Alto Building, Queens Road, Reading, Berkshire
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Alto Building, Queens Road, Reading, Berkshire An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Lukmore Properties Ltd. by Lisa‐Maree Hardy Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code AQR 02/75 August 2002 Alto Building; Queens Road, Reading, Berkshire An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment by Lisa-Maree Hardy Report 02/75 Introduction This desk-based study is an assessment of the archaeological potential of the site of the Alto Building, located on Queens Road, Reading (SU 723 733). The project was commissioned by Mr Nick Blunt, of Lukmore Properties, PO Box 2163, Reading, RG1 4WD and comprises the first stage of a process to determine the presence/absence, extent, character, quality and date of any archaeological remains which may be affected by redevelopment of the area. Site description, location and geology The site consists of an area of approximately 0.18 ha located in Reading, Berkshire centred on SU 723 733. The site is bounded to the east by Kings Road, to the north by Kennet Street and offices, to the west by offices and the south by Queens Road. The majority of the site area currently consists of terraced buildings, occupied by residential and small business users (Fig. 11). The buildings front Queens Road. Rear (northern) access is gained from Kennet Street. The northern portion of the site is occupied by parking space. Adjacent to this, in the eastern portion of the site, is a car washing business, which fronts Kennet Street. The far eastern portion of the site is open grassed space. The site slopes quite markedly from south down to north, with the Queens Road frontage substantially higher than the Kennet Road The development area is at an average height of c. 40m above Ordnance Datum. The northern portion of the site is located on valley gravel (BGS 1946). Planning background and development proposals Planning permission is to be sought to redevelop the site for residential purposes. This redevelopment will involve the demolition of existing structures, and the construction of three blocks of residential units, with associated amenities and a basement car park. Archaeology and Planning (PPG 16 1990) provides guidance relating to archaeology within the planning process. It points out that where a desk-based assessment has shown that there is a strong possibility of 1 significant archaeological deposits in a development area it is reasonable to provide more detailed information from a field evaluation so that an appropriate strategy to mitigate the effects of development on archaeology can be devised: Paragraph 21 states: ‘Where early discussions with local planning authorities or the developer’s own research indicate that important archaeological remains may exist, it is reasonable for the planning authority to request the prospective developer to arrange for an archaeological field evaluation to be carried out...’ Should the presence of archaeological deposits be confirmed further guidance is provided. Archaeology and Planning stresses preservation in situ of archaeological deposits as a first consideration as in paragraphs 8 and 18. Paragraph 8 states: ‘...Where nationally important archaeological remains, whether scheduled or not, and their settings, are affected by proposed development there should be a presumption in favour of their physical preservation...’ Paragraph 18 states: ‘The desirability of preserving an ancient monument and its setting is a material consideration in determining planning applications whether that monument is scheduled or unscheduled...’ However, for archaeological deposits that are not of such significance it is appropriate for them to be ‘preserved by record’ (i.e., fully excavated and recorded by a competent archaeological contractor) prior to their destruction or damage. Paragraph 25 states: ‘Where planning authorities decide that the physical preservation in situ of archaeological remains is not justified in the circumstances of the development and that development resulting in the destruction of the archaeological remains should proceed, it would be entirely reasonable for the planning authority to satisfy itself ... that the developer has made appropriate and satisfactory provision for the excavation and recording of remains.’ The Berkshire Structure Plan 1991–2006 (BBC 1994) also outlines policy regarding the archaeological potential of development sites. Policy EN5, para 6.16: ‘Archaeological remains are irreplaceable. They are the evidence, in some cases the only evidence, of the past development of our civilisation. They comprise a varied resource, including buried objects, and standing structures ranging in date from prehistory to the industrial era. Particular care must be taken to ensure that archaeological remains and evidence are not needlessly or thoughtlessly destroyed.’ Policy EN6: ‘Scheduled Ancient Monuments and the most important non-scheduled remains, together with their settings, will be protected and managed to ensure that they are not damaged or destroyed. Where a 2 lack of information precludes the proper assessment of a site or sites with archaeological potential, this information will have to be provided in advance of any decision to affect that site or area. Where preservation is not possible local planning authorities should be satisfied before granting planning permission that appropriate arrangements have been made for excavation and recording to take place prior to development.’ This is reiterated in the Reading Borough Local Plan (RBLP 1995), Policy CUD 12: ‘Appropriate mitigation of a development’s effect on archaeological remains will be secured before any planning permission is granted and where appropriate, before development takes place. Where evidence points to remains being of outstanding importance, planning permission may be refused on archaeological grounds.’ Methodology This assessment of the site was carried out by the examination of pre-existing information from a number of sources recommended by the Institute of Field Archaeologists paper ‘Standards in British Archaeology’ covering desk-based studies. These sources include historic and modern maps, the Berkshire Sites and Monuments Record, geological maps and any relevant publications or reports. A site visit was also conducted on 16th August 2002 in order to determine the current land use, topography and disturbance of the site. Archaeological background Berkshire Sites and Monuments Record A search was made of the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) on 14th August, 2002 for an area of 500m surrounding the proposal site. The results of this search indicate that there are in excess of two hundred records in close proximity to the site. In order to simplify the following discussion, these records have been grouped according to national grid reference listed in the SMR (not all of which are to the same accuracy), giving a total of 45 separate site locations. These locations are illustrated in Figure 1 and the entries are summarized in Appendix 1. Prehistoric The earliest find recorded for the area is that of a Lower Palaeolithic handaxe [Fig 1: 44]. A Neolithic flint axe was recovered from within the church yard of St Laurence’s [5], a second axe from the Forbury Gardens [22], another from London Road [44] and a flint knife of the same period to the west of the site [11], and a flake, core and pottery from the Prison grounds [35]. At the Crane Wharf site, to the west, a flint blade and core and worked wooden stakes of early Neolithic date were discovered, although these were apparently not in situ [19; 26]. Skeletal remains dated to the Iron Age were also uncovered. A radiocarbon 3 determination for one of the stakes revealed a date of 3820–3570 cal BC. Bronze Age pottery has been recorded from the Prison site [35]. A coin dated to the Iron Age was found in the vicinity of Market Place [13]. Roman Pottery and coins of this period have been recovered from various locations [11, 13; 20; 26; 35]. Other evidence for this period includes the discovery of human skeletons along Reading waterfront, in particular in the vicinity of Kings Road and Abbey Wharf (Hawkes and Fasham 1997) [20; 27]. An inhumation has also been recovered to the south of the proposal site [37]. A quern made of lava was recovered from the grounds of the Queens Hotel [25]. Saxon Finds from this period have been recovered from the River Kennet, including a spearhead and axe [2]; an iron dagger was recovered from Queens Road [18]; another spearhead from the Abbey site [34] and pottery and metalwork from the Prison and nearby [28; 35]. A watching brief at Forbury Square revealed pits and postholes containing animal bone and pottery [20]. Three inhumations were discovered in the vicinity of the Forbury Roundabout [22] and further burials (in excess of 40 individuals) were discovered in the Abbey site, but it is believed that this may actually relate to the nearby graveyard of St Laurences [34]. The excavations at Crane Wharf revealed hazel stakes projecting from a clay bank (Hawkes and Fasham 1997) [26]. Similar features dated to the Saxon period were found at Abbey Wharf [27]. Documentary sources (Astill 1978, 75) reveal that a Danish army overwintered at Reading in AD871 and constructed a rampart between the Thames and the Kennet to the east of the Royal Vill. The specific location of this camp is not known and much of the area forming the confluence of the two rivers is low-lying. Suggested locations are recorded in the SMR, although limited fieldwork has produced no specific evidence of any defences [7; 43]. Medieval The most extensively represented period in the SMR is the medieval period. The majority of these entries were located to the west of the proposal site, closer to the centre of medieval Reading. Evidence for this period ranged from structures and sites such as the Market Place [4], St Giles Mill [1], the Abbey Mill [20] the Hospitium of St John the Baptist [15], the 12th-century St Laurence’s Hospitium, which is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument [5], St Laurence’s church, [14], and the leper hospital of St Mary Magdalene, [21].