Hafod Copperworks, Swansea
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Hafod Copperworks, Swansea Hafod Community Excavation Report June 2014 GGAT report no. 2014/018 A report for Swansea University Project no. CA004 by Charlotte Halford BA (Hons) PG Cert National Grid Reference: and Andy Sherman BA (Hons) SS 66129 94981 STE GI RE E D R O I A N CONTRACTORS HEALTH & SAFETY ASSESSMENT SCHEME R Accredited Contractor G IO www.chas.gov.uk A N ISAT The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd Heathfield House Heathfield Swansea SA1 6EL Hafod Community Excavation Report Contents Page Summary .................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 1 Copyright notice......................................................................................................... 1 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. 1 1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................2 1.1 Project background and commission .............................................................. 2 1.2 Location, topography and geology ................................................................. 2 2 Historical and archaeological background ........................................................3 2.1 History of the Hafod and Morfa Copperworks ............................................... 3 Recent archaeological investigations ......................................................................... 5 3 Methodology .........................................................................................................6 3.1 On-site methodology ....................................................................................... 6 3.2 Post-excavation methodology ......................................................................... 7 4 Site Summary .......................................................................................................8 4.1 Trench 1 .......................................................................................................... 8 4.2 Trench 2 .......................................................................................................... 8 4.3 Trench 3 .......................................................................................................... 8 5 Site archive .........................................................................................................10 5.1 Archive quantification .................................................................................. 10 6 Specialist artefactual and environmental assessments ...................................11 6.1 Glass - Rowena Hart (GGAT) ...................................................................... 12 6.2 Brick – Charlotte Halford (GGAT) ............................................................... 13 6.3 Hand tools – Richard Lewis (GGAT) ........................................................... 15 6.4 Other metalwork – Andy Sherman (GGAT) ................................................ 17 6.5 Post-medieval and modern pottery – Andy Sherman (GGAT) .................... 17 6.6 Synthetic materials – Andy Sherman (GGAT) ............................................. 18 6.7 Mortar and plaster - Rob Dunning (GGAT) ................................................. 18 6.8 Finds retention .............................................................................................. 18 7 Discussion............................................................................................................19 8 Statement of potential ........................................................................................21 8.1 Recommendations for further work. ............................................................. 21 9 Proposed post-excavation programme .............................................................22 10 Archive storage and curation ............................................................................23 11 References ...........................................................................................................24 Appendix I: Summary of the development of the Hafod and Morfa Copperworks (Locock 2002) .......................................................... 28 Appendix II: Context index ...................................................................................29 Appendix III: Post-medieval and modern ceramics .......................................40 Appendix IV: Visitor and Volunteer Statistics .................................................42 Tables Table 1. Finds and environmental assemblage summary ......................................11 Figures Figure 1. Location of development area .............................................................25 Figure 2. Plan showing significant archaeological structures ...........................26 Figure 3. Plan of Trench 3 with context numbers..............................................27 I Hafod Community Excavation Report Plates Plate 1: Unstratified iron (Fe) hammer used by metal workers and engineers, (50% actual size) ................................................................................................ 16 Plate 2: Aerial photo of Hafod and Morfa Copperworks c. 1920 ..........................31 Plate 3: Entrance to the Hafod Copperworks c. 1920 ............................................31 Plate 4: Entrance to the Hafod Copperworks c.1980 .............................................32 Plate 5: Concrete surface 1005, Trench 1. View to the west. .................................. 32 Plate 6: Concrete and stone structure 1006 and modern intrusion 1007, Trench 1. View to the west. ........................................................................................... 33 Plate 7: Trench 2, initial excavation. View to the west…. ....................................... 33 Plate 8: Bridge approach cobbles 3003, Trench 3. View to west…. ...................... 34 Plate 9: Probable path to canalside and towpath 3018, Trench 3. View to the south. ..................................................................................................................... 34 Plate 10: Wagon erosion 3012 on north side of cobbles 3003, Trench 3. View to south. ..................................................................................................................... 35 Plate 11: Probable bridge wall 3020, Trench 3. View to the north…. .................. 35 Plate 12: In situ crucible, discover during walk-over of the line of Swansea Canal. View to the east. ................................................................................... 36 Plate 13: Volunteers conducting a plane table survey of Trench 3. View to the east. ........................................................................................................................ 36 Plate 14: Volunteers practicing building recording on the standing remain of the canal wall. View to the south. ......................................................................... 37 Plate 15: Pointed copper-slag blocks showing original height of the Canal wall. A similar copper-slag block capped the bridge walls over the Canal (see Plate 3)..37 Plate 16: Stitched image of the Canal wall..... .............................................................. 38 Plate 17: Stitched image of the Canal wall buildings…. ........................................... 39 Front cover image: Trench 3 under excavation, view to the west. II Hafod Community Excavation Report Summary The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd (GGAT Projects Division) were commissioned by Swansea University to undertake an community archaeological excavation of the Hafod Copperworks. An archaeological programme of works was developed by GGAT and Swansea University, to excavate and record the archaeological remains revealed by the community excavation. This report forms the quantative basis and assessment for the full archaeological report. Three trenches were opened, by hand, as part of the Hafod Community Excavation. Trenches 1 and 2 (both intended as 10x4m) were excavated in the area of the canal basin, but had to be abandoned after a few days because of contamination problems that had not been previously identified. Trench 3 was then excavated to further examine the area of canal bridge approach at the main entrance to the Hafod Copperworks. An open day on the 8th June allowed members of the public to attend guided tours of the excavation, whilst some volunteers continued to excavate Trench 3 with Johnny Crawford and Sophie Lewis, and others continued finds processing with Charlotte Halford. Acknowledgements This project was managed by Dr Edith Evans, PhD (Heritage Manager). The report was written and compiled by Charlotte Halford, BA, (Project Archaeologist) and Andy Sherman, BA, AIFA (Assistant Project Officer). Specialist assessments were provided by Rob Dunning (GGAT), Charlotte Halford (GGAT), Rowena Hart (GGAT), Richard Lewis (GGAT), and Andrew Sherman (GGAT). Illustrations were prepared by Paul Jones (Senior Illustrator, GGAT). A special acknowledgement goes to all of the volunteers who took part in the excavation and finds processing. Copyright notice The copyright of this report is held by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd, which has granted an exclusive licence to Swansea University, to use and reproduce the material it contains.