Archaeological Solutions 2019
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©Archaeological Solutions 2019 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS LTD RAILWAY MEADOW, LONDON ROAD, SPELLBROOK, HERTFORDSHIRE, CM23 4AU AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT HER request No. 100/19 Author: Kate Higgs MA (Oxon.) NGR: TL 4877 1782 Report No: 5168 District: East Herts Site Code: n/a Approved: Claire Halpin MCIfA Project No: 6728 Date: 17 October 2019 This report is confidential to the client. Archaeological Solutions Ltd accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission. Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Herts, CM23 4AU ©Archaeological Solutions 2019 Archaeological Solutions is an independent archaeological contractor providing the services which satisfy all archaeological requirements of planning applications, including: Desk-based assessments and environmental impact assessments Historic building recording and appraisals Trial trench evaluations Geophysical surveys Archaeological monitoring and recording Archaeological excavations Post excavation analysis Promotion and outreach Specialist analysis ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS LTD Unit 6, Brunel Business Court, Eastern Way, Bury St Edmunds IP32 7AJ Tel 01284 765210 P I House, Rear of 23 Clifton Road, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5AF Tel: 01462 850483 e-mail [email protected] www.archaeologicalsolutions.co.uk twitter.com/ArchaeologicalS g www.facebook.com/ArchaeologicalSolutions Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Herts, CM23 4AU ©Archaeological Solutions 2019 CONTENTS OASIS SUMMARY SUMMARY 1 INTRODUCTION 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE 3 METHODOLOGY 4 THE EVIDENCE 4.1 Topography, geology & soils 4.2 Archaeological and historical background 4.3 Cartographic sources 4.4 Constraints 5 SITE VISIT 6 DISCUSSION 7 CONCLUSION 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY Appendix 1 Historic Environment Record (HER) Data Appendix 2 Cartographic Sources Appendix 3 Sawbridgeworth Tithe Apportionment, 1838 Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Herts, CM23 4AU ©Archaeological Solutions 2019 OASIS SUMMARY SHEET Project name Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Herts, CM23 4AU In July 2016 and October 2019, Archaeological Solutions Limited carried out an archaeological desk-based assessment of land at Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Hertfordshire CM23 4AU. The assessment was undertaken to inform and support a planning application for a proposed new residential development. The site is located within an Area of Archaeological Significance, which is associated with Wallbury Iron Age hill fort. Based on the known archaeological evidence, the site has a generally limited potential for archaeological remains, but a moderate potential for prehistoric finds. The site has a high potential for early modern find and features associated with the railway, and the former 'Spellbrook Station'. The 1839 tithe map reveals that the site was occupied by a primary building associated with the station, and presumably the station-master's house. It stood in the south-western corner of the site, but the area was far too over grown during the site visit to view the area. In 1839 two further buildings stood towards the centre of the site, and were presumably also associated with the station and railway. During the site visit, the same area of the site was found to contain a number of metal tanks, containers and large buckets sunk into the ground and covered with metal sheeting and waste/burnt material. Previous ground disturbance within the site is therefore judged to be extensive, specifically in relation to the construction of Spellbrook Station, its demolition, and the sinking of the metal containers. Despite the steep slopes along the northern and western boundaries of the site, the exact land use of the site since 1842 remains unknown, but there is little to suggest that the site was subject to quarrying or gravel extraction. The site has been much truncated in the past. The proposed properties will be raised above the existing ground level to minimise the risk of flooding through surface water by effectively piling the site and siting the ground floor of the houses above the existing ground level. Its impact on archaeological remains, if present, may be minimal and a mitigation strategy will be agreed in consultation with the local Archaeological Advisor (Hertfordshire County Council Historic Environment Advisory Team),if this is required. Project dates (fieldwork) n/a Previous work (Y/N/?) N Future work (Y/N/?) TBC P. number 6728 Site code n/a Type of project Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Site status Area of Archaeological Significance, Green Belt Current land use Derelict land Planned development New residential development Main features (+dates) n/a Significant finds (+dates) n/a Project location County/ District/ Parish Hertfordshire East Herts Sawbridgeworth HER for area Hertfordshire Historic Environment Record (HER Enquiry No. 100/19) Post code (if known) CM23 4AU Area of site c. 1.2 ha. NGR TL 4877 1782 Height AOD (min/max) c. 55m AOD Project creators Brief issued by n/a Project supervisor/s (PO) Archaeological Solutions Ltd Funded by Mrs. Ran Yeo Full title Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Herts, CM23 4AU. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Authors Kate Higgs Report no. 5168 Date (of report) October 2019 Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Herts, CM23 4AU ©Archaeological Solutions 2019 RAILWAY MEADOW, LONDON ROAD, SPELLBROOK, HERTFORDSHIRE, CM23 4AU AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT SUMMARY In July 2016 and October 2019, Archaeological Solutions Limited carried out an archaeological desk-based assessment of land at Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Hertfordshire CM23 4AU. The assessment was undertaken to inform and support a planning application for a proposed new residential development. The site is located within an Area of Archaeological Significance, which is associated with Wallbury Iron Age hill fort. Based on the known archaeological evidence, the site has a generally limited potential for archaeological remains, but a moderate potential for prehistoric finds. The site has a high potential for early modern find and features associated with the railway, and the former 'Spellbrook Station'. The 1839 tithe map reveals that the site was occupied by a primary building associated with the station, and presumably the station-master's house. It stood in the south-western corner of the site, but the area was far too over grown during the site visit to view the area. In 1839 two further buildings stood towards the centre of the site, and were presumably also associated with the station and railway. During the site visit, the same area of the site was found to contain a number of metal tanks, containers and large buckets sunk into the ground and covered with metal sheeting and waste/burnt material. Previous ground disturbance within the site is therefore judged to be extensive, specifically in relation to the construction of Spellbrook Station, its demolition, and the sinking of the metal containers. Despite the steep slopes along the northern and western boundaries of the site, the exact land use of the site since 1842 remains unknown, but there is little to suggest that the site was subject to quarrying or gravel extraction. The site has been much truncated in the past. The proposed properties will be raised above the existing ground level to minimise the risk of flooding through surface water by effectively piling the site and siting the ground floor of the houses above the existing ground level. Its impact on archaeological remains, if present, may be minimal and a mitigation strategy will be agreed in consultation with the local Archaeological Advisor (Hertfordshire County Council Historic Environment Advisory Team), if this is required. 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 In July 2016 and October 2019, Archaeological Solutions Limited (AS) carried out an archaeological desk-based assessment of land at Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Hertfordshire, CM23 4AU (Figs.1 & 2; TL 4877 1782). The assessment was commissioned by GSC Planning on behalf of the client Mrs. Ran Yeo and undertaken to inform and support a planning application for a proposed new residential development (Fig.13). Railway Meadow, London Road, Spellbrook, Herts, CM23 4AU ©Archaeological Solutions 2019 1.2 The assessment was undertaken according to a specification prepared by Archaeological Solutions. It also followed the procedures outlined in the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists’ (CIfA) Standard and Guidance for Historic Environment Desk-Based Assessments (CIfA; revised 2017), the relevant sections of Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England, East Anglian Archaeology Paper 14/ALGAO (Gurney 2003). 1.3 The objectives of the archaeological desk-based assessment and assessment of built heritage impacts were to provide for the identification of areas of archaeological potential within the site, to consider the site within its wider archaeological context and to describe the likely extent, nature, condition, importance and potential state of preservation of the archaeology. The context of future development proposals for the site has been examined and areas of significant previous ground disturbance have been identified. Planning policy 1.4 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF 2019) states that those parts of the historic environment that have significance because