QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, CHARTERHOUSE SQUARE, EC1M 6BQ Borough of Islington An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment February 2016 QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, CHARTERHOUSE SQUARE, EC1M 6BQ Borough of Islington An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment APPROX. SITE CENTRE NGR: TQ 320 820 COMPASS ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED 5-7 SOUTHWARK STREET LONDON SE1 1RQ Tel: 020 7403 9660 Fax: 01932 346784 e-mail: [email protected] February 2016 ©Compass Archaeology Ltd Abstract This report provides an archaeological assessment regarding the proposed rebuilding of a Cryostore facility at Queen Mary University of London, Borough of Islington. The assessment has been produced to accompany a forthcoming planning application. The Cryostore refers to a liquid nitrogen storage facility, plus an external tank. The site lies in the vicinity of the medieval London Charterhouse, the Cloisters in particular. The development site sits within the area of The Charterhouse, which began as a Carthusian priory in 1371 and lasting until its dissolution in 1537. The grounds were then repurposed as a country house, with various additions and alterations being made, and in 1611 became a school and almshouse. It is now occupied by Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. The site has potential for occupation evidence associated with the medieval/early post- medieval establishment. This conclusion reflects the general documentary and cartographic evidence for settlement. Previous archaeological investigations conducted by MoLA have uncovered evidence of structural remains, deposits and burials associated with the priory. Finds range in date from the medieval period to the mid-19th century. There is little evidence of widespread prehistoric or Roman activity. There are, however, several mitigating factors that reduce the archaeological potential. The site was heavily damaged through bombing during the Second World War and many parts of the eastern side have been rebuilt. Moreover, previous work has revealed several 19th century basements truncating earlier features. The presence of an underground access tunnel towards the west end of the development site will also have led to localised truncation of archaeological deposits. Overall it is concluded that there is a moderate to high potential for archaeological remains that could be affected by the proposed development. It is therefore recommended that some form of archaeological mitigation take place during any groundworks associated with the development. This could be attached as a suitably worded condition to accompany any successful planning application. iii Contents page 1 Introduction 1 2 Acknowledgments 2 3 Objectives of the report 2 4 Methodology 2 5 Archaeology, the historic environment and planning 3 6 Site location, geology, and topography 5 7 Archaeological and historical background 7 8 Cartographic evidence for post-medieval development 30 9 The site today 49 10 The proposed redevelopment 57 11 Summary of archaeological potential in the study area 62 12 Mitigating factors to the archaeological potential 63 13 Conclusions 64 14 Sources consulted 64 iv List of figures page 1 Site location 1 2 The site in relation to the Charterhouse Square Conservation area (CA09) 4 3 Location of development area 5 4 The site in relation to the underlying geology 6 5 Site in relation to the Prehistoric, Roman and unknown GLHER entries 7 6 Site in relation to the medieval GLHER entries 9 7 Location of proposed cryostore in relation to medieval charterhouse features 20 8 Site in relation to post-medieval entries on the GLHER 21 9 Extract from the ‘Agas Map’, 1562 with the site outlined 30 10 Extract from Braun and Hogenberg, 1572 with the approximate site location 31 marked 11 Extract from Morgan’s Map of the Whole of London in 1682 with site outline 32 marked 12 Extract from John Rocque’s 1746 Map, with approximate site outline marked 33 13 Extract from Johannes Kip’s engraving, 1786, with site outlined. 34 14 Extract from Cary’s 1795 map with the site outlined 35 15 Extract from Horwood’s 1799 map with site outlined 36 16 A view of Charterhouse c.1813 from T. Ward 37 17 Extract from the Plan of the Parish of St Sepulchre, 1824 with site outlined 38 18 Extract from C & J Greenwood’s Map of London, 2nd Edition, 1830 39 19 Extract from A Balloon View of London, 1851 with site marked 40 20 Extract from 1868 OS map with site outlined 41 21 Extract from the Goad Insurance Plan 1886 with site outlined 42 22 Extract from the 1895 5 foot-mile OS map with site outlined 43 v 23 Extract from Booth’s Poverty map 1898 with the site outlined 44 24 Extract from the 1916 1: 2500 Edition OS map with the site outlined 45 25 Extract from the LCC bomb damage map, 1945 with the site outlined 46 26 Extract from the 1952 1:1250 OS map with the site outlined 47 27 Extract from the 1972 1:1250 OS map with the site outlined 48 28 Plan showing the location and direction of photographs seen in figures 28-38 49 29 View of the QMUL Charterhouse Square campus entrance, facing S 50 30 View of the approach to site, facing N 51 31 View of the proposed development site and Dawson Hall, facing SW 51 32 View of the current storage facility to be demolished and replaced, facing E 52 33 View of the space between Dawson and Therese Halls, facing N 52 34 View of the original doorway to Cell S, facing E 53 35 View of the north area of the development site, facing S 53 36 Detailed view of the doorway to Cell S and development site, facing S 54 37 The current extent of the facility, facing SW 54 38 Site of the temporary storage facility, facing N 55 39 Site of the temporary storage facility, facing SE 56 40 Location of the proposed cryostore and temporary storage 58 41 Section through proposed footings for new storage facility 59 42 Plan of proposed ground floor plan for new storage facility. 60 43 Site location and impact levels 61 Figs.1, 3 & 5-7 reproduced from the OS digital information with the permission of the Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of HMSO ©Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. (Compass Archaeology Ltd, license no. AL 100031317) Fig.2 reproduced from Islington Council’s Charterhouse Square conservation area map Figs.7, and 40-43 adapted from original drawings by TWS vi 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report forms a summary of the findings of an archaeological desk-based assessment, (DBA), conducted on the site of Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square campus, EC1M 6BQ (fig.1). Fig.1: Site location 1.2 The DBA has been commissioned in support of a full planning application to demolish an existing liquid nitrogen storage facility (known as a cryostore) and replace it with a new structure of the same purpose. This will also include the construction of a temporary storage facility on a separate part of the site. The DBA takes this additional siting into consideration. 1 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 2.1 Compass Archaeology would like to thank Queen Mary University of London for supporting the archaeological research and assessment and for commissioning Compass to conduct the DBA. Thanks also to QMUL Estates and Facilities for arranging a site visit to the campus and Henry Simon of Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects for providing detailed plans and information regarding the development. Thanks finally to all those who helped source historic material during the research stage of the project, including the staff of Islington Local History Library. 3 OBJECTIVES OF THE REPORT 3.1 The objective of this assessment is to establish the archaeological potential of the site within the context of the proposed redevelopment. This takes into account three principal elements: Reference to the archaeological and documentary background. Consideration of the previous impact of land use and development on potential archaeology. Potential impact of the proposed development. 4 METHODOLOGY 4.1 The assessment has been carried out in accordance with Historic England guidelines, (Historic England, 2015), and the recommendations of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, (CIfA 2014). 4.2 A visit was made to the site, and the local studies library and relevant archives were consulted. In addition, entries held by the Greater London Historic Environment Record (GLHER). Material held by Compass Archaeology was also utilised. References to the various sources were noted, and relevant material photocopied/scanned or photographed as appropriate. 4.3 A search of the Greater London Historic Environment Record was made within a 250m radius of the site, using The Green as a centre. The results of the HER search are considered in more detail in Section 7. 4.4 The results of these investigations have been collated to produce this document, which forms a summary of the known archaeological potential of the site, the possible impact of any prior land-use upon the potential and the perceived impact that the current proposal may have on any surviving potential. 2 5 ARCHAEOLOGY, THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING 5.1 This desktop assessment represents one element in the archaeological planning process whereby early consideration of potential archaeological remains can be achieved, and if necessary appropriate further mitigation measures put in place. The report conforms to the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework, (NPPF), adopted in March 2012, which replaces PPS 5 ‘Planning for the Historic Environment’ and policies HE6 and HE7. 5.2 The Government adopted the National Planning Policy Framework in March 2012. The NPPF integrates planning strategy on ‘heritage assets’ - bringing together all aspects of the historic environment, below and above ground, including historic buildings and structures, landscapes, archaeological sites, and wrecks.