Crossrail Broadgate Ticket Hall Excavated Evaluation and GWBs, Fieldwork Report (XSM10) C257-MLA-T1-RGN-CRG03-50014 v2 Non-technical summary This report covers a summary of the results from archaeological fieldwork carried out by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) on the site of the future Crossrail Broadgate Ticket Hall, Liverpool Street, London EC2M, within the City of London. The site consists of the new utilities corridor and other utilities diversions within the Broadgate Ticket Hall construction worksite. The report was commissioned from MOLA by Crossrail Ltd. The phases of fieldwork covered in this report include the utilities corridor, sewer shafts MHS1 and MHS2-100 and the open cut sewer diversion. A sewer heading leading from MHS2-100 was undertaken as a general watching brief. This fieldwork follows the initial phase of archaeological evaluation in 2010–2011 (MOLA for Crossrail 2012, C257-MLA-X-RGN-CRG02-50064 [v2]) and 2011–2012 (MOLA for Crossrail 2012, C257-MLA-X-XCS-CRG02-50012 [v2]); the current report amalgamates these results in order to further inform the forthcoming excavation of the future ticket hall. Natural terrace gravels were reached in every trench, overlain by waterlain deposits of alluvial clay interspersed with occasional bands of gravel. These are thought to represent episodes of flooding from the Walbrook stream. The eastern edge of the stream itself was present at the western side of the site, running north–south. While a small group of redeposited struck flints was recovered during the fieldwork, there was no tangible evidence for prehistoric activity on the site itself. Evidence was found for several phases of Roman activity, dating to the early 2nd century AD, demonstrating water management in this area of the Walbrook valley. Two timber gates from this period had been laid at the water’s edge, presumably to create a platform. Other forms of waterside activity appear to have continued into the later 2nd and possibly 3rd centuries: further remains of a minor east–west Roman road, seen previously during excavations south of Eldon Street and thought to have been seen in fieldwork on the site in 2011 (Crossrail 2011d), probably led to a route across the channel. To the south of the road and the east of the waterway, Roman ditches, pits and dump layers represent activity in what would have been a boggy area, prone to flooding from the channel, which itself contained a number of human skulls, probably washed in from established burial grounds upstream. A number of residual medieval finds were recovered from post-Roman features, but few in situ medieval deposits have been identified, and none associated with St Mary Bethlehem Hospital. The post-Roman to early post-medieval sequence is characterised largely by a series of marsh deposits. These were sealed across the whole site by 16th-century reclamation deposits, laid deliberately to consolidate ground for the establishment of the Bethlehem Burial Ground. In addition to these dumps, a group of elm timber piles were recorded running NNE to SSW. These are thought to have provided essential stability through the marshy ground directly below the original 16th-century cemetery western boundary wall. A segment of brick wall represented part of that early construction. To the east, further timber piles and sections of a brick and stone wall were recorded as part of a 17th-century rebuild. A total of 72 in situ post-medieval burials from the Bethlehem Burial Ground were recorded during this phase, increasing the number of archaeologically excavated in situ burials on this site to 373. i Document uncontrolled once printed. All controlled documents are saved on the CRL Document System © Crossrail Limited RESTRICTED Crossrail Broadgate Ticket Hall Excavated Evaluation and GWBs, Fieldwork Report (XSM10) C257-MLA-T1-RGN-CRG03-50014 v2 Previous fieldwork has revealed a large and rare assemblage of post-medieval worked animal bone and ivory waste, as well as other industrial waste such as glass slag. Worked bone offcuts recovered during this latest phase of fieldwork, primarily derived from the backfill of a trench dug to remove building material from the 17th- century cemetery perimeter wall, has added to this important assemblage. One aim of future fieldwork will be to establish whether this material was deposited both during the use of the burial ground and after it was no longer used for burials. The site represents a rare chance to explore and define Roman extra-mural activity within this area, with a high potential for further Roman remains, as well as more 16th to 18th-century burials which will help to further our knowledge and understanding of society, life, death and burial during this time. The archaeological results from this phase of work at Liverpool Street will be used by the Crossrail Project Archaeologist to revise and finalise the mitigation strategy for the site. ii Document uncontrolled once printed. All controlled documents are saved on the CRL Document System © Crossrail Limited RESTRICTED Crossrail Broadgate Ticket Hall Excavated Evaluation and GWBs, Fieldwork Report (XSM10) C257-MLA-T1-RGN-CRG03-50014 v2 Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 9 2 Planning background ............................................................................................. 11 3 Origin and scope of the report .............................................................................. 11 4 Previous work relevant to archaeology of site ..................................................... 11 5 Geology and topography of site ............................................................................ 13 6 Archaeological and Historical Background ......................................................... 14 7 Research objectives and aims............................................................................... 16 7.1 Objectives of the fieldwork .................................................................................... 16 7.2 Research Aims ....................................................................................................... 18 8 Methodology of site-based and off-site work ....................................................... 19 8.1 General .................................................................................................................... 19 8.2 Excavation methodology for the Utilities Corridor [GL1 to GL8; GL8 to the QVT] ............................................................................................................................. 20 8.3 Targeted Watching Briefs, MHS1, MHS2-100 and MHS2 ..................................... 21 8.4 General Watching Brief Methodology (MHS1, MHS2-100, Open Cut Sewer, Utilities Corridor, Heading from MHS2-100, Manhole X) ..................................... 22 9 Results and observations including stratigraphic report and quantitative report ...................................................................................................... 23 9.1 Excavation Trenches.............................................................................................. 24 9.2 Targeted Watching Briefs ...................................................................................... 28 9.3 General Watching Briefs ........................................................................................ 43 10 Assessment of Results against Research Aims .................................................. 50 10.1 Topography and Geology ...................................................................................... 50 10.2 Medieval .................................................................................................................. 52 10.3 Bethlehem cemetery .............................................................................................. 53 10.4 Other post-medieval ............................................................................................... 54 11 Statement of potential archaeology ...................................................................... 56 11.1 Known remains, demonstrated to be present on the site .................................... 56 11.2 Potential for further remains ................................................................................. 56 11.3 Importance of Resources ...................................................................................... 57 12 Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 59 12.1 Geology ................................................................................................................... 59 12.2 Prehistoric remains ................................................................................................ 59 12.3 Roman remains ...................................................................................................... 59 12.4 Medieval remains ................................................................................................... 64 12.5 Post-medieval remains .......................................................................................... 64 iii Document uncontrolled once printed. All controlled documents are saved on the CRL Document System © Crossrail Limited RESTRICTED Crossrail Broadgate Ticket Hall Excavated Evaluation and GWBs, Fieldwork Report (XSM10) C257-MLA-T1-RGN-CRG03-50014 v2 12.6 Bethlehem Burial Ground .....................................................................................