16a Brooklyn Drive, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire
An Archaeological Watching Brief
For Ms Fiona Turner
by Danielle Colls
Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd
Site Code BDEG06/54
May 2006
Summary
Site name: 16 Brooklyn Drive, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire
Grid reference: SU 7166 7702
Site activity: Watching Brief
Date and duration of project: 2nd to 9th May 2006
Project manager: Jennifer Lowe
Site supervisors: Andy Taylor and Simon Cass
Site code: BDEG 06/54
Area of site: 545m sq
Summary of results: No archaeological deposits were recorded
Monuments identified: None
Location and reference of archive: The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited at Reading Museum in due course.
This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder
Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford9 15.05.06 Steve Preston9 15.05.06
i Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47–49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading RG1 5NR Tel. (0118) 926 0552; Fax (0118) 926 0553; email [email protected]; website : www.tvas.co.uk
16 Brooklyn Drive, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire An Archaeological Watching Brief
by Danielle Colls
Report 06/54
Introduction
This report documents the results of an archaeological watching brief carried out at 16 Brooklyn Drive, Emmer
Green, Reading, Berkshire (SU 7166 7702) (Figs. 1 and 2). The work was commissioned by Ms Fiona Turner,
11 Newfield Rd, Sonning Common, Oxford shire, RG4 9TB.
Planning consent (05/01428/FUL) has been granted by Reading Borough Council to construct a new detached house. The consent is subject to a condition relating to archaeology which requires a watching brief to be carried out during groundworks.
This is in accordance with the Department of the Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance, Archaeology and Planning (PPG16 1990), and the Borough’s policies on archaeology. The field investigation was conducted to a specification approved by David Thomason, Archaeological Officer for Berkshire Archaeology and was carried out by Simon Cass and Andy Taylor between 2nd and 9th May 2006. The site code is BDEG06/54.
The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited at
Reading Museum in due course.
Location, topography and geology
The site is located in Emmer Green to the west of the B481, in the northern outskirts of Reading. The underlying geology is Plateau gravel and Reading Beds (BGS 1971), and the site lies at approximately 78m above Ordnance
Datum.
Archaeological background
The archaeological potential for the site has been highlighted in a brief for the project prepared by David
Thomason of Berkshire Archaeology. In summary the county Sites and Monuments Record lies within an area where a number of sites of Iron Age and Roman dates have been recorded, for example during house building in the 1960s. Other stray finds, such as an Iron Age gold coin are also recorded. A number of Palaeolithic handaxes are also recorded for the area.
1
Objectives and methodology
The purpose of the watching brief was to excavate and record any archaeological deposits affected by the new construction work. This involved observation of the digging of foundation trenches and other groundworks
Results
The watching brief mainly comprised observation of the digging of foundation trenches for the new structure
(Fig. 3). Other trenches to be dug subsequently for services were relatively shallow and would not penetrate the archaeologically relevant levels. These were not monitored. All resultant spoilheaps were examined for finds.
The foundation trenches for the new detached house were 0.70m wide and 1.10m to1.50m deep (Fig. 4).
The stratigraphy of the trenches at the north of the site, which were 1.5m deep, comprised topsoil, 1.0m deep overlying grey/orange brown silty clay subsoil. This in turn overlay the natural geology, which was an orange brown silty clay with frequent gravel and some chalk. The trenches at the south of the site were shallower at
1.10m deep, and showed 0.25m of topsoil directly overlying the natural geology, which was an orange brown clay with frequent gravel. No archaeological features or deposits were observed and no finds were recovered.
Finds
No finds were observed during the course of the fieldwork from either the trenches or resultant spoil heaps.
Conclusion
The observed groundworks did not encounter any archaeological deposits or finds of archaeological interest.
References BGS, 1971, British Geological Survey, 1:50000, Sheet 268, Solid and Drift Edition, Keyworth PPG16, 1990, Archaeology and Planning, Dept of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance 16, HMSO
2 SITE
78000
SITE
77000
76000
SU71000 72000 BDEG06/54 16a Brooklyn Drive, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire, 2006 Archaeological Watching Brief
Figure 1. Location of site within Emmer Green and Berkshire. Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Pathfinder 1172 SU67/77 at 1:12500. Ordnance Survey Licence 100025880 77100
SITE
77000
SU71700 71800
BDEG06/54 16a Brooklyn Drive, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire, 2006 Archaeological Watching Brief
Figure 2. Detailed location of site on Brooklyn Drive. Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital mapping under licence.
Scale: 1:1250. N Brooklyn Drive
Footing trenches
77020
SU71700
BDEG06/54 16a Brooklyn Drive, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire, 2006 Archaeological Watching Brief
Figure 3. Footing trenches observed.
Scale: 1:50. 16a Brooklyn Drive, Emmer Green. Reading, Berkhshire 2006
Topsoil
Natural geology (clay with gravel and chalk)
Base of trench
0 1m
Figure 4. Representative section, southern side of site. BDEG 06/54