Northaw House Cuffley, Potters Bar Hertfordshire
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Northaw House Cuffley, Potters Bar Hertfordshire Archaeological Evaluation for: Archaeology Collective CA Project: MK0215 CA Report: MK0215_1 July 2020 Northaw House Cuffley, Potters Bar Hertfordshire Archaeological Evaluation CA Project: MK0215 CA Report: MK0215_1 Site code CUF20 Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by 1 08/07/2020 JC/RSB APS Draft – APS 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. Cirencester Milton Keynes Andover Exeter Suffolk Building 11 Unit 8, The IO Centre Stanley House Unit 1, Clyst Units Unit 5, Plot 11 Kemble Enterprise Park Fingle Drive Walworth Road Cofton Road Maitland Road Cirencester Stonebridge Andover Marsh Barton Lion Barn Industrial Gloucestershire Milton Keynes Hampshire Exeter Estate GL7 6BQ Buckinghamshire SP10 5LH EX2 8QW Needham Market MK13 0AT Suffolk IP6 8NZ t. 01285 771 022 t. 01264 347 630 t. 01392 573 970 t. 01908 564 660 t. 01449 900 120 e. [email protected] CONTENTS SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 3 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 4 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ....................................................................... 5 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................... 7 4. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 7 5. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 8 6. THE FINDS ................................................................................................................ 9 7. THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE .................................................................................. 11 8. DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................. 11 9. CA PROJECT TEAM ................................................................................................. 12 10. REFERENCES........................................................................................................... 12 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ............................................................................ 13 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ...................................................................................................... 14 APPENDIX C: THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE ................................................ 15 APPENDIX D: OASIS REPORT FORM…………………………………………………………….16 1 Northaw House, Cuffley, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:1500) Fig. 3 Trench location plan (1:500) Fig. 4 Photographs – site prior to excavation Fig. 5 Photographs - trenches 1 and 2 Fig. 6 Photographs - trenches 4 and 5 Fig. 7 Photographs – trench 6 Fig. 8 Trench 2, pit 203: section and photograph Fig. 9 Trench 5, ditch 503. 2 Northaw House, Cuffley, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology SUMMARY Project name: Northaw House Location: Cuffley, Potters Bar NGR: 527457 202422 Type: Evaluation Date: 6–7 July 2020 Planning reference: 6/2019/0217/MAJ and 6/2019/0218/LB Location of Archive: To be deposited with Mill Green Museum and the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) Site Code: CUF20 In July 2020, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at Northaw House, Cuffley, Potters Bar Hertfordshire, on behalf of Archaeology Collective. A total of 6 trenches of varying lengths were excavated, all within the footprint of new residential properties located primarily within and to the east of a former Walled Garden and to the south of a range of agricultural and service buildings associated with the Grade II Listed late 17th century Northaw House. Evidence of modern truncation resulting from extensive underground utilities was noted across the site, with greater levels of disturbance apparent around and to the south of the service buildings. Evidence for levelling of the site through the importation of material was apparent throughout all six trenches, with a layer of “made ground” perhaps relating to the levelling of the site prior to the construction of Northaw House or, more specifically the Walled Garden and service buildings. Pottery recovered from a ditch cutting the made ground layer was of early 17th century date although the material may be residual or have been discarded from elsewhere into what may be a later, possibly modern, ditch. A single pit contained the remains of two adult dogs and was most likely a pet or working dog burial. No other archaeological features or deposits were encountered. 3 Northaw House, Cuffley, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology 1. INTRODUCTION In July 2020, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation at Northaw House, Cuffley, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire (centred at NGR: 527457 202422; Fig. 1), on behalf of Archaeology Collective. Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) has granted planning permission for the conversion of Northaw House to form 11 apartments (including refurbishment of existing single caretaker’s flat) and an underground parking area, the Ballroom wing to form 2 dwellings, the stable block to form 1 dwelling, refurbishment of existing dwelling at Oak Cottage, 3 dwellings within the Walled Garden, 7 dwellings within the Settlement Area, refurbishment of the Walled Garden, refurbishment of access routes and reinstatement of old routes, provision of hard and soft landscaping, car parking and supporting infrastructure (planning ref: 6/2019/0217/MAJ). Condition 3 of this planning permission requires the implementation of a programme of archaeological work in accordance with an approved WSI. The scope of this evaluation was defined by Simon Wood, Historic Environment Advisor, Hertfordshire County Council (HEAHCC), in his capacity as archaeological advisor to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC). The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) prepared by CA (2020) and approved by the HEAHCC. The evaluation was also undertaken in line with the Standard and guidance for archaeological field evaluation (CIfA 2014), Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England (Gurney 2003), Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE) PPN 3: Archaeological Excavation (Historic England 2015) and Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MoRPHE Project Managers' Guide (Historic England 2015). The site The proposed development site is approximately 11ha in extent and comprises Northaw House, its outbuildings, gardens and surrounding grounds (Figs 2 to 4). The site is situated to the north-east of Potters Bar. Judges Hill road forms the northern boundary of the estate, Coopers Lane runs past the western boundary and the southern boundary is formed by a farm track and field boundary. To the north and south the site is surrounded by pasture fields. The village of Northaw is situated immediately to the east of site. The curtilage of another country estate is situated 4 Northaw House, Cuffley, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology immediately across Coopers Lane to the west. The site lies at approximately 100m AOD, with ground falling away to the east and higher land to the west beyond Coopers Lane. The underlying bedrock geology of the site is mapped as London Clay Formation – clay, silt and sand which formed between 56 and 47.8 million years ago during the Palaeogene Period. Superficial deposits are recorded as sedimentary deposits of sand and gravel, the origin of which is currently uncertain, formed between 2.588 million years ago and the present during the Quaternary Period. 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 A comprehensive archaeological and historical background has been produced by Archaeology Collective (AC 2019), which lists all information available from the local Historic Environment Record (HER) within 1 kilometre of the Site. The pertinent elements of the background are summarised below. Mesolithic – Iron Age (12,000 BC – 43 AD) 2.2 Several findspots of Mesolithic flint, including cores, blades and a burin or borer (HHER 621, 6475, 6488 and 6490), discovered in 1983, have been recorded inside the study area, suggesting a background of hunter-gatherer activity along the catchment of the River Lea. These implements were recovered during fieldwalking by the Enfield Archaeological Society. The HER contained no evidence for Later Prehistoric activity within the study area, suggesting that the area was considered unattractive for agriculture. During this time, the surrounding landscape is likely to have been woodland and heath, and therefore the potential for encountering Prehistoric Activity within the Site is considered to be low (AC 2019). Roman (43 – 410 AD) 2.3 The HER contained little evidence for Roman Activity within the study area, although finds of Roman tile