Written Scheme of Investigation
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road,
East Bridgford
Planning ref: 17/00920/FUL Prepared for: Swish Architecture Site Code: EBHC20
December 2020 Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
Contents
1. Introduction ...... 2 2. Site Location and Description ...... 2 3. Background of the Proposed Development ...... 2 4. Archaeological Background ...... 2 Prehistoric ...... 2 Roman ...... 2 Anglo-Saxon and Medieval ...... 3 Post-medieval and modern ...... 3 5. Historic Mapping ...... 4 6. Proposed Archaeological Works ...... 4 7. Fieldwork Procedures ...... 5 8. Insurance ...... 7 9. Monitoring Report ...... 7 10. Archive Deposition ...... 8 11. References ...... 9
List of Appendices
Appendix 1: Figures ...... 10
List of Figures
Figure 1: Location of proposed development ...... 11 Figure 2: Proposed house plot locations ...... 12 Figure 3: Archaeological assets overlaid on 1st Edition Ordnance Survey ...... 13
List of Tables
Table 1: date ranges for the archaeological periods used in this report ...... 2 Table 2 Proposed specialists ...... 8
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
Document Control
Element: Name: Date: WSI prepared by: Past to Present Archaeology 20/12/20 WSI reviewed and QA by: RJ Birtwistle BA (Hons) MA ACIfA 21/12/20
Version no: 2.0
1. Introduction
1.1 Past to Present Archaeology was commissioned by Swish Architects to undertake a programme of archaeological monitoring on land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire (Figure 1).
1.2 This document presents a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) which outlines the proposed methodology for undertaking archaeological monitoring on land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire.
1.3 The document has been completed with reference to current national guidelines, as set out in the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists ‘Standard and guidance for archaeological watching brief’ (CIfA 2014) 2. Site Location and Description
2.1 The proposed development area (PDA) is located on land north of Hackers Close northwest of Kneeton Road, lying on the western edge of East Bridgeford. The village lies within Rushcliffe District in the county of Nottinghamshire directly southeast of the River Trent.
2.2 The PDA occupies an area of c.2034m2 off Hackers Close, which lies to the southwest and comprises a roughly rectangular area of rough green space and scrub. A builders yard lies to the southeast and east of the PDA, with residential gardens to the north and a copse of woodland to the west. The site is centred at National Grid Reference (NGR) 469172, 343354 and is c.34m above Ordnance Datum.
2.3 The bedrock geology lies on a narrow band of Gotgrave Sandstone Member between Edwalton Member Mudstone to the east and Gunthorpe Member Mudstone to the west. No superficial geology is recorded within the PDA; however deposits of mid Pleistocene Till are known to the east under the main settlement and alluvium to the west following the course of the River Trent (http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html). 3. Background of the Proposed Development
3.1 A planning application (ref 17/00920/FUL) was submitted in May 2017 to Rushcliffe Borough Council for the construction of four dwellings and access road. This application was granted in August 2020 with conditions including condition 6:
No development shall take place until the applicants, or their agents or successors in title, have secured the implementation of a programme for a watching brief to be carried out during
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
construction or excavation work on the site, by a professional archaeologist or archaeological organisation. The details of such a scheme of investigation shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Borough Council also prior to the commencement of the development on the site.
3.2 This documents sets out the methodology for the archaeological monitoring during ground works and subsequent reporting on this site. 4. Archaeological Background
4.1 This section sets out the historic environment data for the PDA and study area including a 1km HER search around the PDA. It describes the historic environment by historic periods, and the archaeological significance and potential of the PDA.
Table 1: date ranges for the archaeological periods used in this report
Period Date Range
Earlier prehistoric: Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic before ca. 2400 BC
Bronze Age 2400-800 BC
Iron Age 800 BC-AD 43
Roman AD 43-410
Anglo-Saxon AD 410-1066
Medieval 1066-1539
Post-medieval and Early Modern (Industrial) 1539-1700, 1700-1939
Modern 1939-Present
Prehistoric 4.2 There are 6 known findspots from within 1km of the PDA comprising a Palaeolithic hand axe found in Gunthorpe (L1846), and two groups of worked flints dating from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age found in East Bridgford (L2027) and near Trent Wharf (L8265).Other findspots include a Mesolithic to Neolithic flint scraper from East Bridgford (L1859), a Neolithic axe fragment (L7339) from East Bridgford, 2 late Bronze Age socketed axes (L1860), and two Bronze Age spearheads (L1821 and L5479) have also been recovered. Iron Age pottery has also been found nearby (L2028).
Roman 4.3 The major Roman road the Fosseway passes to the southeast of the PDA lying roughly parallel with the route of the modern A46. Near East Bridgford is where the Roman settlement of Margidunum once stood. However within the immediate area of the PDA, only a single findspot of Roman pottery (L10926) is recorded, located north of the bank of the Trent near Gunthorpe.
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
Anglo-Saxon and Medieval 4.4 There are significant medieval assets within the vicinity of the PDA, most notably the scheduled motte and bailey castle situated just south of the River Trent and southwest of the PDA.
4.5 East Bridgford was recorded in the Domesday Book as having 39 households in 1086, with a church, ploughland and meadow and would have been a relatively large settlement at the time (Williams and Martin 2002).
4.6 The place name East Bridgford is thought to derive from the Old English brycg ford meaning ‘bridge ford’ (Watts 2007), relating to its position as a crossing point over the River Trent. The East prefix was added at a later date.
4.7 The scheduled monument of a known motte and bailey castle (1008568, M1822, L1822) lies just under 500m to the southwest of the PDA. Its listing is as follows:
The monument at East Bridgford consists of the remains of an eleventh or twelfth century motte and bailey castle. These include an elliptical motte or castle mound measuring 30m from east to west by 10m from north to south and standing c.5m high. This is surrounded by a ditch measuring up to 2m deep and averaging between 10m and 15m wide. South of the motte, this ditch extends southwards to west and east to partially enclose a small oval bailey measuring 40m x 30m. A break in the ditch on the south side is interpreted as the original entrance into this bailey. Early descriptions of the monument mention a ridge which formerly joined up with the bailey. This suggests that there was originally a second bailey, probably to the west. However, the extent and survival of this feature is not sufficiently understood for it to be included in the scheduling.
4.8 The Grade I listed church of St Peter lies within 300m to the southwest of the PDA (1272697). The church was originally built in the 11th century and was heavily rebuilt through the post- medieval period, retaining Saxon foundations (L1897) with a Norman chancel (L9371) and elements of 14th (L9372) and 15th century (L9373) structures surviving. Within the grounds of the church lies a Saxon cross (L8266).
4.9 Findspots of Late Saxon and medieval pottery (L5478 and L8276) have also been recovered from within 1km as well from excavating the Pepper family monument in the grounds of East Bridgford church.
Post-medieval and modern 4.10 The Hacker family resided in East Bridgford during the 17th century in the Old Hall that lies southeast of the PDA. Some family members are buried at St Peter’s church with a monument to John Hacker. All were Royalists, with the exception of Francis who sided with Parliament and rose to the rank of Colonel. Francis Hacker was one of the officer’s charged with guarding the King prior to his execution and later led the execution party. Following the Restoration, Francis Hacker was hanged in October 1660 for his part in the King’s execution and is buried in London away from the family burials in East Bridgford.
4.11 There are 19 listed buildings within a 1km radius of the PDA. All are Grade II and relate to post-medieval or later structures apart from the Church of St Peter mentioned above.
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
5. Historic Mapping
5.1 A search has been made of the available on-line historical mapping, provided primarily by the National Libraries of Scotland and other sources. The dates provided are the issued dates of the map.
5.2 The earliest mapping utilised is the Ordnance Survey map of 1884, which shows the PDA as lying in an open field with a tree lined boundary forming the west boundary. A property boundary that forms the northern limit of the PDA exists at this time. There are two possible ponds marked on this map that may extend into the PDA.
5.3 By the 1901 map the tree-lined boundary and the possible pond within the PDA have disappeared. There is now a label for smithy within the PDA; however it likely relates to a building to the southeast. The smithy label has been removed by the 1912 map; the rest of the map appears broadly similar to that in 1901.
5.4 By 1950 the areas of the PDA contains the boundaries which remain in place with the formation of Hacker’s close. Two buildings lie immediately southeast of the PDA within this area and are in what will become the builder’s merchant.
5.5 Google earth images shows a building situated in the eastern section of the PDA in 1999 surrounded by mature gardens. The building and gardens appear in poorer condition by 2004 and by 2007 the building has been removed and the PDA is a mix of scrub and waste ground. Other than periodic vegetation growth and removal there is little change between 2007 and 2017. 6. Proposed Archaeological Works
6.1 This WSI sets out the methodology and protocols for archaeological monitoring of intrusive ground works in the PDA in order to fulfil a planning condition. This will include the following scope:
Archaeological monitoring of intrusive groundworks. This will be undertaken in order to establish:
The location, extent, nature, and date of any archaeological features or deposits that may be present.
The integrity and state of preservation of any archaeological features or deposits that may be present.
An appraisal of the results of the archaeological monitoring and their significance with regard to the development site and the wider context in a report.
This may lead to an agreed programme of further investigation of any assets identified.
6.2 Consideration of research themes is key to understanding the potential evidential significance of archaeological remains. The proposed development is close to areas of known Roman, medieval and post-medieval heritage assets, including the scheduled monument of a medieval motte and bailey castle.
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
6.3 Key additional archaeological research agendas include:
The East Midlands Archaeological Research Agenda (https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/researchframeworks/eastmidlands/wiki/).
Historic England (formerly English Heritage) archaeological guidance, advice notes and research agendas (e.g. EH 2005), and thematic strategies such as those for prehistory (EH 2010), the Roman period (EH 2012), and the historic industrial environment (EH 2010).
6.4 The Specific aims of the archaeological monitoring are to:
Identify and preserve by record what if any archaeological remains survive within the PDA. In particular any remains that may relate to the early medieval and medieval development of the village.
6.5 The General aims of the archaeological monitoring are to:
• Generate a reliable predictive model of the location, extent, date, character, date, condition and quality of any archaeological remains within the PDA;
• Ascertain their significance, • Determine the potential impact of development on any archaeological remains within the PDA.
• Determine the amount of truncation to buried deposits • Assess the state of preservation of deposits within any negative features that may be present
• Elucidate site formation processes • Define the extent of any areas of made ground and previous ground disturbance which may have destroyed archaeological deposits;
• Engage in a programme of post-excavation archiving, synthesis and study, leading to publication and dissemination of results, and
• Ensure the long-term survival of the information through deposition of a project archive.
7. Fieldwork Procedures
7.1 All fieldwork will follow the guidance in line with CIfA standards and guidance. Topsoil stripping will be monitored by an archaeologist with any archaeological features identified and recorded.
7.2 Following topsoil stripping, foundations will be mechanically excavated for four house plots (Figure 2).
7.3 All machine work will be monitored by a suitably experience Past to Present Archaeologist. Plant and a suitably qualified operator are being provided by the client.
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
7.4 Overburden will be removed until the required foundation depth is reached. Deposits of potential archaeological origin will be hand-investigated sufficiently to determine origin where it is safe and practicable to enter the foundations.
7.5 Archaeological remains will be recorded and where possible and safe to do so, investigated by hand. Each investigated deposit will be given a unique context number and will be recorded on its own pro-forma context sheet.
7.6 The location of archaeological deposits and interventions will be recorded by means of measured plan or GPS. Measured plans and sections will use appropriate scales (normally 1:20 and 1:10 respectively) and will record the OD height of all principal strata.
7.7 Digital photographic records (10 megapixel or higher digital formats) will incorporate an identification board that will include the site code and context number, appropriately sized scales and a directional arrow. The photographic archive will include general site images as well as detailed feature shots and those suitable for publication if required. Digital images will be stored as high quality TIFFs or RAW formats for archiving purposes.
7.8 All stratified finds will be collected and bagged. All bags will be labelled with the project code and context number. Initial handling and packaging will conform to best practice (Watkinson & Neale 1998). National guidance documents will be consulted in order to provide a strategy for the excavation, field treatment and conservation of delicate organic materials (Historic England, 2012, 2010, 2008).
7.9 All finds that qualify as “treasure” under the Treasure Act 1996 (as amended) will be excavated and removed from site to a secure location on the day of their discovery. Where removal cannot be affected on the same working day as the discovery, suitable security measures will be taken to protect the finds from theft. All finds of “treasure” will be reported to the client, Staffordshire Planning Archaeological Advice and Service and the Staffordshire finds liaison officer within 2 days of discovery and notified to the local coroner within 14 days of their discovery.
7.10 If human remains are encountered, the presumption is that they will be cleaned and recorded with minimal disturbance, left in situ and covered over. It is presumed that the discovery of human remains would require subsequent planned mitigation excavation where they could be excavated, recorded and lifted under best practise with an appropriate Ministry of Justice (MOJ) license in future work. If necessary, adequate security measures will be put in place. If there is doubt over the antiquity of the remains, work will cease and the Police will be contacted.
7.11 All environmental sampling will comply with current best practise (Historic England 2011). Where it is safe and practicable to do so, samples will be taken from securely dated contexts that will contribute to understanding the archaeological resource on site. Copies of any reports will be provided to the Historic England Science Advisor.
7.12 All work shall be carried out in compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and its related regulations and codes of practice. Current government guidelines and safe working
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
procedures regarding COVID-19 will also be taken into account and the additional risks will be appropriately assessed and mitigated.
7.13 A Safety, Health & Environment Risk Assessment Method Statement (RAMS) will be prepared in advance of site works. The RAMS will detail any identified constraints to groundworks, including the location of live services, Tree Preservation Orders and public footpaths.
8. Insurance
8.1 Past to Present Ltd carries appropriate levels of public liability and employer’s liability insurances, details of which are available on request.
9. Monitoring Report
9.1 A programme of post-fieldwork assessment and reporting will be initiated upon completion of archaeological fieldwork. This will include the preparation, processing, research, assessment, analysis and investigative conservation necessary to prepare the project archive for preservation in a usable form and to produce an archive. This work will be carried out in accordance with current national guidelines (Historic England 2006).
9.2 Upon the completion of the fieldwork, the document archive will be checked and quantified, and a phased matrix of contexts will be prepared. Stable finds will be washed, marked and re- bagged. Unstable finds will be subject to remedial conservation. A full archive catalogue will be prepared. The archive will conform to current national standards (AAF 2011) and those of the recipient museum.
9.3 Finds and samples will be sent to appropriate specialists for assessment where they are recovered, along with stratigraphic information and copies of relevant plans and sections. All specialist reports will conform to national standards.
Material Specialist
Animal bone Jennifer Wood
Artefact conservation York Conservation Trust
Ceramic building material Jane Young
Clay tobacco pipe Mike Wood
Flint Rupert Birtwistle
Dr Emma Green Human remains Jennifer Wood
Val Fryer Palaeo-environmental analysis Bryn Leadbetter
Production process residues Dr Roderick Mackenzie
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
Material Specialist
Post-Roman pottery Jane Young
Prehistoric pottery Emily Edwards
Romano-British pottery Ian Rowlandson or Ruth Leary
Registered/Small finds Mike Wood or Adam Daubney Table 2 Proposed specialists
9.4 The report will contain as a minimum:
Non-technical summary Introduction – incl. description of the scheme and its physical environment, planning background, archaeological/ historical background and aims and objectives of the project; Methodologies; A description of the results; An interpretation and discussion of the results; Assessment of significance of discovered remains and assessment of impacts upon them by the proposed development; Conclusions – incl. consideration of the archaeological evidence from within the site set in its broader landscape setting, recommendations for further reporting, assessment of the methodologies employed and confidence rating in the results; References; Location plan tying the results into the Ordnance Survey national grid; Detail plans and sections; Plan showing both actual and, where possible, predicted archaeological deposits, in relation to previous site data (e.g. geophysical survey data); Plates; Appendices (e.g. specialist reports); Details on composition and location of archive. 9.5 Copyright of all documents will remain in the ownership of Past to Present Ltd under the Copyright Designs and Patent Act, 1988, although they will grant an exclusive licence to the client and SCC in respect of this work, to reproduce all or part of any report, drawing or other documentation produced by them as part of this project. Past to Present Ltd retains the right to be identified as the author in any such reports, drawings or documentation.
10. Archive Deposition
10.1 The recipient museum will be Newark and Sherwood District Council Museums Service. The archive will be deposited under the accession number NEKMS : 2020.19.
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
10.2 On completion of the reporting stages of the project, the archive will be prepared for long- term storage, and in a format agreed in advance with the recipient museum, and in accordance with national guidelines (Walker 1990; Museums & Galleries Commission 1992; Society of Museum Archaeologists 1995; Ferguson & Murray 1997; CIfA 2014b).
10.3 The deposited archive will include all written, drawn and photographic records, including copies of relevant reports and any finds generated from the archaeological works.
10.4 Digitally generated material will be supplied ‘as is’ (i.e. in its native format). Hand drawn / written material of A4 size or smaller will be submitted as scanned copies, at a resolution of 150dpi, and for all hand drawn material of larger than A4 size, at a resolution of 150dpi and at 300dpi.
11. References
Brown D. H, 2011, Archaeological Archives A guide to best practice in creation, compilation, transfer and curation. Archaeological Archives Forum 2nd edition
CIfA, 2014a, Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Watching Briefs, Reading: Chartered Institute for Archaeologists
CIfA, 2014b Standard and guidance for the creation, compilation, transfer and deposition of archaeological archives Reading: Chartered Institute for Archaeologists
Department for Communities and Local Government, 2019, National Planning Policy Framework. London: Department for Communities and Local Government
Ferguson, LM and Murray, DM, 1997, Archaeological documentary archives. IFA Paper No.1
Historic England, 2006, Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment
Historic England, 2011, Environmental Archaeology Guide to the Theory and Practice of Methods, from Sampling and Recovery to Post-excavation (second edition).
Museums & Galleries Commission, 1992, Standards in the Museum Care of Archaeological Collections, Museums & Galleries Commission
Watkinson, D and Neal V, 2001, First Aid for Finds, London: Rescue/UKICAS
Watts, V, 2007; Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-names, Cambridge University Press
Walker, K, 1990, Guidelines for the preparation of excavation archives for long-term storage. UKIC Archaeology Section, London
Williams, A., and Martin, G.H., 2002, Domesday Book: A Complete Translation, London: Penguin Books Ltd
Land off Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, WSI v1.0
Appendix 1: Figures
Scale 1: 250 000
N 344000
343000 469000 470000
Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgeford Proposed development Figure 1: Loca on of proposed Proposed development development site (Contains Ordnance Survey data @ crown copyright 2010) Scale 1: 10, 000 Redline boundary
House plot
Access
Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgeford
N Figure 2: Proposed house plot loca ons
Scale 1: 500 344000N Proposed Development Area
Listed building
Scheduled monument
Conserva on Area
Historic Village Cores Monuments HER records Medieval
Modern
Post-med to Modern
Prehistoric
Roman
Undated
343000N
Hackers Close, Kneeton Road, East Bridgeford Figure 3: Archaeological N assets overlaid on 1st edi on Ordnance Survey
Scale 1: 7, 500 469000E 470000E