DIXTON ROAD CLINIC DIXTON ROAD MONMOUTH MONMOUTHSHIRE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION
For
REDCLIFFE HOMES
CA PROJECT: 2432 CA REPORT: 07137
OCTOBER 2007
DIXTON ROAD CLINIC DIXTON ROAD MONMOUTH
MONMOUTHSHIRE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION
For
REDCLIFFE HOMES
CA PROJECT: 2432 CA REPORT: 07137
OCTOBER 2007
DIXTON ROAD CLINIC DIXTON ROAD MONMOUTH MONMOUTHSHIRE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION
CA PROJECT: 2432 CA REPORT: 07137
prepared by Jonathan Hart, Project Officer
date 17 October 2007
checked by Clifford Bateman, Project Manager
date 18 October 2007
approved by Simon Cox, Head of Fieldwork
signed
date 19 October 2007
issue 01
This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.
© Cotswold Archaeology Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: [email protected] © Cotswold Archaeology Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth: Archaeological Evaluation
CONTENTS
SUMMARY...... 2
1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3
2. RESULTS (FIGS 2 - 5) ...... 6
3. DISCUSSION...... 9
4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 10
5. REFERENCES ...... 10
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 11 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS BY TERESA GILMORE...... 13 APPENDIX C: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES ...... 14 APPENDIX D: OASIS REPORT FORM...... 15
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:10,000) Fig. 2 Trench locations (1:500) Fig. 3 Trenches 1, 3 and 4 plans and sections (various scales) Fig. 4 Photograph: Trench 3 Middle; ditch 310, looking south Fig. 5 Photograph: Trench 4; wall 409 looking south
1 © Cotswold Archaeology Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth: Archaeological Evaluation
SUMMARY
Project Name: Dixton Road Clinic Location: Dixton Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire NGR: SO 5103 1309 Type: Evaluation Date: 8-11 October 2007 Location of Archive: To be deposited with Nelson Museum and Local History Centre, Monmouth, Monmouthshire Site Code: DRC 07
An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in October 2007 at the request of Redcliffe Homes at Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire. Four trenches were excavated within the southern part of the proposed development area close to the projected line of Monmouth’s medieval defences.
A substantial ditch, likely to have been part of the medieval town defences, was identified. Only the upper fills of this ditch were exposed; these dated to the 16th to 19th centuries and might represent a period of municipal infilling prior to redevelopment. Medieval features dating to the 12th to 13th centuries, including a wall and a ditch, were identified outside the town ditch and might pre-date the creation of the town defences.
The archaeological deposits were sealed by between 0.72m and 1.50m of modern make-up layers.
2 © Cotswold Archaeology Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth: Archaeological Evaluation
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 In October 2007 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Redcliffe Homes at Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire (centred on NGR: SO 5103 1309; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken to accompany a planning application for residential redevelopment of the site.
1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological evaluation (GGAT 2007) prepared by Neil Maylan (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Curatorial), the archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority (Monmouthshire County Council), and with a subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2007a) and approved by Mr Maylan. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (2001) and the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991). It was monitored by Mr Maylan.
The site
1.3 The site occupies an urban location within central Monmouth. It is bounded by Dixton Road to the north, by Monmouth Comprehensive School to the east, by Jones Almshouses to the south and by Lancaster House to the west (Fig. 2). The site lies at approximately 23m AOD, with ground level falling away to the south. The site measures approximately 1650m2 in area and comprises the clinic and associated tarmac car park, with an open grassed area and soft landscaping to the south and west.
1.4 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Second Terrace gravel deposits of the Pleistocene era overlying deposits of the St Maughan’s Group Lower Old Red Sandstone (BGS 1974). Red silty clay natural substrate was exposed during the evaluation.
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Archaeological background
1.5 Monmouth is located on a low hill at the confluence of the Rivers Monnow and Wye. Stray finds attest to prehistoric activity in the area although no settlement of this date has been identified. By contrast, Romano-British activity is well attested within Monmouth and includes a possible pre-Flavian fort c. 400m to the west of the current site as well as evidence for later civilian occupation (GGAT 2007). A substantial ditch identified during works along Monk Street, 60m to the west of the current site, may be evidence of a second fort approximately centred on Jones Almshouses and extending into the southern half of the proposed development area (CA 2007b).
1.6 Although documentary references do refer to settlement at Monmouth from the 5th century onwards the nature of this occupation is poorly understood (CA 2007b). A castle was erected in 1067 on the cliff overlooking the River Monnow c. 300m to the west of the site. Settlement developed around the castle and expanded along Monnow Street, probably as an unplanned ribbon development (GGAT 2007). After the town came into the possession of the Duchy of Lancaster a more formal town plan appears to have been imposed, with the burgage plots along Monnow Street being re-aligned from the mid 13th century (Ibid.).
1.7 During the medieval period the town was given a defensive circuit. The development history of this circuit is not clearly understood but it appears that a rampart and external ditch were constructed first, with a wall being added in the early 14th century (CA 2007b). The projected line of the town defences runs through the southwestern corner of the current site between the former North Gate on Monk Street, c. 60m to the northwest of the site, and the former East Gate, located close to the junctions of Burgage and Old Dixton Road c. 90m to the southeast (ibid.). A 12m wide, 2.5m high bank identified during archaeological excavation to the immediate west of the site is likely to represent the medieval rampart whilst the wall itself was identified during redevelopment of the Burgage to the southeast of the site (ibid.). The town wall was clearly shown on a 1610 plan of the town but was not depicted on an 1835 town plan, although its former course was noted, preserved in the alignment of a row of cottages and a pathway (ibid.).
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Archaeological objectives
1.8 The objectives of the evaluation were to establish the character, quality, date and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site. This information will assist Monmouthshire County Council in making an informed judgement on the significance of the archaeological resource, and the likely impact upon it of the proposed development.
Methodology
1.9 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of four trenches in the locations shown on the attached plan (Fig. 2). The trenches were originally intended to be 20m in length but the exact locations and dimensions had to be adjusted to account for the presence of trees and modern services. Trench 1 was 12.2m in length, Trench 2 comprised two segments totalling 11.8m in length, Trench 3 comprised three segments totalling 18.6m in length and Trench 4 was 17.25m in length. All trenches were 1.6m wide and were located as close as possible to the projected line of the medieval town defences.
1.10 All trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant archaeological supervision to the top of the first significant archaeological horizon or the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Where archaeological deposits were encountered they were excavated in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007).
1.11 Although considered for their palaeoenvironmental potential in accordance with CA Technical Manual 2, The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other Samples from Archaeological Sites (2003), no deposits were sampled during the course of this evaluation. All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).
1.12 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the artefacts will be deposited with the Nelson Museum and Local History Centre, Monmouth along with the site archive. A summary of information from this project, set out within
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Appendix D, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.
2. RESULTS (FIGS 2 - 5)
2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts and finds are to be found in Appendices A and B respectively. Details of the relative heights of the principal deposits and features expressed as metres Above Ordnance Datum (m AOD) appear in Appendix C.
2.2 Archaeological deposits were revealed in all four trenches sealed by modern deposits measuring between 0.72m and 1.50m in thickness.
Trench 1 (Figs 2 & 3) 2.3 The earliest encountered deposit was redeposited red-brown natural clay 110, although the base of this deposit was not revealed due to the depth of the trench. It was overlain by soft grey silty deposit 109, which released a strong organic odour and which contained cattle, horse and dog bones along with bottle glass dating to the late 17th to 18th centuries. This was itself overlain by deposits 108 and 107, both of which were similar to deposit 110. Deposit 108 contained frequent charcoal and crushed lime mortar flecks as well as 18th-century pottery. Following the excavation of Trench 3 it became apparent that these deposits were infilling the medieval town ditch.
2.4 Deposit 107 was cut by construction trench 105 for northwest/southeast aligned brick and stone wall or culvert 106. These deposits were sealed by 1.50m of modern (19th century and later) make-up deposits and topsoil.
Trench 2 (Fig. 2) 2.5 Trench 2 was divided into a northern half (contexts 701+) and a southern half (contexts 201+) due to the presence of mature trees and services. Within the southern part of the trench the earliest deposit encountered was redeposited natural clay 204, which was revealed 1.10m below present ground level and which represents the uppermost fill of the medieval town ditch. It was cut by the construction trench for northeast/southwest aligned brick culvert 206. These
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deposits were sealed by modern (19th century and later) make-up layers and topsoil.
2.6 Within the northern part of the trench, the earliest exposed deposit was natural clay substrate 705 which was encountered 1.30m below present ground level and which was overlain by possible former topsoil/subsoil 704. These deposits were sealed by modern (19th century and later) make-up layers and topsoil/tarmac.
Trench 3 (Figs 2-4) 2.7 Due to the presence of obstructions on site, Trench 3 was divided into three segments. These comprised a southwestern segment (contexts 501+), a middle segment (contexts 301+) and a northern segment (contexts 601+).
2.8 Within the middle segment the earliest encountered deposit was natural clay substrate 304 which was revealed 0.72m below present ground level. It had been cut by oval pit or ditch terminus 305 from which 12th to 13th-century pottery was recovered. This feature had itself been cut by ditch 309 from which no artfactual material was recovered. .
2.9 Throughout the majority of the trench northwest/southeast aligned ditch 310, that correlated with the projected alignment of the medieval town ditch, was revealed. The full width of this ditch was not exposed although it was at least 7.5m wide. The upper fill was dark, odorous deposit 312 that contained late 18th to 19th-century pottery and demolition debris. This overlay two fills derived from redeposited natural clay, 315 and 313, the former contained 16th to 18th-century pottery. Fill 315 had been cut by the construction trench for brick culvert 308 which was similar to the culvert identified in Trench 2. Ditch 310 also had a physical relationship with ditch 309 although the similarity of their fills meant that the stratigraphic relationship could not be determined. These deposits were sealed by modern (19th century and later) make-up layers and topsoil.
2.10 In the southwestern segment the earliest encountered deposits were fills of ditch 310 similar in composition to those identified in the middle segment. The earliest of these was redeposited natural clay 507 which was excavated to a depth of 3.10m below present ground level without its full depth being exposed. It was overlain by odorous dark deposit 506 which contained demolition material. This was itself
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overlain by redeposited natural clay 505. These deposits were sealed by 1.40m thickness of modern (19th century and later) make-up layers and topsoil.
2.11 The earliest encountered deposit in the northern segment of the trench was natural clay substrate 604 which was encountered 0.70m below present ground level. This was overlain by modern (19th century and later) make-up layers and topsoil.
Trench 4 (Figs 2, 3 & 5)) 2.12 The earliest encountered deposit was natural clay substrate 406. It was overlain by buried subsoil 405 which was present throughout the trench and contained 11th to 13th-century pottery and iron slag. It had been cut by foundation trench 408 for stone wall 409 which was encountered 1.13m below present ground level. The wall was 0.35m wide, followed a north/south alignment and survived as a single course of rough stonework with an earthen bonding. Infill 410 of associated foundation trench 408 contained a whetstone as well as 12th to 13th-century pottery, including a sherd from beneath the wall itself. The northern part of the wall extended beyond the trench limits whilst the southern half was sealed by rubble layer 411 interpreted as demolition debris derived from the wall. These deposits were sealed by former topsoil 404 which was itself sealed by modern (19th century and later) make-up layers and topsoil.
The Finds Evidence
2.13 Quantities of pottery, ceramic building material, clay tobacco pipe, animal bone, glass, coal, metalworking residue, oyster shell, worked stone and metalwork were recovered from nine deposits during the current works (Appendix B).
Medieval 2.14 Medieval coarse cooking-pot sherds were recovered from ditch fill 306, buried subsoil 405, infill 410 of the foundation trench for wall 409, and as residual material in ditch fill 315. Broad 11th to 13th century dating is likely for this material, with forms present in fill 306 possibly indicating a later 12th to 13th century date. Metalworking residues, consisting of dense smelting-related slag, were present in buried subsoil 405. Cow-sized bones were recovered from deposits 405 and 410.
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Post-medieval 2.15 Post-medieval finds were recovered from the uppermost fills of the medieval town ditch and included 16th to 19th-century pottery recovered from fills 107, 312 and 315, bottle glass dating to the late 17th to 18th century recovered from fill 109, and metalworking residues, consisting of dense smelting-related slag, recovered from fills 312 and 315. Animal bone was also recovered from these fills including horse, cattle, pig and dog bones along with bones from cow-sized and sheep-sized animals. Signs of butchery were noted on the animal bones from fill 312 and these had also been gnawed by dogs. The horse bones from 109 were smashed but not obviously butchered.
3. DISCUSSION
3.1 The large ditch identified in Trench 3 lies on the projected alignment of the medieval town ditch and its size is consistent with that which would be expected for the town ditch. The alignment of the ditch, indicated by the presence of ditch fills, continued into the southern segment of Trench 2 and into Trench 1. No ditch fills were present in the northern segment of Trench 2, demonstrating that the edge of the ditch is located between the two segments, which accords both with the alignment of the ditch edge seen in Trench 3 and the projected alignment of the town ditch (CA 2007b).
3.2 The artefactual material recovered from these uppermost ditch fills date to the 16th to 19th centuries confirming that the ditch remained open into the post-medieval period. This would accord with the cartographic evidence available for Monmouth, on which the northeastern defences are still depicted in 1610 but had been removed by 1835 (CA 2007b). Given that these fills comprised substantial deposits of redeposited natural clay and demolition material, rather than small dumps of domestic waste, it seems likely that they were deposited as part of an organised, municipal infilling of the ditch, perhaps prior to the redevelopment of the area.
3.3 Wall 409 identified in Trench 4 and ditch/pit 305 identified in Trench 3 are both of probable 12th to 13th century date and may therefore pre-date the town ditch, although as noted above, the date for the establishment of the town’s defences
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remains unclear. These features are likely to represent field boundaries, although it is also possible that the wall formed part of an early medieval, extra-mural building.
4. CA PROJECT TEAM
Fieldwork was undertaken by Jonathan Hart, assisted by Catherine Barton-Jones, Stuart Joyce and Siân Reynish. This report was written by Jonathan Hart with illustrations prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled by Jonathan Hart, and prepared for deposition by Kathryn Price. The project was managed for CA by Clifford Bateman.
5. REFERENCES
BGS (British Geological Survey) 1974 Geological Survey of England and Wales Sheet 233: Monmouth 1:50, 000 series Solid and Drift Edition
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2007a Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2007b, William Jones’s Almshouses, Monmouth: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. CA Typescript Report No. 07066
GGAT (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) 2007 Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth: Brief for Archaeological Evaluation
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APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS
Trench 1 No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot-date (m) (m) (m) 101 Topsoil Under grass - - 0.18m C20th 102 Make-up Red-brown clay silt with brick and stone - - 0.46m C19/20th 103 Make-up Dark grey-brown clay silt with brick and lime - - 0.58m C19/20th mortar 104 Make-up Red-brown clay silt with brick, stone and lime - - 0.36m C19/20th mortar 105 Cut Foundation trench for 106 - - c. 0.5m C19/20th 106 Structure Wall or culvert: upper course of stone overlying - - c. 0.5m C19/20th red brick. Not excavated. 107 Fill Fill off medieval town ditch: brown-red clay silt with - - 0.4m C18th charcoal and lime mortar flecks and tile fragments 108 Fill Fill off medieval town ditch: brown-red clay silt - - 0.58m C18th+ 109 Fill Fill off medieval town ditch: odorous soft grey- - - 0.50m LC17/18th black silt with twigs, animal bone and bottle glass 110 Fill Fill off medieval town ditch: red-brown clay silt with - - >0.23m C18th+ charcoal flecks
Trench 2 No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 201 Topsoil Under grass - - 0.30m C20th 202 Make-up Red-brown clay silt with brick and tile - - 0.40m C19/20th 203 Make-up Grey-black clay silt with lime mortar and tile - - 0.45m C19/20th fragments 204 Fill Fill off medieval town ditch: brown-red clay silt with - - - C18th+ charcoal and lime mortar flecks and tile fragments 205 Cut Foundation trench for 206 - 0.50m - C19/20th 206 Structure Brick-lined, stone-capped culvert - 0.50m - C19/20th 701 Tarmac Tarmac and hardcore - - 0.19m C20th 702 Make-up Hardcore - - 0.24m C20th 703 Make-up Grey-black clay silt with lime mortar and tile - - 0.34m C19/20th fragments 704 Layer Possible former topsoil or subsoil: grey-brown clay - - 0.50m Undated silt 705 Natural Brown-red silty clay - - - - 706 Cut Cut for 707 - - - C19/20th 707 Pipe Ceramic foul/drainage pipe - - - C19/20th
Trench 3 No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot-date (m) (m) (m) 301 Topsoil Under grass - - 0.20m C20th 302 Make-up Red-brown clay silt with brick and tile fragments - - 0.50m C19/20th 303 Make-up Dark grey-brown clay silt with stone, lime mortar - - 0.38m C19/20th and tile fragments 304 Natural Brown-red silty clay - - - - 305 Cut Ditch terminus or oval pit. U-shaped profile - 0.35m 0.19m C12/13th 306 Fill Only fill of 305: mid brown clay silt with abundant - 0.35m 0.19m C12/13th pottery sherds 307 Cut Foundation trench for 308 - 0.50m - C19/20th 308 Structure Brick-lined, stone-capped culvert - 0.50m - C19/20th
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309 Cut Ditch with shallow U-shaped profile - 0.88m 0.25m undated 310 Cut Medieval town ditch: full extent not exposed but at - - - Medieval least 7.5m wide and at least 1.6m deep 311 Fill Only fill of 309: mid grey-brown clay silt - 0.88m 0.25m Undated 312 Fill Fill of 310: Odorous grey-black clay silt with brick - - - LC18/19th and tile fragments, lime mortar flecks and occasional oyster shells 313 Fill Fill of 310: brown-red clay silt with charcoal flecks - - - C18th+ 314 Fill Backfill of 307: grey-brown clay silt - - - C19/20th 315 Fill Fill of 310: mid grey-brown clay silt - - - C16-18th 501 Topsoil Under grass - - 0.10m C20th 502 Cut Cut for 503 - - - C20th 503 Pipe Ceramic drainage pipe - - - C20th 504 Make-up Dark grey-brown clay silt interbedded with red- - - 1.30m C19/20th brown clay silt, both with stone, lime mortar and tile fragments 505 Fill Fill of 310: brown-red clay silt with charcoal flecks - - 0.70m C19/20th 506 Fill Fill of 310: odorous dark grey-black clay silt with - - 0.54m C19/20th stone fragments 507 Fill Fill of 310: mid red-brown clay silt - - >0.56m C19/20th 601 Topsoil Under grass - - 0.20m C20th 602 Make-up Red-brown clay silt with brick and tile fragments - - 0.22m C19/20th 603 Make-up Dark grey-brown clay silt with stone, lime mortar - - 0.31m C19/20th and tile fragments 604 Natural Brown-red silty clay - - - -
Trench 4 No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot-date (m) (m) (m) 401 Topsoil Under grass - - 0.25m C20th 402 Make-up Red-brown clay silt with brick and tile fragments - - 0.43m C19/20th 403 Make-up Dark grey-brown clay silt with stone, lime mortar - - 0.18m C19/20th and tile fragments 404 Layer Possible former topsoil/subsoil layer: mid brown clay - - 0.29m Undated silt but sealed medieval features- 405 Layer Possible former topsoil/subsoil layer: mid brown clay - - 0.14m C11-13th silt 406 Natural Brown-red silty clay. Sondage excavated to 1m - - - - depth through this deposit 407 - Context not used - - - - 408 Cut Foundation trench for wall 409 - 0.87m 0.28m C12/13th 409 Structure Stone wall, N-S aligned, bonded with mid brown - 0.35m 0.15m C12/13th clay silt. Single course of unsquared stones 410 Fill Backfill of 408: mid brown clay silt - - 0.28m C12/13th 411 Layer Demolition/collapse layer: stone fragments within a - - - Undated mid brown clay silt matrix. Not excavated but prob. medieval 412 Cut Cut for 413 - - - C19/20th 413 Drain Ceramic land drain - - - C19/20th 414 Fill Fill of 412: grey black clay silt - - - C19/20th
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APPENDIX B: THE FINDS BY TERESA GILMORE
Quantities of pottery, ceramic building material, clay tobacco pipe, animal bone, glass, coal, metalworking residue, oyster shell, worked stone and metalwork were recovered. Medieval, post-medieval and modern pottery types were identified. Medieval material occurred in deposits 306, 315, 405 and 410 as coarse cook-pot type fabrics. Broad 11th to 13th centuries dating is likely for this material, with ‘developed’ (jar) rim forms noted in deposit 306 possibly indicating a later 12th to 13th century date. Post-medieval and modern pottery types identified from deposits 107, 312, 315, 405, 411 and 504 included creamwares, salt-glazed stonewares, mottled brown glazed ware, tin-glazed earthenwares, yellow slipwares, porcelain, hand-painted china, miscellaneous glazed ware and flowerpot. Most recovered material was of 18th to 19th-century date. Ceramic building material consisted of roof tiles of post-medieval type. Glass was recovered from three deposits (312, 315 and 109) and included bottle bases of late 17th to 18th-century dating and modern window glass. Metalworking residues, consisting of dense smelting-related slag, were present in three deposits (312, 315 and 405).
Animal bone was recovered from six deposits. Horse, cattle, pig and dog were identified the remainder being from cow-sized and sheep-sized animals. Signs of butchery were noted on the animal bone from deposit 312 and these bones had also been gnawed by dogs. The horse bones from 109 were smashed but not obviously butchered. The cow-sized long bone fragment from 410 had been burnt white in colour.
Context Artefact type Count Weight (g) Spot-date 107 Post-medieval pottery: miscellaneous glazed ware 1 54 C18 Ceramic building material: roof tile 4 351 109 Post-medieval bottle glass 2 201 LC17-C18 Animal bone: horse, cattle, dog, cow-sized 8 968 306 Medieval pottery: cookpot fabric 33 336 C12-C13 312 Post-medieval pottery: miscellaneous glazed ware, 36 440 LC18-C19 creamware, salt-glazed stoneware, mottled brown glazed ware, tin-glazed earthenware, yellow slipwares, porcelain Ceramic building material: roof tile 6 916 Clay tobacco pipe 2 7 Post-medieval vessel glass 16 539 Coal 2 5 Metalworking residue: tap slag 2 34 Iron object 1 14 Oyster shell 2 34 Animal bone: cattle, pig, cow-sized, sheep-sized 8 101 315 Medieval pottery: cookpot fabric 3 26 C16-C18 Post-medieval pottery: miscellaneous glazed ware, 5 31 flowerpot Post-medieval glass 1 1 Iron object 2 67 Metalworking residue: tap slag 1 2 Animal bone: cattle, pig 5 6 405 Medieval pottery: cookpot fabric 4 26 C11-C13 Post-medieval pottery: flowerpot (intrusive) 1 8 Metalworking residue: tap slag 5 1614 Worked stone 2 535 Animal bone: cow-sized 2 5 410 Medieval pottery: cookpot fabric 6 127 C12-C13 Coal 1 1 Whetstone 1 152 Animal bone: burnt; cow-sized 2 3 411 Post-medieval pottery: pressmoulded slipware 1 8 Undated (intrusive) 504 Post-medieval pottery: handpainted china, 7 59 C19 creamware, saltglazed stoneware Ceramic building material: roof tile 2 125 Clay tobacco pipe 1 3 Post-medieval vessel glass 2 19 Oyster shell 5 27 Animal bone: cow-sized 3 11
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APPENDIX C: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES
Levels are expressed as metres below current ground level and as metres Above Ordnance Datum (AOD), calculated using the benchmark located at the junction between Monk Street and Dixton Road (26.57m AOD).
Trench 1 Trench 2 S Trench 2 N Trench 3 Trench 4 Current ground level 0.00m 0.00m 0.00m 0.00m 0.00m (23.33m) (23.33m) (23.86m) (23.34m) (23.01m) Top of post-medieval 1.50m 1.10m N/A 0.72m N/A town ditch fills (21.83m) (22.23m) (22.62m) Top of medieval N/A N/A N/A 0.72m 1.13m deposits (22.62m) (21.88m) Top of natural substrate N/A N/A 1.65m 0.72m 1.05m (22.21m) (22.62m) (21.80m) Limit of excavation 3.14m 1.30m 1.65m 2.04m 2.20m (20.19m) (22.03m) (22.21m) (21.30m) (20.81m)
Upper figures are depth below modern ground level; lower figures in parentheses are metres AOD.
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APPENDIX D: OASIS REPORT FORM
PROJECT DETAILS
Project Name Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation Short description An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in October 2007 at the request of Redcliffe Homes at Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire. Four trenches were excavated across the southern part of the proposed development area close to the projected line of Monmouth’s medieval defences.
A substantial ditch, likely to have been part of the medieval town defences, was identified. Only the upper fills of this ditch were exposed; these dated to the 16th to 19th centuries and might represent a period of municipal infilling prior to redevelopment. Medieval features dating to the 12th to 13th centuries, including a wall and a ditch, were identified outside the ditch and might pre-date the creation of the town defences.
The archaeological deposits were sealed by between 0.72m and 1.50m thickness of modern make-up layers.
Project dates 8-11 October 2007 Project type Evaluation
Previous work None
Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire Study area 1650m² Site co-ordinates SO 5103 1309
PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Curatorial Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology
Project Manager Clifford Bateman Project Supervisor Jonathan Hart PROJECT ARCHIVES The Nelson Museum and Local History Centre, Monmouth
Physical Pottery, animal bone, glass, slag Paper Context sheets, drawings, Photographs, levels Digital Photographs
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
CA 2007 Dixton Road Clinic, Dixton Road, Monmouth: Archaeological Evaluation CA unpublished typescript report 07137
16 Reproduced from the 2007 Ordnance Survey Landplan map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109
site
0 1km
COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY Monmouthshire PROJECT TITLE Former Dixton Road Clinic Monmouth, Monmouthshire FIGURE TITLE Site location plan
DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. LG 1:10,000@A4 2432 1 Reproduced from the 2007 Ordnance Survey Siteplan map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 35103510
DIXTON ROAD
21312131
T1 T3 N culvert T2 N 106
wall pit/ditch 409 T2 S 305
culvert ditch T4 206 culvert 309 308 T3 SW T3 M
0 50m
COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY site PROJECT TITLE evaluation trench Former Dixton Road Clinic Monmouth, Monmouthshire medieval town ditch FIGURE TITLE archaeological feature Trench location plan, showing medieval town ditch projected line of medieval rampart/wall DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. LG 1:500@A4 2432 2 N
Trench 1; plan Trench 3 middle; plan N
A ditch 108 A B 309 B
103 ditch C pit/ditch 310 105 315 307 107 305 312 101 104 109 110 315 107 C natural 304 wall or culvert 106 culvert 308
0 10m 0 10m
Trench 1; section AA Trench 3 middle; section BB
N topsoil 101 S NE topsoil 301 SW make-up 23m dumped layer 23m 302 AOD 102 AOD make-up 303
311 dumped layer 315 medieval 103 314 ditch natural ditch 307 309 304 310 post-medieval fill of medieval culvert dumped layer 308 104 town ditch 0 5m 107 undated
108
109 Trench 3; section CC
EW 110 22m AOD 306 ditch 305 0 5m 01m
Trench 4; section DD
topsoil 401 Trench 4; plan N
D make-up 402 ?buried soil 408 405 402 402 natural natural natural 401 406 406 406 wall 409 411 408 modern
soakaway make-up 403 412 land drain COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY D 413 natural buried soil PROJECT TITLE 406 E 404 W 0 10m 22m Former Dixton Road Clinic AOD 410 Monmouth, Monmouthshire 405 buried soil wall 405 FIGURE TITLE 405 409 408 410 Trenches 1, 3 and 4; natural 406 plans and sections 408 DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. 01mLG as shown 2432 3 4
ditch 310
ditch 309 pit/ditch 305
COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY
PROJECT TITLE Former Dixton Road Clinic 4 Trench 3 Middle; ditch 310, looking south Monmouth, Monmouthshire FIGURE TITLE Photograph
DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. LG n/a 2432 4 5
wall 409
COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY
PROJECT TITLE Former Dixton Road Clinic 5 Trench 4; wall 409, looking south Monmouth, Monmouthshire FIGURE TITLE Photograph
DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. LG n/a 2432 5