Archaeological Appraisal Land North of Watton-At

ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPRAISAL

LAND NORTH OF WATTON-AT-STONE HERTFORDSHIRE

Planning G Heritage August 2016 Specialist & Independent Advisors to the Property Industry

Planning Authority: East Herts District Council

Site centred at: 529315,219760

Author: Manca Petric MA PCIfA

Approved by: Paul Chadwick BA (Hons) FSA MCIfA

Report Status: Final

Issue Date: August 2016

CgMs Ref: 22605

No part of this report is to be copied in any way without prior written consent.

Every effort is made to provide detailed and accurate information, however, CgMs Limited cannot be held responsible for errors or inaccuracies within this report.

CONTENTS

Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction and Scope of Study 2.0 Archaeological Appraisal

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location Fig. 2 Heritage Assets

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Archaeological Appraisal Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Archaeological Appraisal considers land approx. 10ha in extent to the north of Watton-at Stone, Hertfordshire.

There are no designated heritage assets (Grade I, II* and II Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments, Registered Parks and Gardens or Registered Battlefields) within the development site boundary. The nearest designated assets comprise listed buildings to the west of the site at Broomhall Farm and to the south-west within the Watton-at-Stone Conservation Area.

The site contains a non-designated heritage (archaeological) asset and there are non- designated archaeological assets in the immediate vicinity of the site.

This initial appraisal of the site indicates that the East Herts District Council will require a comprehensive desk-based assessment followed by an archaeological evaluation in support of any planning application in accordance with the NPPF paragraph 128.

This evaluation could take the form of a geophysical survey followed by, if necessary, by targeted trial trenching.

It is concluded that archaeology will not be an overriding constraint to development, but it will feature as a technical issue during the determination of any planning application and will enable the local planning authority to consider heritage issues, in particular non-designated heritage assets, when undertaking the planning balance required by NPPF paragraph 135.

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Archaeological Appraisal Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF STUDY

1.1 This Archaeological Appraisal has been researched and prepared by Manca Petric and Paul Chadwick of CgMs Consulting on behalf Strutt & Parker.

1.2 The Appraisal examines a proposed development site to the north of the village of Watton-at-Stone. The site is approx. 10ha in extent and is bounded by a railway to the south-west, modern residential development to the south-east and the High Street to the north (Fig.1).

1.3 The following websites and references were consulted as part of this Appraisal:

• English Heritage: The National Heritage List for England (2016) http://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/map search?clearresults=true

• Archaeological Data Service (2016) http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/

• Hertfordshire Historic Environmental Record (HER)

• Allen Archaeology (2015) Archaeological Watching Brief Report: Land Adjacent to 99 High Street, Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire.

• Archaeological Services and Consultancy (2008) Watching Brief Report: Watton-at-Stone Primary School, Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire.

• Archaeological Sollutions (2011) Former Waggon and Horses Public House, 1 High Street, Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire.

• Boyer (2012) An Assessment of Archaeological Investigations at Station Road, Watton at Stone.

• Cal-Fernandez (2010) barn adjacent to 99 High Street, Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire: Historic building appraisal. BEAMS Ltd unpublished.

• CgMs (2014) Land at Perrywood Lane, Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire.

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Archaeological Appraisal Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire

2.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPRAISAL AND ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

2.1 Designated Heritage Assets

2.1.1 There are no designated assets (Grade I, II* and II Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments Registered Parks and Gardens or Registered Battlefields) within the development site boundary.

2.1.2 The nearest listed building is a Grade II Listed Broom Hall Farm House c.380m west of the proposed development site (Fig. 2).

2.1.3 The area of proposed development lies some 100m to the west of the Watton-at- Stone Conservation Area, that contains 25 listed buildings, the nearest being some 400m south-east from the proposed development area (Fig. 2).

2.2 Non-Designated Archaeological Assets

2.2.1 The wider area is well known for Prehistoric activity. Significant discoveries of Iron Age ‘Belgic’ pottery were made to the east of the village and weapons and armour to the north of the village.

2.2.2 Neolithic flint was recorded c.100m north-west from the proposed development area (MHT6374) (Fig.2).

2.2.3 A number of Prehistoric sites are recorded in the vicinity of the proposed development site. Cropmarks of a circular enclosure located to the south of Blue Hill, c.200m east of the proposed development site, represent ploughed remains of a late Neolithic to early Bronze Age round barrow (MHT7658). A similar enclosure is recorded c.400m south of the proposed development site (MHT7667, MHT7666) and c.400m east of the proposed development site (MHT4270). Evidence of Prehistoric activity also extends to the south-west of the site within an Archaeological Notification Area (Fig. 2).

2.2.4 A late Bronze Age settlement was also excavated within the village and various Iron Age finds have been uncovered, including a burial site of a wealthy individual (Cal-Fernandez 2010).

2.2.5 The proposed development site lies north of the east-west aligned Roman Road from Verulamium (St. Albans) to Camulodunum (Colchester) that runs through the village. Cropmarks of parallel linear ditches that follow the course of the

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Archaeological Appraisal Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire

Roman Road were recorded c.500m south of the proposed development site (MHT7664, MHT7665) (Fig.2). Roman burials (which often focus along Roman roads near Roman settlements) are not anticipated within the site boundary.

2.2.6 Watton probably developed during the Saxon period and the town is mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Survey. Recent excavations at Station Road recorded cremation burials, a short curvilinear ditch and a large number of pottery sherds, indicative of activity dating from the 5th to the 8th centuries (Boyer 2012). The proposed development site appears to lie outside the focus of Medieval settlement activity.

2.2.7 A vaguely rectangular enclosure measuring 100m x 45m is recorded within the boundary of the proposed development (MHT10294). The soil mark enclosure was observed on the 1946 RAF aerial photograph. It is roughly aligned with the High Street. The feature is currently undated, but of a probable Medieval or Post- Medieval date (Fig. 2).

2.2.8 By the 18th century, a small hamlet known as Watton Green occupied an area close to the Church. The proposed development site appears to lie outside the focus of Post-Medieval activity.

2.3 Potential for as yet to be discovered assets

2.3.1 Based on the archaeological background and the size of the proposed development area, it is anticipated that the East Herts District Council will require a comprehensive desk-based assessment followed by an archaeological evaluation in support of any planning application, in accordance with NPPF paragraphs 128 and 135.

2.3.2 This evaluation could take the form of a geophysical survey followed by, if necessary, by targeted trial trenching. Geophysical survey is best undertaken when the field is under stubble or newly sown (October to March).

2.3.3 In short, it is concluded that archaeology will not be an overriding constraint to development, but it will feature as a technical issue during the determination of any planning application.

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N:\22000-22999\22605 - Watton at Stone\Figures\Mapping\GIS\Projects\A4 Figure 1 Portrait.mxd KP / 10.08.16

Haultwick Northamptonshire Cambridgeshire Hebing End Green End Burn's Green STEVENAGE DISTRICT Aston

Bedfordshire

Whempsted Knebworth

EAST HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT

Woolmer Watton at Stone Datchworth

Essex Hertfordshire Woolmer Green

A119 Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire

Bull's Green Greater London Stapleford

Harmer Green Burnham Green Chapmore End Berkshire 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 5 9 1 2 0 0 0 9 1 2

528500 529000 529500 530000

Scale at A4: 1:10,000 0 250m

Site Boundary ± Figure 1: Site Location

Planning ● Heritage www.cgms.co.uk

© Ordnance Survey maps reproduced with the sanction of the controller of HM Stationery Office. Licence No: AL 100014723 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right [2016] N:\22000-22999\22605 - Watton at Stone\Figures\Mapping\GIS\Projects\Heritage Assets.mxd KP / 12.08.16

Planning ● Heritage www.cgms.co.uk

Site Boundary

Designated Assets:

Conservation Area

$+ ListedBuildings

Alert Areas 0 0 0 0 2 2 Relevant Non- Designated Assets: FG MHT7658 FG Find Spot MHT10294 !( Monument MHT6374 HER Record (Polygon)

Roman Road

MHT4270

$+ !( 0 0 5 9 1 2

$+ $+ $+ $+ $+

$+$+ $+$+ $+ $+ $+ $+ $+ $+$+ $+$+ $+

$+ MHT7667 ±

!( $+ Scale at A3: 1:6,000 Roman Road 0 160m MHT7665 0

0 !( !( 0 MHT7666 9 1 2 Watton at Stone !( Heritage Assets

MHT7664 528500 529000 529500 530000 $+ © Ordnance Survey maps reproduced with the sanction of the controller of HM Stationery Office. Licence No: AL 100014723 © English Heritage 2016. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2016 The Dataset contained in this material was obtained on (date)