Cwrt-Yr-Ala Road, Ely, Cardiff
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Archaeology Wales Cwrt-yr-Ala Road, Ely, Cardiff Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment By Philip Poucher Report No. 1214 Archaeology Wales Limited, Rhos Helyg, Cwm Belan, Llanidloes, Powys SY18 6QF Tel: +44 (0) 1686 440371 E-mail: [email protected] Archaeology Wales Cwrt-yr-Ala Road, Ely, Cardiff Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Prepared For: Barrett Homes SW Edited by: Mark Houliston Authorised by: Mark Houliston Signed: Signed: Position: MD Position: MD Date: 4/4/2014 Date: 7/4/2014 By Philip Poucher Report No. 1214 March 2014 Archaeology Wales Limited, Rhos Helyg, Cwm Belan, Llanidloes, Powys SY18 6QF Tel: +44 (0) 1686 440371 E-mail: [email protected] CONTENTS Non-Technical Summary 1 1.Introduction 2 2.Site Description 2 3. Methodology 3 4. Archaeological and Historical Background 4 4.1 Previous Archaeological Studies 4 4.2 The Historic Landscape 5 4.3 Scheduled Ancient Monuments 5 4.4 Listed Buildings 5 4.5 Known Archaeological Remains and Historical Development 6 5.Map Regression 10 6. Aerial Photographs 14 7.Site Visit 14 8.Views 15 9.Impact Assessment 16 9.1 Previous impacts 16 9.2 Potential impacts from proposed development 16 9.3 Assessment of archaeological potential and importance 17 9.4 Mitigation 17 10.Conclusion 18 11.Sources 19 Appendix I: Gazetteer of SAMs & Listed Buildings Appendix II: Gazetteer of sites recorded on the regional HER Appendix III: List of sites recorded on the NMR Appendix IV: Specification List of Figures Figure 1 Site location Figure 2 Site boundary plan Figure 3 Proposed development plan Figure 4 Designated landscapes and sites Figure 5 Sites recorded on the regional HER and NMR Figure 6 Extract from an estate map of 1774 Figure 7 Extract from the 1841 Caerau parish tithe map Figure 8 Extract from the 1880 Ordnance Survey map Figure 9 Extract from the 1919-20 Ordnance Survey map i List of Photos Photo 1 View NW across site area Photo 2 View W across site area Photo 3 View N of site area from Cwrt-yr-Ala Road Photo 4 View N of site area from Cwrt-yr-Ala Road Photo 5 View north across the glasshouses. Photo 6 View SE down the former Cwrt-yr-Ala Road Photo 7 St Mary’s Church (PRN 94s) Photo 8 Castle ringwork (PRN 95s) Photo 9 Footpaths within the wooded hillslopes between the hillfort and site Photo 10 View SE into the interior of Caerau Camp Hillfort Copyright Notice: Archaeology Wales Ltd. retain copyright of this report under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, and have granted a licence to Barrett Homes SW, to use and reproduce the material contained within. The Ordnance Survey has granted Archaeology Wales Ltd a Copyright Licence (No. 100055111) to reproduce map information; Copyright remains otherwise with the Ordnance Survey. ii Non – Technical Summary In March 2014 Archaeology Wales was commissioned by Asbri Planning Ltd, on behalf of their client, Barrett Homes SW, to carry out an archaeological desk-based assessment of a proposed residential development on a site on Cwrt-yr-Ala Raod, Ely, Cardiff (NGR ST 12995 75192). A planning application for the proposed development is currently in the process of being submitted. No designated historic landscape areas, Listed Buildings or Scheduled Ancient Monuments lie within the bounds of the proposed development. Parts of the St Fagans Conservation Area and the St Fagans / Michaelston-Super-Ely Archaeologically Sensitive Area lie within a 2km search area around the site, as do two Scheduled Ancient Monuments and ten Listed Buildings. Caerau Camp Hillfort Scheduled Ancient Monument (GM018) lies in close proximity to the site. However, the proposed development is not considered to have either a direct impact or a detrimental impact on the settings of this or any of the other designated sites. The regional Historic Environment Record lists 82 sites within the 2km search area and the National Monuments Record lists 54 sites. None of these lie within the area of proposed development, although the records show that the surrounding area is relatively rich in prehistoric, Roman and medieval archaeology. The site area, which lies close to the foot of the hill upon which the Iron Age hillfort of Caerau Camp was constructed, appears to have been used as undeveloped agricultural land, largely meadow and wet pasture, possibly since the medieval period, and may have been associated with a medieval settlement at Caerau c.500m to the east. In the early 20th century, probably between 1910 and 1914, the site was partially developed as a garden nursery, which included the establishment of large greenhouses. This was further redeveloped as Caerau Nurseries in the mid-20th century when the current greenhouses, sheds and a bungalow were built on the site. Due to the relatively large numbers of prehistoric, Roman and medieval finds in the area, and the proximity of the Caerau Camp hillfort, it is considered that there is moderate to low potential for further, as yet unrecorded archaeological remains to be present on the site. These remains, should they exist, may be affected by likely groundworks associated with the proposed development. It is therefore recommended that an archaeological watching brief is maintained during any ground-breaking activity associated with the development. 1 1 Introduction 1.1 In March 2014 Archaeology Wales (AW) was commissioned by Asbri Planning Ltd, on behalf of Barrett Homes SW, to carry out an archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of a proposed residential development site on Cwrt-yr-Ala Raod, Ely, Cardiff (NGR ST 12995 75192, Figures 1 & 2, AW Project Number 2222). 1.2 A planning application for the proposed development is in the process of being submitted (March 2014). A Specification for the Desk-Based Assessment was produced by AW in February 2014 and approved by Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Curatorial division (GGAT-Curatorial), who act as archaeological advisors to the local planning authority, in this case Cardiff Council (CC) (see Appendix IV). 1.3 The purpose of the Desk-Based Assessment, the details of which are detailed in the following report, is to provide CC with the information they are likely to request in respect of the proposed development, the requirements for which are set out in Planning Policy WALES, March 2002, Section 6.5, and Welsh Office Circular 60/96. The work is to highlight standing and buried remains of potential archaeological interest to ensure that they are fully investigated and recorded if they are disturbed or revealed as a result of any subsequent activities associated with the development. 1.4 The proposed development comprises plans for the construction of residential units along with associated parking and infrastructure (Figure 3) on a site on Cwrt-yr-Ala Road, Ely, Cardiff (Henceforth – the site), currently in use as a garden nursery. 2 Site Description 2.1 The site covers an area of approximately 0.55 hectares and lies on the north side of Cwrt-yr-Ala Road in Ely, on the west side of Cardiff (ST 12995 75192). The site is currently occupied by a 20th century brick-built bungalow in its western corner, with extensive greenhouses to the north and sheds to its east, and a small area of open ground to the east. The site is bounded to the west and north by the rear gardens of residential properties along Cwrt-yr-Ala Avenue and Heol Poyston. To the south, it is bounded by a hedgerow along the former line of Cwrt-yr-Ala Road, with the current line of the road immediately south of that. To the east the site is bounded by another hedgerow separating it from Woodlands Park Drive, which is lined by residential development along its eastern side. 2.2 The ground is relatively level in the area of the bungalow and greenhouses, and rises gradually to the east, up to Woodlands Park Drive. 2.3 The site lies in a well-developed area of residential units. A local hill overlooks the site to the east, the summit of which is currently in use as farm pasture; this is surrounded by wooded hillslopes. The summit of the hill is also occupied by Caerau Camp Iron Age hillfort, a Scheduled Ancient Monument (GM018). A further ridge of high ground lies c.150m to the southwest; again this is used as grazing with wooded hillslopes. Residential development surrounds the site on all sides, although the main residential area of Ely extends largely to the west and north, with farmland lying beyond the cutting of the A4232 which lies c.350m to the south. 2 2.4 The site lies on the mudstones of the Mercia Mudstones Group, overlain by Diamicton Till from the Devensian period. The neighbouring hillside to the east consists of a ridge of mudstone composition from the Blue Anchor Formation (BGS 2014). 3 Methodology 3.1 The methodology for this desk-based assessment follows that set out in the specification (Appendix IV). 3.2 The primary objective is to assess the impact of the development proposals on the historic environment. This will help inform future decision making, design solutions and potential mitigation strategies. The aim is to make full and effective use of existing information in establishing the archaeological significance of the site, to elucidate the presence or absence of archaeological material, its character, distribution, extent, condition and relative significance. 3.3 The work includes a comprehensive assessment of regional context within which the archaeological evidence rests and aims to highlight any relevant research issues within national and regional research frameworks. 3.4 This report provides information of sufficient detail to allow informed planning decisions to be made which can safeguard the archaeological resource.