An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane, Bexley, Kent, DA5 2BD
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An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane, Bexley, Kent, DA5 2BD August 2019 An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane, Bexley, Kent, DA5 2BD On behalf of : Attoe Building Design 4a Marchal Parade, Main Road, Sidcup, DA14 6QF Prepared by: Clare Lodge DipArch, Principal Field Officer Bexley Archaeological Group Approved: David Lawrance, President of Bexley Archaeological Group Registered Address: 24 Valliers Wood Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA15 8BG Registered Charity No: 1086379 Date: 2 September 2019 Report No: 105TKL 2 An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane Contents Non-Technical Summary 1. Introduction and Scope of Study 2. Geology and Topography 3. Overview of the Historic Landscape 4. Archaeological and Historical Background 4.1 Pre-Farming Societies 4.2 Roman 4.3 Anglo-Saxon 4.4 Medieval and Post Medieval 4.5 19 th century onwards 5. Site Conditions: The Proposed Development and the Impact of Archaeological Assets 6. Known Heritage Assets 7. Archaeological Intervention 8. Historic Land Character 9. Summary of Evaluation 10. Statement of Indemnity 11. Acknowledgements 12. Sources Consulted 13. Appendices Figure 1 - Site Location Figure 2 – “Study Site” Figure 3 – Maps 1769 and 1799 Figure 4 – Maps 1895 and 1896 Figure 5 – Maps 1907 and 1938 Figure 6 – Maps 1961 and 1971 Figure 7 – Maps 1975 and 1983-9 Figure 8 – Aerial photographs 1940 and 1940 Figure 9 – Aerial photographs 2007 and 2018 Figure 10 – Listed Buildings Figure 11 – Archaeological finds near to “Study Site (page 1)” Figure 12 – Archaeological finds near to “Study Site” (page 2) Figure 13 – Baldwyns Park Estate – Auction Advertisement 1874 Figure 14 - Bexley’s `Areas of High Archaeological Potential Review Project – Proposed Area 16 Figure 15 – What is a Desk-Based Assessment? 3 An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane Non-Technical Summary Bexley Archaeological Group was commissioned by Attoe Building Design to write an Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane, Bexley, Kent, DA5 2BD in relation to a planning application that will be submitted to London Borough of Bexley in the foreseeable future. There are no known heritage assets within the “Study Site”. The site is considered to have a moderate potential for the Prehistoric, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval periods and low potential for the Roman. Past impacts may have occurred. The proposed development could potentially have a destructive impact on any surviving below ground archaeological deposits across the site. Those in the near vicinity are unlikely to be damaged or removed from context by the proposed development. It is therefore recommended that a “Watching Brief” be carried out on the “Study Site” if any proposed development is to be granted. 4 An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane 1. Introduction and Scope of Study 1.1 The subject of this assessment, also known as the “Study Site”, is land registered to 105 Tiln Kiln Lane, Bexley, Kent, DA5 2BD 1.2 Bexley Archaeological Groups aims are to research the historical and archaeological impact within the “Study Site” and its surrounding vicinity and to produce a detailed desk-based assessment that will be submitted as part of a planning application by Attoe Building Design. 1.3 This archaeological desk-based assessment has been researched by Clare Lodge of Bexley Archaeological Group on behalf of Attoe Building Design. 1.4 A field inspection was undertaken on 24 August 2019. Photographs taken of the front of the house, and rear garden. 1.5 The “Study Site” presently comprises of a large detached 5 bedroom residential building arranged over ground and first floors, surrounded by a hard-standing ground surface at the front with a medium size tree and hedge and to the rear, a grassed terrace with shrubs and small trees and two disused garden structures. 1.6 The “Study Site” lies at NGR TQ 50683 72455 in an “urban village”, eastwards out of Bexley Village and just on the Bexley and Dartford border and within the London Borough of Bexley. The property is situated on the south side of Tile Kiln Lane and the west corner of Staple Close. It is bounded on the south side by smaller residential dwellings and on the west “Oak Cottage” a locally listed building. On the opposite site of Tile Kiln Lane, is The Parish Church of St Barnabas Joydens Wood and Vicarage. Part of their land is overgrown with vegetation and was once a cemetery for Bexley Hospital. 1.7 The entire site area is 808.64m^2 . The proposed development area is 207m ^2. 1.8 The site is located to one of the London Borough of Bexley’s `Areas of High Archaeological Potential Review Project – Proposed Area 16 – Faesten Dic and Cavey’s Spring` . (Figure 14 ) 1.9 “Study Site” is not situated in any Conservation Area. 1.10 In accordance with government policy, this assessment draws together the available archaeological, historical, topographic and land-use information in order to clarify the archaeological potential of the study area. 1.11 This desk-based assessment comprises of an examination of evidence in the London Borough of Bexley Historic Environment Record, Central Library Bexleyheath Local Studies, Bexley Archaeological Group Archives and various online sources including Heritage Gateway, National Monuments Record (Historic England) databases, Pastscape and that recorded by the Archaeological Database Service (ADS). 1.12 The National Heritage List which lists, locates and describes Listed Buildings was also consulted. Relevant historical and archaeological publications were identified from the library from the author’s personal collection. 1.13 Cartographic Research OS maps were obtained from online source (National Library Scotland), Bexley Archaeological Group Archives and personal archive of the author of this report. 5 An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane 1.14 Aerial View Research Initial aerial views were obtained from electronic sources (Google Earth and Bing maps). RAF aerial photographs available at the time of research are grainy due to the undergrowth. Britain From Above was researched, but images of the study area in question were not available. Further searches were made to identify and inspect any other pertinent and reliable internet source material, map information and historical reference works. Unfortunately, due to the shortness of the research, no enquiries were able to be made at the National Monuments Record Office to identify informative aerial images from their collection. 1.15 Both the archival records for London Borough of Bexley and Dartford Council contain a vast amount of historical and archaeological records, and although there is a mention of historical evidence found in the Boroughs, the author shall only be concentrating on a radius of 500m from the study site. 1.16 This evaluation is prepared in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework, 2019 and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologist’s “Standard and Guideline for Historic Environment desk-based assessment” (Figure 15 ) 2. Geology and Topography 2.1 The study area of this evaluation lies on undulating landscape, and located on the eastern part of Bexley with the geology of Blackheath Beds (sands and pebbles), Woolwich Beds (clay, sand and loam) overlaying Thanet Sands. Underlying the whole is the chalk of the North Downs. The immediate landscape and the study site itself gradually rises to the south and east and lower ground to the north and west. It is located about 43m above sea level. The rear garden has a small paved patio and a “lawned terrace” area with grass and shrubs. Around 1990, the Client raised this area by. 2.2 No site-specific geotechnical data is currently available for the site. 3. Overview of the Historic Landscape Originally a lane accessible from Dartford Road (A2018), Tile Kiln Lane runs east to west for just under one mile leading onto the junction of Birchwood Road and Leyton Cross Road. The area was rural, with ancient woodlands, fields and boundaries with the odd development scattered. About 3 miles from the study site lies the historic towns of Crayford (north) and Dartford (east), both of which have had Saxon and Roman occupation. Bexley Village lies west of the study site and was established during 14 th century. These woodlands included Joyden’s Wood to the south, Cavey Springs to the west and Stankey Wood to the north. Joyden’s Wood contains a Saxon linear earthwork and a site of a medieval settlement. There is a considerable amount of 14 th century –Medieval deneholes in the vicinity. 6 An Archaeological Desktop Assessment of 105 Tile Kiln Lane Study site was once part of the Baldwyns Estate until the development of the residential estate in the 1920s/1930s 4. Archaeological and Historical Background 4.1 Introduction The following comprises of a review of archaeological and historical records within 800m radius of the “Study Site” demonstrating the development site and surrounding area from prehistory until the present day. 4.1.1 Pre-Farming Societies Palaeolithic: 450,000 12,000BC Mesolithic: 12,000 – 4,000BC In 1985, Peter J Tester wrote a summary of the prehistory in the Bexley Area and Barry John Bishop wrote a detailed account of the prehistoric activity in the Cray Valley following an excavation in Old Bexley in 1998. N 1981, D. A. Roe wrote in his book “The Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Periods In Britain” that the Cray Valley can be regarded as a hospitable location for settlement, and was home to some of the most important Lower and Middle Palaeolithic sequences in the country. Evidence of pre-farming societies has been found in the local vicinity. These include: Palaeolithic handaxes, Mesolithic implements (tranchet axe, cores, several blades and flakes, scrapers, a graver and microliths.