Depot and a row of buildings fronting Cowley Road now used as offices. The new garage was acquired in 1924 for the City of Oxford Motor
Services Ltd to replace the old depot in Leopold Street by 1927 (VCH 1979, 360). The rear of the site was still used as playing fields and one pavilion remained, together with a tennis court. Since that time the bus depot has been enlarged to the rear and a three-storey building has been constructed, now adjacent to Saunders Road (Fig.
2). This can be seen on a sketch plan of the bus depot buildings (not dated) obtained from the client (Fig. 10).
Table 1: Award for Tithe map of Cowley, 1853
Plot no. Owner Occupier Name, etc State of cultivation 48 Wyatt Charlotte Augusta James Walker Allotment Arable 48 University of Oxford, the Chancellor, Master Themselves Allotment, Cricket Ground Pasture and Scholars of
Conclusions and Recommendations
The sources consulted indicate that the proposal site does lie within an area of archaeological and historical interest. The site is situated c. 2km to the west of the Dorchester–Alchester Roman road in an area known to have been the centre of a substantial Roman pottery industry in the 2nd to 4th centuries. Roman pottery kilns of
6 this date have previously been discovered in the area surrounding the site. Following the decline of this industry, the area of Cowley Marsh is likely to have remained largely undeveloped until the 19th century. The Marsh was a large stretch of common land between the Medieval settlement at Temple Cowley and the hospital at St
Bartholomew. The cartographic evidence dates only from the 18th century but it is not until the 1870s that a building first appears on the site. Prior to this and up until the 1920s the main use of the site appears to be as a cricket ground for various colleges. The bus depot was apparently constructed some time in the 1920s but the land to the rear remained in use as playing fields.
It is not possible to say conclusively how much damage to any existing archaeological deposits would have taken place with the construction of the depot. No mention is made on the SMR of pottery or any other finds from the site at this time, but this does not necessarily mean that the area is archaeologically sterile. The land to the rear has remained largely untouched but may have been subject to some levelling for the cricket pitch, playing field and tennis court. Other parts of the site, within the depot, have been excavated more deeply for inspection pits and fuel tanks but elsewhere may have only been subject to topsoil stripping prior to the laying of tarmac for carparking. Construction of the access road, foundations and concrete floors may have been more invasive.
Given the evidence discussed in this report, it can be concluded that further assessment of the site should take place prior to redevelopment. The impact of development on below-ground archaeological deposits should be assessed by means of a field evaluation. This will confirm or refute the archaeological potential of the site as identified by this report and will provide information with which to draw up a scheme to mitigate the effects of redevelopment if required. The field evaluation would be most easily achieved following demolition of the depot buildings but, given the nature of the structures, a more limited study could perhaps be carried out within the large bus sheds, in the yard and car parking areas, and certainly in the playing field to the rear. A scheme for the evaluation will need to be drawn up and approved by the archaeological advisor to Oxford City Council (Oxford
Archaeological Advisory Service) and implemented by a competent archaeological contractor, such as an organisation registered with the Institute of Field Archaeologists.
7 References BGS, 1946, British Geological Survey, 1:50000, Sheet 237, Solid and Drift Edition, Keyworth Durham, B, 1990, Oxford Archaeological Unit newsletter, Vol xviii, no 2, 21 Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2011, adopted August 1998 Oxford Local Plan 1991–2001, adopted February 1998 PPG16, 1990, Department of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance note 16, Archaeology and Planning, HMSO VCH, 1957, ‘Cowley’, in The County of Oxfordshire, Vol 5, London, 76–96 VCH, 1979, The County of Oxfordshire, Vol 4, London, 360 Young, C, 1986, ‘The Upper Thames Valley in the Roman period’, in G Briggs, J Cook and T Rowley (eds), The Archaeology of the Oxford Region, Oxford, 58–63
8 APPENDIX 1: Sites and Monuments Records within a 1km search radius of the development site
No SMR Ref Grid Ref (SP) Period Type Comment 1 15946 544 045 Medieval–post- Ditch, wall footing, St Christopher’s First School. Watching brief (OAU Medieval building debris 95) during levelling of ground and excavation of trenches revealed poss 12th C field boundary ditch ?related to Medieval manor and post-Medieval wall footing and debris from a ?demolished Medieval building. 2 3817 5443 0405 Roman Pottery kilns and Originally discovered 1934, part excavated 1939–40. occupation evidence Pottery kiln, puddling holes, dumps, pit. Late 1st–mid 4th C pottery on both sides of St Luke’s Road. Rescue excavation 1972 on area SE of 1939 site found kiln flue, stokehole, pits and pottery tip. Some potter’s stamps. Dated 2nd C. Watching brief found late 3rd– 4th C kiln at Churchill Hospital. 3 14408 5445 0425 Medieval Rubbish pits Pottery – 13 sherds 15th–16th C and some 17th C. Also 6 sherds 14th C. Some metal objects. Late Medieval activity typical of settlement in area shows spread of domestic activity along Cowley Road (OAU 89). 4 14409 5445 0425 Roman Pottery Trench contained Roman feature which produced 2 sherds 3rd–4th C pottery (OAU 89). (Same project as 14408 above.) 5 15947 5454 0441 Roman/ ?Kiln, pits and cottages Former Joinery Works, 77 Temple Road, Cowley Medieval/ evaluation (OAU93). Evaluation trenches revealed Post-Medieval evidence of post-Medieval cottages, large Medieval pits and, more importantly, a backfilled stokehole of a Roman pot kiln – 2nd century AD. Residual Roman pot in post-Medieval features suggests kiln may not be isolated. 6 3838 5484 0436 Iron Age Coin Gold coin, uninscribed. 7 3818 5487 0483 Roman Inhumation burials Cowley Barracks Quarry, Barracks Lane. Human (grid ref. not skeletons found some years ago with pottery described certain) as Roman (1898). 8 5163 5370 0510 Post-Medieval Clay pit/stone quarry Pit believed to have been on north side of Cowley Road probably between Cumberland Road and Glanville Road. 9 3630 5389 0531 Roman Pottery, kiln? Probable kiln site, pottery only found. Levelling of playing fields of Southfield School, Cowley, revealed large quantities of Roman pottery. 10 1602 5320 0580 Post-Medieval Workhouse Site of workhouse built 1862–5, designed by William Fisher. Geriatric unit of United Oxford Hospital, closed in 1980, demolished in 1986. 11 3634 5343 0547 Post-Medieval St Bartholomew’s Farm 16th century stone house with later additions and extensive alteration. 12 3631 5347 0547 Medieval St Bartholomew’s Wall painting, early 14th century chapel restored in Chapel 17th century. Built after leper hospital, passed from Adam de Brome to Oriel College in 1326. 13 3632 5347 0549 Medieval/Post- St Bartholomew’s Founded by Henry I in 1129 for a few chaplain and 12 Medieval Hospital leprous brethren, not suppressed at dissolution but destroyed during siege in the Civil War. Main buildings rebuilt in 1649 by Oriel College, became almshouse, now Bartlemas House. 14 4511 5372 0564 Post-Medieval Barn Site of 17th century barn., demolished by 1973.
9 APPENDIX 2: Historic and modern maps consulted
1. 1793/4 Davis’ Map of Oxfordshire (Fig. 3) 2. 1840 Plan of Open Fields and Commonable Lands of Cowley, Iffley and St Clement (Fig. 4). 3. 1850 Pre-enclosure map of Cowley (ref. OCL37579) (not illustrated). 4. 1853 Inclosure Award Map, Plan of Cowley, The Marsh, Bullingdon Green and Older Stubbs (Fig. 5) 5. 1853 Tithe map of Cowley (ref 27/40) (Fig. 6) 6. 1865 Tithe map of Iffley (ref. 27/79) (not illustrated) 7. 1879 First Edition Ordnance Survey sheet XXXIX.4(a) (Fig. 7) 8. 1899 Second Edition Ordnance Survey sheet XXXIX.4(a) (Fig. 8) 9. 1921 1921 Edition Ordnance Survey sheet XXXIX.4(a) (not illustrated) 10. 1956 1956 Edition Ordnance Survey sheets SP5305 and SP5304 (Fig. 9) 11. 1991/2 1991/2 Edition Ordnance Survey sheets SP5305SE (1991) and SP5304NE (1992) 12. n.d. Plan of the buildings for the City of Oxford Motor Services Limited (Fig. 10)
10 SITE
06000
10
14
13 11 12
9
8
05000
SITE 7
1
6
3 4 5
2 SP53000 54000 GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 1. Location of site within Oxford and Oxfordshire showing SMR entries within a 1Km radius. Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Pathfinder 1116 SP40/50 1:25000 (reproduced at 1:12500) Ordnance Survey Licence AL52324A0001 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 N
B d a oa rr R ac le ks il L nv a la n G e 05100
In Playing Fields sp ec t io n P Car Park i ts
Bus Depot
Canterbury 05000 House In sp ec t io n Limit of Application Area P i ts
3 Story F Sports Fields C u Office o el w T l a e n y k R O s ad d oa f o oa d fi R R c ss s es e er cc d A un Sa
04900
SP53700 53800 53900 54000
0 200m Figure 2. Location of site showing current land use. GAG00/32 Approximate location of site
GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 3. Davis’map of 1793/4. Approximate location of site
GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 4. Plan of Open fields and Commonable Lands of Cowley Iffley and St. Clement, 1840. SITE
GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 5.Inclosure and Award Map of Cowley, 1853. SITE
GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 6. Tithe Map of Cowley, 1853. SITE
GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 7. 1st. Edition Ordnance Survey, 1879. SITE
GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 8. 2nd. Edition Ordnance Survey, 1899. SITE
GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 9. Ordnance Survey, 1956. GAG00/32 Oxford Bus Company Depot, Cowley Road, Oxford, 2000 Figure 10. Sketch plan of City of Oxford, Motor Services Limited, no date.