DONCASTERS INSOURCE BUILDING BLAENAVON

TORFAEN COUNTY BOROUGH

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

For

COWLIN CONSTRUCTION LTD

CA PROJECT: 2606 CA REPORT: 09054

MAY 2009

DONCASTERS INSOURCE BUILDING BLAENAVON TORFAEN COUNTY BOROUGH

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

CA PROJECT: 2606 CA REPORT: 09054

prepared by Jonathan Hart, Publications Officer

date 7 May 2009

checked by Laurent Coleman, Project Manager

date 18 May 2009

approved by Simon Cox, Head of Fieldwork

signed

date 18 May 2009

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 Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. RESULTS ...... 5

3. DISCUSSION...... 6

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 6

5. REFERENCES ...... 7

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 8

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:500) Fig. 3 The site, showing features in relation to 1888 Ordnance Survey map (1:1000) Fig. 4 The site, showing features in relation to 1901 Ordnance Survey map (1:1000) Fig. 5 The site, showing features in relation to 1920 Ordnance Survey map (1:1000) Fig. 6 The site, showing features in relation to 1961 Ordnance Survey map (1:1000) Fig. 7 Furnace structure 131 Fig. 8 Surfaces 205 Fig. 9 Flue 325

1 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

SUMMARY

Project Name: Doncasters Insource Building Location: Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough NGR: SO 2420 0880 Type: Watching Brief Date: 25 June-19 September 2008 Planning Reference: 07/P/00537 (E) Location of Archive: To be deposited with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), Aberystwyth Site Code: BLA 08

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the construction of a new industrial building at Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough.

Walls, surfaces, flues and other industrial features were exposed during the watching brief. These features correspond closely to the cartographic evidence from the area of the site and relate to the historical development of the Blaenavon Forge Side Iron Works from construction by the Blaenavon Coal and Iron Company in 1838 to demolition and landscaping during the 1950s.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Between June and September 2008 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief for Cowlin Construction Ltd at the Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough (centred on NGR: SO 2420 0880; Fig. 1). The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition (no. 20) attached to a planning consent for the construction of a new industrial building along with a car park, access road and landscaping (Planning ref: 07/P/00537 (E)). The objective of the watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the development.

1.2 The watching brief was carried out on the instruction of Jim Parry of The Curatorial Division, Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT (Curatorial)), the archaeological advisor to Torfaen County Borough Council (TCBC), and with a subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2008a) and approved by the TCBC acting on the advice of Neil Maylan (GGAT Curatorial). The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (2001) and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006).

The site 1.3 The proposed development encloses an area of approximately 3.5ha and lies adjacent to the existing Doncasters Casings plant (Fig. 1). The site is bounded to the north-east by the former route of the Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway, to the south-east by the existing plant, to the south-west by woodland and to the north- west by existing access roads. The ground surface slopes downwards from north- east to south-west at an average height of 350m AOD.

1.4 The underlying solid geology of the area is mapped as Westphalian deposits of the Upper Carboniferous (Silesian) geological era (BGS 1990). The natural substrate was not exposed during the course of the watching brief.

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

Archaeological background 1.5 Archaeological interest in the site arises from its location within the former Blaenavon Forge Side Ironworks. The archaeological potential of the site has been investigated in an Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (DBA) by Cotswold Archaeology (CA 2008b). The site lies within the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site and within the Blaenavon Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales.

1.6 The site was developed as part of the Blaenavon Forge Side Ironworks in the mid 19th century. Demolition of the ironworks in the 1950s is thought to have destroyed all of the above ground buildings and associated infrastructure with the exception of a standing wall of probable 1920s-1930s date which survives along the north- eastern site boundary.

1.7 A geotechnical survey (Terrafirma 2007) identified deep deposits of made ground across the site. These deposits comprised colliery waste and demolition material from the structures of the ironworks and probably resulted from the redevelopment of the site in the 1950s. This made ground occurs to depths of around 3.6m below ground level in the southern part of the site and over 6m within the northern part.

Methodology 1.8 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2008a). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising:- • Trench 1a: the partial levelling of the ground slope for the new building and associated facilities; • Trench 1b: area of deep excavation for HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing) areas and associated facilities • Trench 2: the realignment of an existing road • Trench 3: the excavation of strip footings for the new building

1.9 Within Trenches 1b, 2 and 3 the depth of the excavations made close inspection of the exposed features impossible, and most were recorded from the top of the trenches. Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007).

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

1.10 The archive is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble and will be deposited with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), Aberystwyth.

2. RESULTS (FIGS 2 AND 6-9)

Trench 1 (Figs 2 and 7) 2.1 Partial levelling of the area of the building footprint was undertaken across Trench 1a (to a depth of up to c. 0.5m). Excavation exposed made ground across the trench as well as north-west/south-east orientated wall 223 in the south-western corner of the trench.

2.2 Trench 1b was excavated to a depth of 6m, the formation level for the HIP areas, within the north-eastern part of the building footprint. The earliest encountered deposits were make-up 143 and the remains of an overlying wall, 142 (not illustrated). These deposits were sealed by extensive dumps of ash and slag, 135. A series of brick and concrete foundation pads (107, 108, 109, 113, 132, 133, 138 and 139) had been constructed into this slag dump and these supported a concrete raft onto which two brick chambers, 112 and 128, had been built. These chambers adjoined brick-built furnace structures 125 and 131 respectively (Fig. 7).

2.3 Two north-west/south-east aligned brick walls (105 and 106) were located immediately to the immediate south-west of these structures. These features were sealed by dumps of ash and slag which were themselves sealed by extensive dumps of demolition material.

Trench 2 (Figs 2, 8 and 9) 2.4 Within Trench 2 removal of the existing tarmac road surface and associated make- up deposits to a depth of up to 4m revealed a series of brick and concrete surfaces (205; Fig. 8) along with brick and concrete piers (208, 209, 212, 213), and the partial remains of a number of walls (207, 214, 215). A series of arched brick flues (325) was exposed beneath the surfaces (Fig. 9).

Trench 3 (Fig. 2) 2.5 Trench 3 comprised the excavation of strip footings 3.5m in width and 1m in depth around the perimeter of the building footprint. Several brick walls (304, 305, 311, 313, 318, 321, 322, 332) and surfaces (307/310, 312, 317, 327), a pipe duct (315),

5 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

brick culverts/flues (316, 319 and 325) and a possible machine base (314) were exposed. Brick culvert/flue 319 appeared to have been associated with brick-built, steel-lined shaft 324.

3. DISCUSSION (FIGS 3-6)

3.1 The features exposed during the watching brief correspond with the buildings and structures associated with the former Blaenavon Forge Side Iron Works depicted on the historic mapping. The flues and other structures identified within the northern part of Trench 2 are located within the southern corner of the main building, as depicted on First Edition Ordnance Survey map (1880; Fig. 3). Some of the structures within the southern part of Trench 2 are located where rail links and associated buildings are depicted on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map through to the 1920 map (Figs 3–5). However the remains of a number of structures which were not depicted by the cartographic evidence were also identified in this location.

3.2 A building in the location of the chambers, walls and furnaces found within the northern end of Trench 1 is first depicted on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (1901) (Fig. 4). However this building had been demolished and the area redeveloped by the time the 1920 Ordnance Survey map had been compiled (Fig. 5).

3.3 By the time of the 1961 Ordnance Survey map, the majority of these buildings, along with most other structures comprising the Blaenavon Forge Side Iron Works, are no longer depicted. However, a building within the site is first depicted on the 1961 map in the approximate location of wall 311 and surfaces 307/310 observed in Trench 3 (Fig. 6).

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Katherine Aston, Alistair Barber, Tim Havard, Stuart Joyce and Siân Reynish. This report was written by Jonathan Hart with illustrations prepared by Rachael Kershaw. The archive has been compiled and prepared for deposition by Victoria Taylor. The project was managed for CA by Laurent Coleman.

6 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1990 Geological Survey of England and Wales, sheet 232: Abergavenny. Solid and Drift Edition, 1:50,000 series

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2008a Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2008b Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, CA typescript report 08059

Terrafirma 2007 Geo-Technical and Geo-Environmental Report: Proposed Industrial Development Land Adjacent to Doncasters Ltd, Blaenavon, Terrafirma typescript report 9907

Cartographic sources

1880 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 25” Series, Monmouthshire Sheets XII.9 and XII.13 1901 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 25” Series, Monmouthshire Sheets XII.9 and XII.13 1920 Ordnance Survey Map, 25” Series, Monmouthshire Sheets XII.9 and XII.13 1961 Ordnance Survey Map

7 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 No. Type Description Length Width Depth (m) (m) (m) 101 Layer topsoil 0.20 102 Layer Make-up: brown-grey clay silt with brick and 2.60 concrete rubble (same as 204 and 302) 103 Layer Make-up: brown-grey clay silt with brick and concrete rubble 104 Layer Gravel make-up 0.70 105 Wall NW/SE red and yellow brick wall with black mortar, 1.17 2.60 built onto surface 123 106 Wall NW/SE red and yellow brick wall with black mortar 0.90 2.47 107 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar and steel reinforcing rods 2.51 1.72 1.63 108 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar and steel reinforcing rods 2.47 1.72 1.60 109 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar 3.05 2.75 3.30 110 Pad Brick pad with black mortar 2.45 1.07 2.53 111 Pad Brick pad with black mortar 2.48 1.07 1.70 112 walls Brick and stone walls defining two rectangular 7.60 4.70 1.58 chambers 113 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar and steel reinforcing rods >1.70 >0.70 >0.50 114 Surface? Highly truncated possible brick surface 5.00 1.40 0.23 115 Structure Concrete structure 116 Fill Backfill of 115: brown black silty sand with brick fragments and metal scraps 117 Layer Make-up: brown-grey clay silt with brick rubble and iron slag 118 Fill Backfill of 112: industrial waste, possibly slag 119 Fill Backfill of 112: industrial waste, possibly slag 120 Pillar Concrete pillar associated with pad 107. Impressions of a former brick mould remaining on outer surfaces 121 Pad Concrete pad 6.50 3.00 0.70 122 Layer Demolition layer: brick rubble within dark grey silty sand matrix 123 Surface Brick surface also forming base for wall 105 124 Layer Dark black brown layer with brick fragments 125 Structure Possible furnace comprising a series of brick flues with industrial residues on their inner surfaces 126 Fill Fill within 125: blackish purple sandy silt industrial 0.05 residue 127 Fill Fill within 125: brick fragments within a purple- brown silty sand matrix 128 Wall Red and yellow brick 129 Pad Concrete pad surrounding 109 6.70 4.30 0.75 130 Fill Demolition layer within furnace 131: brick rubble within red-brown silty sand matrix 131 Structure Possible furnace comprising a series of brick flues with industrial residues on their inner surfaces 132 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar and steel reinforcing rods >3.40 1.23 >0.30 133 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar and steel reinforcing rods >3.40 1.23 >0.30 134 Layer Make-up: Orange-brown silty sand 0.30 135 Layer Make-up or dumped industrial waste: mid green- blue ?slag 136 Pad Concrete footing for 131 0.45

8 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

137 Layer Make-up: dark black-brown sand and ash 138 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar >1.40 >0.50 >0.50 139 Pad Brick pad with grey mortar >1.10 >0.10 >1.47 140 Fill Backfill of 125: industrial waste, possibly slag 141 Pad Concrete pad >1.10 >1.10 0.30 142 Wall >1.50 0.40 143 Layer Make-up for 142 144 Layer Brown silty sand layer 145 Wall Stone wall 0.60 0.90

Trench 2 No. Type Description Length Width Depth (m) (m) (m) 200 Surface Extant tarmac road surface and stone make-up 0.30 201 Kerb Concrete kerb of 200 202 Layer Topsoil and turf 0.20 203 Cut Construction cut for 200 204 Layer Make-up: brown-grey clay silt with brick and 2.60 concrete rubble (same as 102 and 302) 205 Surface Brick and concrete work surface 206 Layer Ashy deposit butting 205, possibly industrial residue relating to use of metalworks 207 Wall Uncoursed, unworked sandstones with grey-black 0.75 mortar 208 Pad Yellow brick pad 3.30 2.00 0.66 209 Pad Yellow brick pad 5.20 >2.10 >0.67 210 Surface Brick and concrete work surface 211 Surface Concrete work surface butting 210 212 Pad Concrete pad >2.80 >1.70 0.93 213 Pad Concrete pad 2.30 1.50 0.99 214 Wall Yellow brick with dark grey cement mortar >0.10 >0.60 215 Wall Red brick wall with grey cement mortar, butting 214 >0.10 >0.60 216 Surface Red and yellow brick surface 217 Culvert/flue Number assigned to series of brick culverts 218 Surface Red and yellow brick surface 219 Structure Rectangular red and yellow brick structure with pink 2.50 2.25 grey mortar. Possibly part of 217

Trench 3 No. Type Description Length Width Depth (m) (m) (m) 301 Layer Make-up: gravel and brick fragments in a silty sand 0.24 matrix 302 Layer Make-up: brown-grey clay silt with brick and 2.60 concrete rubble (same as 102 and 204) 303 Layer Make-up: brick and concrete fragments in a grey- 0.33 brown silty sand matrix 304 Wall Yellow brick with grey cement mortar 1.04 0.25 305 Wall Yellow brick with grey cement mortar 1.00 0.82 306 Surface Yellow brick surface 0.28 307 Surface Yellow brick surface 0.25 308 Wall Yellow brick wall with grey cement mortar 309 Wall Yellow brick wall with grey cement mortar

9 © Cotswold Archaeology Doncasters Insource Building, Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough: Archaeological Watching Brief

310 Surface Yellow brick surface 0.10 311 Wall Yellow brick wall with grey cement mortar 1.00 312 Surface Yellow brick surface 313 Wall Red brick wall with grey cement mortar 0.45 314 Pad Yellow brick pad with steel reinforcing rods >4.50 >3.00 >0.50 315 Wall Yellow brick wall with grey cement mortar 1.00 316 Culvert/flue Yellow brick arched culvert with dark grey/black 2.00 cement mortar 317 Surface Yellow brick surface 318 Wall Sandstone wall: roughly squared sandstones, only 0.60 one course exposed, with dark grey cement mortar 319 Culvert/flue Yellow brick arched culvert with dark grey/black 2.00 cement mortar 320 Layer Make-up: mid grey-brown sandy clay with stone >0.40 fragments 321 Wall Red and yellow brick wall with grey cement mortar 0.75 322 Wall Red and yellow brick wall with grey cement mortar >0.75 323 Structure Steel water pipe set into concrete 324 Shaft Brick-built shaft with steel lining. Contained a cog 0.90 3.50 and chain assemblage and associated with diam culvert/flue 319 325 Culvert/flue Number assigned to series of brick culverts 326 Pad Concrete pad 327 Surface Red and yellow brick surface 328 Surface Red and yellow brick surface 329 Pad Concrete pad for 328 330 Layer Ashy industrial layer 0.35 331 Layer = 320 332 Walls Number assigned to two parallel red and yellow brick walls sharing a brick base 333 Pad Concrete pad for 332 334 Pad Concrete pad for 327 335 Surface Brick surface

10 Reproduced from the 2002 Ordnance Survey Explorer 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 2.5km

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

site PROJECT TITLE Doncasters Insource Building Torfaen Blaenavon Inudstrial Landscape World Heritage Site Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough

Blaenavon Landscape of FIGURE TITLE Outstanding Historic Interest Site location plan in Wales

DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:25,000@A4 2606 1

Reproduced from the 1888 Ordnance Survey map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 N

0 100m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Doncasters Insource Building site Forgeside, Torfaen FIGURE TITLE observed groundworks The site, showing features in relation archaeological features to 1880 Ordnance Survey map

DRAWN BYAPPROX. SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:1000@A4 2606 3 Reproduced from the 1901 Ordnance Survey 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

0 100m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Doncasters Insource Building site Forgeside, Torfaen FIGURE TITLE observed groundworks The site, showing features in relation archaeological features to 1901 Ordnance Survey map

DRAWN BYAPPROX. SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:1000@A4 2606 4 Reproduced from the 1901 Ordnance Survey 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

0 100m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Doncasters Insource Building site Forgeside, Torfaen FIGURE TITLE observed groundworks The site, showing features in relation archaeological features to 1920 Ordnance Survey map

DRAWN BYAPPROX. SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:1000@A4 2606 5 Reproduced from the 1961 Ordnance Survey 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

0 250m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Doncasters Insource Building site Forgeside, Torfaen FIGURE TITLE observed groundworks The site, showing features in relation archaeological features to 1961 Ordnance Survey map

DRAWN BYAPPROX. SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:1000@A4 2606 6 7

8

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY 7 Furnace structure 131 PROJECT TITLE Doncasters Insource Building Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough 8 Surfaces 205 FIGURE TITLE Photographs

DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK n/a 2606 7 & 8 9

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY 9 Flue 325 PROJECT TITLE Doncasters Insource Building Blaenavon, Torfaen County Borough FIGURE TITLE Photograph

DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK n/a 2606 9