Land at Castle Park Bristol

Land at Castle Park Bristol

LAND AT CASTLE PARK BRISTOL ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION For RECKLESS ORCHARD LANDSCAPE CONSULTANTS LTD on behalf of BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL PARKS DEPARTMENT CA REPORT: 04140 SEPTEMBER 2004 LAND AT CASTLE PARK BRISTOL ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION CA PROJECT: 1823 CA REPORT: 04140 Author: Alistair Barber Approved: Simon Cox Signed: ……………………………………………………………. Issue: 01 Date: 2 SEPTEMBER 2004 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. © Cotswold Archaeology Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: [email protected] 1 Land at Castle Park, Bristol: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology CONTENTS SUMMARY........................................................................................................................ 4 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 5 The site ................................................................................................................ 5 Archaeological background.................................................................................. 6 Archaeological objectives .................................................................................... 6 Methodology ........................................................................................................ 6 2. RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 7 Trench 1 ........................................................................................................... 7 Trench 2 ........................................................................................................... 9 Trench 3 ........................................................................................................... 10 The Finds ............................................................................................................. 10 The Biological Evidence....................................................................................... 10 3. DISCUSSION....................................................................................................... 11 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 11 Pre-medieval........................................................................................................ 11 Medieval............................................................................................................... 11 Post-medieval and modern .................................................................................. 12 4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 13 5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 13 APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...................................................................... 14 APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS................................................................................................ 16 APPENDIX 3: THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE ................................................................. 18 APPENDIX 4: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES...................... 18 2 Land at Castle Park, Bristol: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology APPENDIX 5: TRENCH CO-ORDINATES ....................................................................... 18 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan, showing archaeological features (1:500) Fig. 3 Trench 1: plan Fig. 4 Trench 1: sections Fig. 5 Trenches 1–3: aerial view looking west Fig. 6 Trench 1: view looking south Fig. 7 Trench 1: ditch 133, and later robber trench 122, looking east Fig. 8 Trench 2: former line of Little Peter Street, and adjacent structural remains, looking south Fig. 9 Trench 3: modern dump deposits, looking west 3 Land at Castle Park, Bristol: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology SUMMARY Site Name: Land at Castle Park Location: Bristol NGR: ST 5927 7315 Type: Evaluation Date: August 2004 Location of Archive: Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery Accession no. CMAG 2004.43 Site Code: CPB04 An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in August 2004 at the request of Reckless Orchard Landscape Consultants Ltd, on behalf of Bristol City Council Parks Department, within Castle Park, Bristol. In compliance with an approved Written Scheme of Investigation (CA 2004) three trenches were excavated across the proposed development area. Two medieval cess pits and a north-east/south-west aligned ditch within trench 1 yielded pottery of mid 12th to 15th-century date, and were sealed by a clay-sand consolidation deposit containing mid 12th to mid 13th-century pottery. Two robber trenches which cut through this deposit yielded pottery of 19th to 20th-century date, together with residual medieval sherds, and identify former footings of medieval or post-medieval buildings. Modern drainage structures were also noted, associated with former properties on the northern side of Little Peter Street. Trench 2 revealed the partially-surviving surface of Little Peter Street, together with structural remains associated with a property on its southern side. Within trench 3 the natural sandstone bedrock was directly overlain by modern dump deposits associated with park landscaping. The evaluation has characterised the archaeological potential of the study area, identifying remains associated with medieval and later buildings and backplots in trench 1 within 0.8m of the modern ground surface. In addition, post-medieval and modern structural remains survive within 0.75m of present ground level in trench 1 and within 0.4m (the surface of the former Peter Street) in trench 2. 4 Land at Castle Park, Bristol: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In August 2004 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Reckless Orchard Landscape Consultants Ltd, on behalf of Bristol City Council Parks Department, within Castle Park, Bristol (centred on NGR: ST 5927 7315; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken to inform pre-application proposals for the construction of a Skateboard and Wheels Park. These proposals involve ground reduction of up to 1.5m for one of the proposed skate areas, together with construction of new drainage runs and retaining walls. 1.2 Prior to submission of any planning application, and in order to provide detailed information on the archaeological potential of the site, a brief for an archaeological field evaluation was produced by Peter Insole, Archaeological Officer, Bristol City Council. A subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2004) was approved by Mr Insole. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999), and the Management of Archaeological Projects II (EH 1991). The evaluation was monitored by Peter Insole and Bob Jones of Bristol City Council, including a site visit on 16th August 2004. The site 1.3 The site lies within the northern part of Castle Park, immediately north of the Floating Harbour and to the south of Broadmead shopping precinct. It is bordered to the north by Newgate Street, to the west by St Peter’s Square and to the south and east by park pathways (Fig. 2). The site lies at approximately 19m AOD, with ground level dropping away sharply to the east. 1.4 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as sandstone and Keuper Marl of the Triassic era. Estuarine alluvium is indicated along the course of the river Frome immediately north of the site (BGS 1974). 1.5 The site currently forms part of the lawned Castle Park grounds. 5 Land at Castle Park, Bristol: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology Archaeological background 1.6 Archaeological interest in the site arises from its location within the historic core of the Anglo-Saxon, medieval and later town (Watts and Rahtz 1985, 149; Good 1996, Leech 1997, BaRAS 2002). Saxon remains have previously been found within Castle Park at St Mary-Le-Port and within the remains of the earliest defences of Bristol Castle. In addition the site lies immediately west of the Castle Keep and of the west Curtain Wall of the medieval castle. Part of the Barbican Gate is presumed to underlie the southeast corner of the site. A former thoroughfare, Peter Street/Little Peter Street, also underlies the site. Remains of medieval and later properties, including 13 and 21 Peter Street, The Bear and Ragged Staff public house and part of the later Llewellin and James Brass Foundry were considered likely to survive alongside Peter Street (BCC 2004). Archaeological objectives 1.7 The objectives of the evaluation were to establish the character, quality, date, significance and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site. This information will assist the Local Planning Authority in making an informed judgement on the likely impact upon the archaeological resource by the proposed development. Methodology 1.8 The fieldwork comprised the

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