Bank Street, Coleford Gloucestershire

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Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House) Bank Street, Coleford Gloucestershire

Archaeological Watching Brief

for Seddon Construction Limited

CA Project: 4652/CR0035 CA Report: 18568

May 2019

Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House) Bank Street, Coleford Gloucestershire

Archaeological Watching Brief

CA Project: 4652/CR0035 CA Report: 18568

Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by A 29 May PA Busby A Thomson Final C Bateman 2019 and S. Boughton

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology 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.

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...... 3

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 4

4. METHODOLOGY ...... 5

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-5) ...... 5

6. THE FINDS ...... 7

7. DISCUSSION ...... 7

8. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 8

9. REFERENCES ...... 8

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 9

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ...... 11

APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM ...... 11

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The site, showing location of observed groundworks (1:500). Fig. 3 Trench 1: Photographs Fig. 4 Trench 4: Photographs

1 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

SUMMARY

Project Name: Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street Location: Coleford, Gloucestershire NGR: 357592 210907 Type: Watching Brief Date: 29 November 2013-8 January 2014 Planning Reference: FDDC: PO438/13/FUL/Condition 3 Location of Archive: To be deposited with Dean Heritage Centre Accession Number: SOYDH: 2014.1 Site Code: CFBS 13

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the construction of a care home and five bungalows with associated landscaping and parking.

Within the western extent of the site the remains of a large, partially intact structure, two abutting walls suggestive of a further structure and a large linear features were observed during the current works. Although undated, these remains correlate, and are likely associated, with a post-medieval Mission Hall, adjacent buildings and a tramroad as depicted on historic mapping.

Within the north-eastern part of the site, a number of tree-throws and a single undated gully were recorded that are most probably associated with the site’s previous agricultural use as an orchard. A modern wall was also observed.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Between November 2013 and January 2014 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief for Seddon Construction Ltd at the Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire (centred at NGR: 357592 210907; Fig. 1). The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to planning consent for the construction of a care home and facilities and five bungalows with associated landscaping and parking (FDDC planning ref: PO438/13/FUL/Condition 3).

1.2 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with recommendations by Charles Parry, Archaeologist, Gloucestershire County Council (GCC), the archaeological advisor to Forest of Dean District Council (FDDC), and with a subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2013) that was approved by FDDC acting on the advice of Charles Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an archaeological watching brief (CIfA 2009), the Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (English Heritage 1991) and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006). It was monitored by Charles Parry.

The site 1.3 The proposed development area is approximately 0.9ha and comprises a car park and grassed area along the Bank Street frontage, with further areas of terracing beyond (Fig. 2). The site lies at approximately 175m AOD on land that gently slopes away to the south.

1.4 The underlying bedrock geology of the area is mapped as Coleford Member (Mudstone, Siltstone and Sandstone) of the Carboniferous Period with superficial deposits of Quaternary Alluvium (BGS 2019). Natural sandstone bedrock and yellow silty clay was observed during the current works.

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 The site has been subject to a desk-based assessment (APS 2012) that noted that there is no recorded evidence for prehistoric, Roman or Early medieval activity in, or within the vicinity of, the application site, with the exception of Bronze Age flints

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

found in a garden directly to the north. However, the assessment noted that the paucity of such evidence could be due to the lack of archaeological investigations in the area (ibid).

2.2 The assessment did note that medieval buildings may have previously fronted Bank Street, although the remainder of the development area is likely to have been under agricultural use. A building is depicted on the Bank Street frontage (then called Back Street) on a map of 1608 and may be one of three buildings shown within the application area on the subsequent 1840 Newland tithe map. The assessment also noted that buried remains of these buildings, along with a Mission Hall recorded in 1882, may still survive within the site. The southern extent of the application site was previously crossed by the line of the Monmouth to Coleford tramroad which was constructed in 1812 but was disused by 1880. There is also extensive evidence for medieval and later iron working in Coleford and further evidence for this may lie within the site (ibid).

2.3 Ordnance Survey (OS) maps dating between 1882 and 1922 depict much of the former agricultural land within the site as orchard or woodland and also that the tramroad had largely been removed, only partially surviving to the north of the Mission Hall in the south-west and also at the eastern extent of the site.

2.4 The development area was previously in use as a library and community centre (constructed in the later 20th century but now demolished) with associated parking and underground services, which may have had a negative impact on any surviving buried archaeological deposits (ibid).

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 The objectives of the archaeological works were:

• to monitor groundworks, and to identify, investigate and record all significant buried archaeological deposits revealed on the site during the course of the development groundworks;

• at the conclusion of the project, to produce an integrated archive for the project work and a report setting out the results of the project and the archaeological conclusions that can be drawn from the recorded data.

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2013). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising the excavation of foundation and service trenches as well as general ground reduction up to 3m (see Fig. 2 for location and extent of observed groundworks).

4.2 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2013).

4.3 The archive and artefacts from the watching brief are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the artefacts will be deposited with the Dean Heritage Centre under accession number SOYDH: 2014.1, along with the site archive. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix C, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-5)

5.1 This section provides an overview of the watching brief results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts and finds are to be found in Appendices A and B, respectively. Natural geological substrate, comprising sandstone bedrock and yellow silty clay, was revealed in all trenches expect for Trench 1.

Trench 1 (Figs 2 and 3) 5.2 The natural geological substrate was not exposed within this trench. The earliest deposit encountered, at a depth of up to 0.85m below present ground level (bpgl), was modern made-ground deposit 101, measuring at least 0.7m in thickness. Within the south of this trench, deposit 101 was cut by north-east/south-west aligned wall 102. The wall was of rough sandstone block construction bonded by lime mortar, measured at least 6.6m in length, 0.5m in width and survived to a depth of at least 0.2m. The structure extended to the south-west, beyond the area of observed groundworks. Butting wall 102 to the north-west was north-west/south-east aligned wall 103, of similar construction to wall 102, which measured at least 3.2m in length, 0.5m in width and at least 0.2m in depth. This would suggest that wall 103 is later in date than wall 102, although they are perhaps broadly contemporary with wall 103

5 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

perhaps representing a later internal alteration or division. Wall 103 also extended beyond the area of observed groundworks. No finds were recovered from either wall.

5.3 Throughout the central extent of this trench, deposit 101 was cut by northeast/south-west aligned feature 105. It measured approximately 3.8m in width, at least 18m in length and contained a single undated rubble fill, 104.

5.4 Walls 102, 103 and feature 105 were overlain by modern topsoil/tarmac deposits.

Trench 2 (Fig. 2) 5.5 The natural substrate was revealed within Trench 2 at a typical depth of 0.58m bpgl. In the south of the trench, it was cut by north-west/south-east aligned gully 208. The latter had gradually sloping sides, a concave base and measured at least 0.5m in length, 0.47m in width and 0.12m in depth. It contained single undated fill 207.

5.6 To the north of gully 208, three probably tree-throws were observed (Fig. 2). Tree- throw 215 produced a single sherd of post-medieval pottery from its fill 214.

5.7 All observed features within Trench 2 were sealed by tarmac and associated bedding deposits, 203 and 204 respectively. Contemporary with this was a modern wall and associated concrete foundations, 201 and 202 respectively, observed within the north-eastern extent of the trench that are presumed to represent a revetment wall associated with the former community centre.

Trench 3 (Fig. 2) 5.8 The natural geological substrate was revealed throughout Trench 3 at a typical depth of 0.5m bpgl. In the north of the trench, it was overlain by subsoil 302, measuring approximately 0.24m in thickness. To the south it was overlain by silty clay made-ground deposit 301. Both of these deposits were in turn sealed by topsoil.

Trench 4 (Figs 2 and 4) 5.9 The natural geological substrate was revealed at a depth of up to 1.9m bpgl. Immediately west of the demolished former library, and fronting Bank Street, a series of walls of sandstone and lime mortar construction, as well as a set of contemporary steps, flagstone surfaces and a culvert were observed (see Appendix

6 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

A). The structure measured approximately 10m in length, 8m in width within which an area measuring 6m by 5m appeared suggestive of a cellar.

5.10 A modern service trench was also observed.

6. THE FINDS

6.1 Artefactual material was hand-recovered solely from tree-throw 215. The recovered material dates to the post-medieval period. The pottery has been recorded according to sherd count/weight per fabric. Pottery fabric codes (in parenthesis in the text) are equated to the online Gloucester pottery type series (http://glospot.potsherd.net/docs/intro).

Pottery 6.2 Tree-throw fill 214 produced an unfeatured bodysherd of glazed earthenware (TF50), dateable to the mid 16th to 18th centuries.

7. DISCUSSION

7.1 The dates and exact functions of walls 102 and 103 in Trench 1 are unclear however their alignments closely correlate to the western extent of the Mission Hall and adjacent buildings as depicted on historic mapping (see archaeological background above). This, as well as being of similar construction, suggests that they are likely to be of contemporary post-medieval origin.

7.2 The date and function of the structure recorded in Trench 4 remains unclear, however its location and alignment certainly correlates with 19th-century buildings depicted on historic mapping. Alternatively, the building may be earlier in construction and be representative of a building depicted on the 1608 map that perhaps survived into the later post-medieval/modern period.

7.3 Linear feature 105 identified in Trench 1 correlates closely to the alignment of the former Monmouth to Coleford tramroad as depicted on 19th-century mapping. No evidence for its continued survival was revealed within Trench 3.

7 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

7.4 The tree-throws identified in the south-eastern extent of Trench 2 are most probably associated with the site’s documented use as orchard or woodland from at least the late 19th century. Certainly the date of the pottery recovered from one fo the tree- throws indicates a post-medieval origin. The date and extent of gully 208 remains unclear, and its precise function equally undetermined, primarily due to the restricted view afforded by the limited extent of the observed groundworks. However, it is postulated to be consistent with the agricultural use of site during the later post- medieval/modern period..

8. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Tom Weavill and Peter Busby, assisted by Andy Loader. The report was written by Sara-Jayne Boughton. The finds and biological evidence reports were written by Jacky Sommerville. The illustrations were prepared by Gemma Bowen. The archive has been compiled and prepared for deposition by Hazel O’Neill. The project was managed for CA by Cliff Bateman.

9. REFERENCES

APS (Archaeology & Planning Solutions) 2012 Bank Street Extra Care Housing Site, Coleford, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation.

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2013 Geology of Britain Viewer http://maps.bgs.ac.uk/geology viewer_google/googleviewer.html Accessed 11 March 2019

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2013 Care Scheme, Bank Street, Coleford Gloucestershire,; Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

http://glospot.potsherd.net/docs/intro (viewed 27 March 2019)

8 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench Context Type Fill Context Description L (m) W (m) Depth/thi No. No. of interpretation ckness (m) 1 100 Layer Car park Topsoil/Tarmac 0.15 surface and lawn 1 101 Layer Made ground Made ground >0.70 1 102 Structure Wall NE-SW wall consisting of 6.6 0.50 >0.2 sandstone blocks (0.32m x 0.3m x 0.1m) laid in crude courses in grey yellow lime mortar 1 103 Layer Wall NE-SW wall consisting of 3.2 0.50 >0.2 sandstone blocks (0.33m x 0.21m x 0.08m) laid in crude courses in yellow lime mortar 1 104 Fill 105 Tramway fill Unexcavated light pink hard 18 3.76 core and rubble 1 105 Cut Tramway NW-SE linear 18 3.76 2 201 Structure Wall Pink orange bricks (shallow >5.10 2.85 1.00 frogs) laid in stretcher bond with a light grey sandy mortar 2 202 Structure Wall Very hard concrete >5.10 2.85 0.20 foundation 2 203 Layer Car park Tarmac 70.00 42.00 0.10 surface 2 204 Layer Car park sub- Tarmac bedding material 70.00 42.00 0.3 base 2 205 Layer Top soil Grey Brown clay silt 70.00 42.00 0.18 2 206 Layer Natural Light orange yellow silt clay 70.00 42.00 with 15% angular small stones 2 207 Fill 208 Gully fill Yellow brown clay silt with >0.5 0.47 0.12 10% small angular sandstone stones 2 208 Cut Gully NW-SE linear with 30° sides >0.5 0.47 0.12 and a convex base 2 209 Fill 210 Tree throw fill Upper fill: Light red brown silt 1.58 1.27 0.13 clay with 15% charcoal flecks 2 210 Cut Tree throw Circular cut in plan with 1.58 1.27 0.15 vertical sides and flat base. 2 211 Fill 210 Tree throw fill Primary fill: black charcoal 1.58 1.27 0.04 flecks and lumps 2 212 Fill 213 Tree throw fill Grey yellow clay silt with 20% 1.37 0.07 charcoal flecks and 10% small sandstone stones 2 213 Cut Tree throw Sub-circular with shallow 1.37 0.07 sides and flat base. 2 214 Fill Tree throw fill Dark brown silt clay with <1% 1.50 1.00 pot sherds. A very irregular patch of soil. Not excavated 2 215 Cut Tree throw Ovoid in plan. Not excavated. 1.69 1.36 N/A 3 300 Layer Top soil Topsoil 60.00 38.00 0.27 3 301 Layer Made ground Blue grey silt clay 3 302 Layer Subsoil Orange brown clay silt 60.00 38.00 0.24 3 303 Layer Natural Orange yellow silt clay 60.00 38.00 >0.91 4 400 Layer Car park Tarmac 38.00 22.00 0.15 surface 4 401 Layer Car park sub- Assorted brick, sandstone, 38.00 22.00 0.50 base and mortar rubble 4 402 Layer Destruction Grey white loose 50% 5.00 3.83 1.4 debris sandstone blocks, 30% lime mortar dust and fragments, 10% wood and charcoal, and <1% 20 century pot, glass,

9 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

Trench Context Type Fill Context Description L (m) W (m) Depth/thi No. No. of interpretation ckness (m) plastic. 4 403 Structure Wall 4x walls forming the sides of a 6.08 4.91 1.4 subterranean structure orientated NE-SW. Crudely faced sandstone rubble (0.7 x 0.6 x 0.25m - 0.2 x 0.2x 0.15m) laid in horizontal courses in a grey white lime mortar. Built into the SE corner were 4x steps (1.25m long and 0.25m high with sandstone risers 0.34m deep). Built into the E wall, just N of the steps was a small rectangular opening to a culvert 4 404 Layer Floor Sandstone flagstones bedded 5.00 3.83 0.20 on a layer of cinders. 4 405 Layer Threshold Sandstone flagstones (1.20 x 1.20 1.20 0.11 0.70 x 0.11m) bedded using grey white lime mortar directly on to wall 406 4 406 Structure Wall NW-SE orientated wall 2.70 0.73 >0.40 constructed of crudely faced sandstone rubble (0.35 x 0.30 x 0.20m – 0.20 x 0.20 x 0.15m) bedded in a grey white mortar. The southern face of the wall was rendered with a hard grey white mortar identical to wall (407) 4 407 Structure Wall NE-SW orientated wall >1.90 0.57 >0.30 constructed of crudely faced sandstone rubble (0.35 x 0.30 x 0.20m – 0.20 x 0.20 x 0.15m) bedded in a grey white mortar. The western face of the wall was rendered with a hard grey white mortar identical to wall (406) 4 408 Structure Wall NW-SE orientated wall 1.35 0.38 0.40 constructed of crudely dressed sandstone blocks 4 409 Layer Floor Sandstone flagstones, 6.50 >1.50 0.25 between1.5 x 0.70 x 0.15m – 0.38 x 0.30. 0.11m bedded on a thin layer of cinders 4 411 Cut Service trench E-W linear with vertical sides >5.00 1.00 0.45 and a flat base 4 412 Layer Dumps Grey brown-brown yellow silt 22.00 10.00 >5.00 clay and coarse silt clay gravel and charcoal; forming a thick (1.20m) layer 4 413 Layer Natural Orange yellow silt clay >38.0 >22.0 overlying fractured sandstone 4 414 Fill 411 Dark brown silt clay with 10% >5.00 1.00 0.45 sandstone boulders and stones, 10% lumps of yellow natural clay and 5% red bricks and white mortar and a pipe at base

10 © Cotswold Archaeology Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS

Context Category Description Fabric Count Weight (g) Spot-date Code 214 Post-medieval pottery Glazed earthenware TF50 1 16 MC16-C18

APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street Short description An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the construction of a care home and five bungalows with associated landscaping and parking.

Project dates 29 November 2013-8 January 2014 Project type Watching Brief Previous work Desk-based assessment (APS 2012) Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Coleford, Gloucestershire Study area (M2/ha) 0.9ha Site co-ordinates 357592 210907 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator None Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology Project Manager Cliff Bateman Project Supervisor Peter Busby and Tom Weavill MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content Physical Dean Heritage Centre ceramics SOYDH: 2014.1 Paper Dean Heritage Centre Trench recording forms, SOYDH: 2014.1 Context sheets, sections, hand plans Digital Dean Heritage Centre Database, digital photos, SOYDH: 2014.1 survey BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2019 Care Scheme, Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief. CA typescript report 18568

11 356000 358000

213000

211000

209000

WARWICKSHIRE Andover 01264 347630 N Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 COUNTY OF Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 HEREFORDSHIRE Archaeology POWYS Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE GLOUCESTERSHIRE MONMOUTHSHIRE Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House),

TORFAEN

CAERPHILLY Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire RHONDDA, CYNON, TAFF

FIGURE TITLE BRIDGEND

NEWPORT SOUTH Site location plan GLOUCESTERSHIRE CARDIFF 0 1km CITY OF THE VALE BRISTOL NORTH BOUROUGH OF OF GLAMORGAN SOMERSET SWINDON DRAWN BY GB PROJECT NO. 4652 FIGURE NO. BATH AND © Crown copyright and database rights 2019 CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/05/2019 NE SOMERSET WILTSHIRE Ordnance Survey 0100031673 APPROVED BY LVB SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1 357600 357500 N

Site boundary

Excavation areas

Former buildings

Archaeological features

201 Structures

210900 202 Treethrow Alignment of Monmouth to Coleford tram road as shown on the T3 1841 Newland Tithe Map

213

215 T2 former community centre demolished prior to works 210

208

cellar former library demolished prior to works structure T1

Historic map not to scale

105

102

103 0 1:500 25m

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE 210800 The site, showing location of observed groundworks with historic mapping

DRAWN BY GB PROJECT NO. 4652 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/05/2019 APPROVED BY LVB SCALE@A3 1:500 2 105

Tramway 105, looking west (1m scale)

wall 103

wall 102

Walls 102 and 103, looking northwest (1m scale)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire

FIGURE TITLE Trench 1: photographs

DRAWN BY GB PROJECT NO. 4652 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/05/2019 APPROVED BY LVB SCALE@A4 NA 3 wall 408 cellar structure 403

surface 409

Trench 4 structure, looking northwest (2m scale)

cellar structure 403

Trench 4 structure, looking northeast (2m scale)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected] PROJECT TITLE Care Scheme (Dora Matthews House), Bank Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE Trench 4: Photographs

DRAWN BY GB PROJECT NO. 4652 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/05/2019 APPROVED BY LVB SCALE@A4 NA 4