Eagle Ironworks, Walton Well Road, Jericho, Oxford
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Eagle Ironworks, Walton Well Road, Jericho, Oxford An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Berkeley Homes (Oxford and Chiltern) Ltd by Steve Preston Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code EIO05/26 November 2006 Summary Site name: Eagle Ironworks, Walton Well Road, Jericho Oxford Grid reference: SP 5045 0723 Site activity: Desk-based assessment Project manager: Steve Ford Site supervisor: Steve Preston Site code: EIO05/26 Area of site: c. 1 ha Summary of results: This desktop study is a revised version of a report prepared in April 2005. It has been prepared to address the unique planning condition required for a modification of the original planning consent for the site which requires an increased land take for a proposed bin store. The site is in a location which can be considered to have moderate to high archaeological potential. Although much of the site had been truncated to level it for the ironworks buildings, substantial parts of it have been levelled up rather than down, which may have preserved intact any archaeology below the modern surface level. Preservation of palaeoenvironmental evidence may be enhanced by the damp setting, although possible contamination of the groundwater may counteract this. Evaluation for the main part of the site failed to reveal any deposits of archaeological interest but with peaty and alluvial deposits present in the deepest trenches as anticipated. Two hand dug trenches in the location of the new bin store which lies beyond the original site boundary located modern disturbance and a deposit of 17th century or later date with residual medieval finds. A further phase of fieldwork is proposed for the latter area to mitigate the effects of development on these deposits. 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 15.12.06 i Eagle Ironworks, Walton Well Road, Jericho, Oxford An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment by Steve Preston Report 05/26c Introduction This desk-based study is an assessment of the archaeological potential of an irregular plot of land of c. 1 ha located off Walton Well Road, Jericho, Oxford (Fig. 1). The project was commissioned initially by Mr Jon Neville, and this phase of work was commissioned by Mr Cliff Buddery, both of Berkeley Homes (Oxford and Chiltern) Ltd, Berkeley House, Abingdon Science Park, Barton Lane, Abingdon, OX14 3NB and comprises the third 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. Planning permission has been granted by Oxford City Council (consent 05/02358/FUL) for the construction of a refuse store in the rear gardens of two properties on Walton Well Road, as an addition to a larger scheme (04/00387/FUL) for residential development on the site known as the Eagle Ironworks. The development of the bin store will involve the stripping and levelling of 108 sq m of land, a part of which was not covered by a desk- based assessment (Preston 2005) prepared for the larger development area, although this area was included in an evaluation (trenching) exercise (Wallis 2006). The local planning authority required a revised assessment to include the additional area. References to the area of the previous application have been retained, even though that site has now been evaluated. The factory buildings were still standing at the time of the original report; they have since been demolished. Site description, location and geology The site covered by the two applications combined consists of a recently demolished factory complex covering c. 1 ha and parts of the rear gardens of two properties fronting Walton Well Road (covering 108 sq m). The development area is centred on NGR SP 5045 0723. The site is bordered on its north and east sides by residential properties, which front onto Walton Well Road and Walton Street, respectively, by St Sepulchre’s cemetery (disused) to the south, while the Oxford and Birmingham canal forms the western boundary. The south-western corner of the former works site is now occupied by residential blocks. The site straddles geology of Second Terrace (Summertown-Radley) river gravels and Oxford Clay (BGS 1982). The east end of the site is at a height of approximately 60.5m above Ordnance Datum and the west at c. 58m AOD. 1 The natural topography of the area slopes quite steeply down from Walton Street towards the canal. Walton Well Road itself dips down immediately west of Walton Street and then rises again to the bridge, presumably on an artificial embankment. Properties fronting Walton Well Road and the eastern end of Juxon Street, further south, contain full-storey basements but those at the west end of Juxon Street do not appear to. Some of the buildings on the site are also basemented. The factory site occupies land that appears to be more or less flat throughout and would correspond approximately with the basement level of all these surrounding properties. The new accommodation block to the south of the site is at the same floor level as the site and this is c. 0.5m above the level of the adjacent late Victorian housing on Juxon Street. In places the drop from the level of the cemetery to the factory floor level is perhaps 2m. This all suggests that the eastern side of the site at least has been sculpted from the natural slope; it is likely that the western end, in contrast, may have been raised. Planning background and development proposals Planning permission has been granted by Oxford City Council (consent 05/02358/FUL) for the construction of a refuse store in the rear gardens of two properties on Walton Well Road, as an addition to a larger scheme (04/00387/FUL) for residential development on the site known as the Eagle Ironworks. The development of the bin store will involve the stripping and levelling of 108 sq m of land, 47 sq m of which was not covered by the previous desk-based assessment. The City Council has attached a Unique Condition (5) to consent stating that ‘No development shall proceed on the new land-take (the application area outside the red line of 04/00387/FUL) until the applicant has re-issued in sustainable form the existing desk-based assessment that addresses both locations.’ 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 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...’ 2 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 Oxfordshire Structure Plan (OCC 1998) follows a similar line: Policy EN10: ‘There will be a presumption in favour of physically preserving nationally important archaeological remains, whether scheduled or not, and their settings. Where development affecting other archaeological remains is allowed it should include appropriate measures to secure their preservation in situ or where this is not feasible, recording of archaeological features before development.’ Similarly, the Oxford Local Plan (OCyC 2005), Policy HE.1 ‘Planning permission will not be granted for any development that would have an unacceptable effect on a nationally important monument (whether or not it is scheduled) or its setting. ‘The scheduled monuments are shown on the Proposals Map.’ The site is not a Scheduled monument. Policy HE.2 ‘Where archaeological deposits that are potentially significant to the historic environment of Oxford are known or suspected to exist anywhere in Oxford but in particular the City centre Archaeological Area, planning applications should incorporate sufficient information to define the character and extent of such deposits as far as reasonably practicable, including, where appropriate: ‘a. the results of an evaluation by fieldwork; and ‘b. an assessment of the effect of the proposals on the deposits or their setting’ 3 ‘If the existence and significance of deposits is confirmed, planning permission will only be granted where the proposal includes: ‘c. provision to preserve the archaeological remains in situ, so far as reasonably practicable, by sensitive layout and design (particularly foundations, drainage and hard landscaping); and ‘d.