THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL OF ST GREGORY THE GREAT, CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF
CA PROJECT: 1322 CA REPORT: 03053
Author:
D. Muddiman
Approved:
Mary Alexander
Signed:
……………………………………………………………. Issue: 01
Date:02/06/03
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 Headquarters Building, Kemble Business Park, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail:
[email protected]
The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
© Cotswold Archaeology
CONTENTS
SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 3
1.
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................ 4 The site .............................................................................................................. 4 Archaeological background ................................................................................ 5 Methodology....................................................................................................... 5
2.
RESULTS .......................................................................................................... 6
3.
DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 8
4.
CA PROJECT TEAM.......................................................................................... 9
5.
REFERENCES................................................................................................... 9
APPENDIX 1: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES...................... 10
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 1
Site location plan
Fig. 2
Foundation layout, showing location of trenches
Fig. 3
Sections 1, 2 and 3
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
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SUMMARY
Site Name:
The Catholic School of St Gregory the Great
Location:
Cheltenham, Gloucester
NGR:
SO 944 226
Type:
Watching brief
Date:
23 September 2002 - 8 March 2003
Planning Reference:
01/01509/FUL
Location of Archive:
Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museums
Accession no.
CAGM 2002.168
Site Code:
1322
An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the construction of a new extension at The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great. The groundworks revealed some foundations of 19th century buildings, but no features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed, and no artefactual material predating the modern period was recovered.
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
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1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Between September, 2002 and March, 2003 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an intermittent archaeological watching brief for David Smith and Company at The Catholic School Of St Gregory The Great (centred on NGR: SO 944 226; Fig. 1).
1.2
The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to a planning consent granted by Cheltenham Borough Council on 14 January 2002 for the construction of a new extension to the school. (Planning ref: 01/01509/FUL) The objective of the watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the development.
1.3
The archaeological fieldwork was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological recording prepared by Mr Charles Parry (Senior Archaeologist, Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service), the archaeological advisors to the Local Planning Authority (LPA), and with a subsequent written scheme of investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2002) and approved by the LPA acting on the advice of Mr Charles Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999) and the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Fieldwork in Gloucestershire (1995) and the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage1991).
The site
1.4
The development area comprises the school playground and garden situated to the south and east of the main school buildings. The site lies at approximately 58m AOD, and slopes very gently from north to south.
1.5
The underlying geology of the area is fairly homogenous comprising Upper Lias clay deposits of the Lower Jurassic period (BGS 1979) overlain by Cheltenham Sands (BGS1988).
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
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Archaeological background
1.6
Archaeological interest in the site arises from its location close to the site of the former New Street Car Park, where recent excavations exposed the remains of a Romano-British field system, with evidence for settlement in the immediate locality. At least two maps dating to the early 19th century appear to show a circular or ovoid feature lying within the area of the present playground. It is possible that this marks the location of a Neolithic long barrow or Portal Dolmen that is believed to have been located in this vicinity (Coleman and Watts 2001).
1.7
An archaeological evaluation of the proposed development of the site was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeological Trust in 2001. The results showed that the eastern part of the site had been largely truncated by the construction of a building with basement in the 19th century. In the western part of the site, between 1.6m and 2m of Post medieval/Modern deposits were found to overlay the former ground surface. A single undated ditch was identified at this level (CA 2000).
Methodology
1.8
The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2002). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks, comprising a grid of 37 bored piles, each to be preceded with the excavation of a trial pit measuring 1m2 and 1.5m in depth. The development also included the installation of two 3m deep soakaways and various shallow storm-water drains and other services for the new building (Fig. 2).
1.9
Written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).
1.10
Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the finds and site archive will be deposited with Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museums.
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
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2.
RESULTS
2.1
In trenches 1-40 (the trial pits for the construction piles) the natural geological substrate consisting of yellow orange-brown sand was revealed at an average depth of 1m below present ground level. This was overlain by a mid brown silty sand averaging 0.4m in thickness, which was in turn sealed by varying depths of mid brown silty sand subsoil and blue grey silty clay, overlain by mid brown silty sand and finally sealed by “make up” layers consisting of red brick rubble and unconsolidated yellow limestone rubble and tarmac.
2.2
No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during ground works and, despite visual scanning of spoil, no artefactual material predating the modern period was recovered, although trench 7 revealed a red brick and white mortar foundation wall 0.7m high, running north to south. The base of this wall was 1m from the surface, and cut into a layer of mid brown silty clay. Trench 11 had a possible foundation wall, (again red brick and white mortar) of 0.8m height at 0.2m from the surface but was too disturbed to make definite conclusions.
2.3
Other notable exceptions include trench 29 where a red brick and white mortar double arched structure was observed at the south end of the trench, truncating all other deposits and constructed directly onto natural sand at a depth of 3m. The brickwork supporting the arches was 0.40m wide, the arches spreading to a width of 1.7m. This was interpreted as part of a 19th century house cellar construction, the cellars subsequently infilled with a medium brown silty sand, the structure then sealed with 0.1m of medium brown sandy soil to surface.
2.4
The 19th century cellar wall continued into trench 34 (sandstone block steps also seen in section), the walls constructed directly on top of the natural substrate at 2.8m from the surface. The cellars were subsequently in-filled with a sandy soil and red brick rubble.
2.5
The cellar wall seen in trenches 29 and 34 also continued into trench 35, where it was visible in the south facing section and seen to be five brick courses wide and
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
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aligned north south. The wall returned east at this section, showing a rendered internal surface. The brickwork cellar flooring was seen in the base of the trench abutting both walls at 3.0m from the surface and again, constructed directly on the natural sand.
2.6
Trench 36 revealed a semicircular wall surviving in the western end, two courses wide, constructed from red brick and white mortar with remnants of plaster or white wash. Although it is thought to be associated with either the 19th century cellar construction or possibly a well, its function remains uncertain. The structure was subsequently in-filled with red brick rubble.
2.7
Trench 37 showed more of the red brick/white mortar cellar construction first observed in trench 29, which was aligned east-west, and continued beyond the east end of trench 37. In the west facing section a two-course brick wall and archway 2.6m high were observed at 0.25m from the surface; the base of the wall abutted a stone floor 0.1m thick. This was again built directly onto natural sand, which extended to the base of the trench at 3.1m from surface. The infilling again consists of a mix of sand and stone/brick rubble. The top of the archway is truncated by approximately 0.1m, presumably from the demolition of the house and subsequent development and landscaping. The structure was then overlain by a dark brown silty sand and sealed by aggregate, gravel and tarmac.
2.8
Trenches 41-63 (those excavated at the location of new extension foundations) were excavated to an average depth of 1m and revealed the same sequence of deposits as the previous trenches. Natural geological substrate (where observed) consisted of a yellow orange brown sand overlain by a mid brown silty sand with an average depth of 0.40m. This was then overlain by various depths of mid brown silty sand subsoil, and “make up” layers of mid-dark brown silty sand, red brick rubble, unconsolidated yellow limestone rubble and tarmac.
2.9
No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during these ground works and no artefactual material predating the modern period was
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
© Cotswold Archaeology
recovered, however some trenches revealed further evidence for the 19th century development of the site.
2.10
Trench 49 was excavated to a depth of 1.1m from the surface and revealed a wall foundation, orientated north south. The first course visible at the base of the trench consisted of two courses of limestone and sandstone blocks (H=0.06m x W=0.2m x D=0.27m) the next two courses, of red brick and white/yellow mortar. This was then overlain by a mortar layer 0.04m thick, which was in turn sealed by a red brick rubble and medium brown sandy silt and rubble layer.
2.11
Trenches 50,51,52,53 were excavated to a depth of 1.1m from the surface and revealed a continuation of the wall first observed in trench 49, orientated northsouth, again with limestone blocks at the base and overlain by a single course of red brick and white mortar.
2.12
Trenches 64-70 (those associated with the storm-water drains and the soakaways) again revealed no archaeological material, deposits or features. The deeper of the excavations at 3m, trench 64, revealed only the familiar sequence of natural sand at a depth of 0.73m from the surface, overlain by a mid orange brown silty sand layer averaging 0.25m thick, a mid brown sandy silt cultivation soil averaging 0.2m thick and sealed by a crushed red brick layer averaging 0.2m thick. This was then sealed by a tarmac surface 0.1m thick, this was in turn covered by a cultivation soil and red brick building rubble dumping/levelling layer which was overlain by a yellow stone rubble layer 0.30m thick and finally another tarmac layer at the surface 0.1m thick. Again there is some evidence of the 19th century house cellars, in both trench 64 and 68 with substantial red brick and white mortar walls visible in section (Fig. 3).
3.
DISCUSSION
3.1
Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological background above), the watching brief identified no archaeological remains within the area of observed groundworks. The absence of archaeological deposits may indicate that any structural remains associated with any Romano-British settlement
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
© Cotswold Archaeology
that may be in the vicinity, either do not extend as far as or were not exposed by the development, or that they may have been removed during previous development. It is thought that it was during the 19th century construction of the house cellars that most, if not all, of the archaeological deposits were lost.
3.2
Although 19th century cellar walls could be seen in both section and plan in several of the trenches and test pits it proved impossible to reconstruct any meaningful ground plan from the restrictive size of the excavations.
4.
CA PROJECT TEAM
Fieldwork was undertaken by Dr. John Naylor and D. Muddiman who also compiled this report. The illustrations were prepared by Peter Moore. The archive has been compiled by Dr. John Naylor and prepared for deposition by Ed McSloy. The project was managed for CA by Martin Watts and Mary Alexander.
5.
REFERENCES
CAT 2000 The Catholic School of St Gregory the Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation CAT typescript report no. 01043
Coleman, L. and Watts, M. 2001 `A Romano-British Field System at Cheltenham: Evidence from excavations at St James’s Car Park ‘ Glevensis 34, 67-71
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The Catholic School of St Gregory The Great, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief
© Cotswold Archaeology
APPENDIX 1: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES
Levels are expressed as metres below current ground level. Context
Trenches 1-40 0.00m
Trenches 41-63 0.00m
Trench 64 0.00m
Trenches 65-67 0.00m
Trench 68 N/A
Trenches 69-70 N/A
Unconsolidated limestone rubble Mid brown sandy silt
0.05m
0.05m
0.10m
0.10m
N/A
N/A
0.20m
0.20m
0.40m
0.40m
0.00m
0.00m
Tarmac surface
0.30m
0.30m
0.50m
N/A
N/A
N/A
Red brick rubble
0.35m
0.35m
0.60m
N/A
0.40m
0.40m
Mid-dark brown silty sand Mid blue grey silty clay Mid brown silty sand subsoil Natural sub-strate Limit of excavation
0.50m
0.50m
0.80m
N/A
N/A
N/A
0.95m 1.00m
0.95m 1.00m
N/A 1.00m
N/A N/A
N/A N/A
N/A N/A
1.40m 1.70m (average)
N/A 1.00m (average)
1.25m 2.00m
N/A 0.60m (average)
N/A 2.60m
N/A 0.60m (average)
Tarmac surface
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