Upload
others
View
1
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent
An Archaeological Evaluation (Phase 1)
for the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust
by Clare Challis and Sarah Coles
Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd
Site Code NFC 01/119
June 2002
Summary
Site name: Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent Grid reference: TR 1500 5670 Site activity: Field evaluation Date and duration of project: 22nd–30th May 2002 Project manager: Steve Ford Site supervisor: Sarah Coles Site code: NFC 01/119 Area of site: 3.2 ha Summary of results: Two rectangular pits and two ditches of post-medieval/modern date Monuments identified: None Location and reference of archive: The site archive is currently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 47-49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5NR but it is anticipated it will be deposited with Canterbury City Museum in due course. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford 13.06.02 Steve Preston 14.06.02
i
Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent An Archaeological Evaluation, Phase 1
by Clare Challis and Sarah Coles
Report 01/119b
Introduction
This report documents the results of an archaeological field evaluation carried out at Nunnery Fields Hospital,
Canterbury, Kent (TR1500 5670) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Mr Adam Ross of Broadway
Malyan, Woburn Hill, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 2QA on behalf of the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, Design
and Construction Services, Ross Way, Shorncliffe, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 3UJ.
Planning permission is to be sought from Canterbury City Council for the construction of new housing and
the refurbishment of existing buildings to provide 84 dwellings, with provision for 30 dwellings in retained
buildings, assuming retention is desirable. This required the implementation of a programme of archaeological
work in accordance with the Department of the Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance, Archaeology and
Planning (PPG16 1990), and the City’s policies on archaeology.
The field investigation was carried out to a specification approved by Mr Richard Cross, of Canterbury
Archaeological Trust Ltd, archaeological adviser to the City The fieldwork was undertaken by Sarah Coles with
the assistance of Julie Cassidy, Andrew Mundin and Jo Pine and the site code is NFC 01/119. The archive is
presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with Canterbury City
Museum in due course.
The western part of the proposal site was not available for evaluation during the first phase of fieldwork
described below. Further evaluation will form phase 2 of the fieldwork project.
To mitigate the potential impact of the proposed development on archaeological deposits, a desk-based
archaeological assessment and survey of the historic buildings of the site was completed (Preston and Preston
2002). To summarize, the site lies beyond the historic core of the city but does lie within an area from which a
number of archaeological sites and finds have previously been recorded. Finds include an early Roman bronze
figurine to the south-west of the site with evidence of Roman burials to the north and south-east. The site is not
within either the Canterbury World Heritage Site, nor the Areas of Archaeological Interest defined in District
Plans. It does, however, fall within the Conservation Area for Canterbury.
1
Location, topography and geology
The site is located on a parcel of land c. 3.2 ha in area, 700m south of Canterbury City Centre, to the south-west
of South Canterbury Road (Fig. 2). Disused hospital buildings and car parks currently occupy the site.
Geological maps (BGS 1993) show the proposal area to be on a boundary between Head brickearth (to the east)
and Upper Chalk (to the west), with an outcrop of Thanet beds possibly also just reaching the site. It lies on land
overlooking the valley of the Great Stour, sloping down from the south (c. 46m above Ordnance Datum), to the
north ( c. 37m above OD).
Archaeological background
Canterbury is rich in archaeological heritage and although the Nunnery Fields site lies outside the designated
archaeological area it does lie within a Conservation Area. It appears that a substantial settlement was
established in Canterbury around the end of the 1st century BC (Arthur 1986). Around AD 270–90 an area
estimated at 53ha was enclosed within stone walls (Millett, 1990). On the north-west, the street grid extended
further than these walls and to the south-west pottery kilns also suggest extra-mural settlement. Extending south
of the defensive circuit, the line of Watling Street, the Roman road to Dover, passes to the north of Nunnery
Fields and isolated occupation may be expected along this route. It is possible, however, that the site is too far
away from this route to have had much impact (Preston and Preston, 2002).
In the Saxon Kingdom Canterbury was a key point, location of a mint and a religious focus from which
Augustine would start the conversion of the country to Christianity. Occupation ignored the Roman layout
except for obvious restrictions imposed by the standing defences, and the street grid seems to have disappeared
(Preston and Preston, 2002). The street layout established by the Saxons has remained largely intact, but it is
unlikely that occupation associated with the town extended as far south as the site at Nunnery Fields.
The most significant archaeological sites of relevance to Nunnery Fields include the find of an early Roman
bronze figurine to the south-west of the site and evidence of Roman burials to both the north and south-east.
Roman cemeteries are known within Canterbury and the site lies equidistant from two Roman burials, one of
which may belong to a cemetery that could encroach onto the site. It might be more likely to expect a spread of
unconnected burials extending some distance south from the town, not forming an integrated cemetery (Preston
and Preston, 2002).
2
The site lies beyond the focus of the medieval and post-medieval town. However it may fall into a zone of
rural and service activity.
Objectives and methodology
The purpose of the evaluation was to determine the presence/absence, extent, condition, character, quality and
date of any archaeological deposits within the area of development. These objectives were to be met by digging
29 trenches 2m wide and between 3m–25m long, using a machine fitted with a toothless ditching bucket, under
archaeological supervision. Where archaeological features were certainly or probably present the stripped areas
were cleaned using the appropriate hand tools. Sufficient of the archaeological features or deposits exposed were
excavated to satisfy the aims of the brief. The work was carried out in a manner that would not compromise the
integrity of any archaeological features that might warrant preservation in situ or might better be excavated
under conditions pertaining to full excavation. All spoil heaps were monitored for finds.
A complete list of trenches giving lengths, breadths, depths and a description of sections and geology is
given in Appendix 1.
Results
Twenty-six of the 29 planned trenches were dug across the site as shown on Figure 3. It is expected that the
remaining three trenches will be dug as a part of the second phase of evaluation at the site. The stratigraphy of
the trenches varied little and is described in Appendix 1.
Trench 1
The trench was 1.85m wide, 24.8m long and was excavated to a depth at the south-western end of 0.80m and 1m
at the north-eastern end. The stratigraphy showed a 0.25m depth of topsoil directly overlying a 0.60m thick layer
of made ground onto the natural brickearth. A cut feature (1) rectangular in shape with a flat base and sharp sides
was observed below the made ground and truncated slightly by it (Fig. 4). The cut feature (1) had a grey-yellow
sandy clay fill (50) and contained finds dating from the late 18th/19th century onwards including pottery, bone
and glass (not retained).
Trenches 3–6
3
These trenches were all 2.0m wide but varied in length; 21m, 20m, 20m and 4m respectively. They were
excavated to depths ranging from 0.65m in Trench 3 to 3.0m in Trench 4. All of these trenches had the same
stratigraphy: topsoil overlying made ground, which in each case sealed a number of late post-medieval/modern
pits, (e.g., 3, Fig. 4) ten in total.
Trench 21
This trench was 2m wide, 25.2m long and excavated to a depth of 1.08m at the south-western end and 0.71m at
the north-eastern end. The stratigraphy showed 0.27m topsoil onto 0.36m made ground overlying the natural
brickearth. A cut feature (2), rectangular in shape but shallow with steep sides was observed directly below the
made ground layer. The fill contained clay pipe fragments and pottery dating to the late post-medieval period
(not retained).
Trench 24
This trench was 2m wide, 20.40m long and excavated to a depth of 0.60m. The stratigraphy showed 0.25m
topsoil overlying 0.25m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. Two ditches (4, 5)were observed cutting the subsoil
(Figs 4, 5) containing finds including pottery of late post-medieval date.
Trenches 2, 7–9, 12, 14, 17, 19, 20, 22, and 25 (Fig. 3 and Plate 2)
These trenches were all 2m wide and ranged in length from 3.2m to 25.2m and in depth from 0.4m to 1.1m. The
stratigraphy in each case showed topsoil overlying made ground and/or rubble overlying the natural brickearth.
No archaeology was observed in these trenches. Finds from the spoilheaps were of late post-medieval/modern
date, including some pottery.
Trench 18
This trench was 2m wide, 4.8m long and reached a maximum depth of 1.30m. The stratigraphy showed that the
ground had been truncated and a layer of Tarmac and reinforced concrete directly overlay the natural brickearth
(Fig. 5). No finds or archaeology were observed in this trench.
Trenches 10, 11, 13, 22, and 26
4
These trenches were all 2m wide and ranged in length from 18m to 25m and in depth from 0.4m to 0.9m. The
stratigraphy in these trenches showed topsoil overlying a brown silty clay subsoil directly above the natural
brickearth. No archaeology was observed in these trenches. Finds were recovered from a number of spoilheaps
all dating to the late post-medieval/modern periods.
Conclusion
The first phase of field evaluation at Nunnery Fields has resulted in the discovery of a number of features cutting
the subsoil but all of these are unambiguously of late post-medieval or modern date. Most of the features
comprised pits but with two small ditches present. The remainder of the trenches dug contained no
archaeological finds or features. The majority of the proposal site examined in Phase 1 would therefore appear to
have no archaeological potential.
References Arthur, P, 1986, ‘Roman Amphorae from Canterbury’, Britannia 17, 239–58 BGS, 1993, British Geological Survey, 1:50,000, Sheet 289, Solid and Drift Edition, Keyworth Millett, M, 1990, The Romanization of Britain; An essay in archaeological interpretation, Cambridge PPG16, 1990, Archaeology and Planning, Dept of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance 16, HMSO Preston, J and Preston S, 2002, ‘Nunnery Fields Hospital: an archaeological desk based assessment’, Thames
Valley Archaeological Services report 01/119a, Reading
5
APPENDIX 1: Trench details 0m at south or west end
Trench No. Length (m) Breadth (m) Depth (m) Comment 1 24.8 1.85 SW 0.80
NE 1.00 0.00-0.25m topsoil onto 0.60m made ground onto natural brickearth. Cut rectangular feature (1) overlain by the made ground.
2 3.20 2.00 1.00 0.00-0.30m topsoil onto 0.40m made ground onto natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
3 21.00 2.00 SE 0.85 NW 0.65
0.00-0.25m topsoil onto 0.30m made ground which sealed 2 post medieval pits full of brick rubble, cut into natural brickearth, one dating to the 19th and the other to the 20th century.
4 20.00 2.00 SW 3.00 NE 0.80
SW end 0.00-0.30m topsoil onto 1.80m made ground which sealed 4 post medieval pits, three dating to the 19th and one to the 20th century, cut into natural brickearth. NE end 0.00-0.20m topsoil to 0.40m made ground onto natural brickearth.
5 20.00 2.00 SW 2.80 NE 1.10
SW end 0.00-0.30m topsoil onto 2.20m made ground which sealed three post-medieval pit, one dating to the 19th and two to the 20th century, cut into natural brickearth. NE 0.00-0.30m topsoil onto 0.40m made ground onto natural brickearth.
6 4.00 2.00 SW 2.20 NE 2.40
0.00-0.40m topsoil onto 0.70m made ground, sealing a late post-medieval (19th-century) pit (3), cut into natural brickearth.
7 20.00 2.00 SE 0.70 NW 0.90
SE end 0.00-0.35m topsoil overlying 0.30m made ground overlying natural brick earth. NW end 0.00-0.55m topsoil overlying 0.30m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
8 20.20 2.00 S 0.40 N 0.55
S end 0.00-0.20m topsoil overlying 0.10m made ground overlying natural brickearth. N end 0.00-0.20m topsoil overlying 0.25m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
9 4.50 2.00 SE 1.10 NW 0.95
SE end 0.00-0.25m topsoil overlying 0.70m made ground overlying natural brickearth. NW end 0.00-0.30m topsoil overlying 0.40m made ground overlying natural brickearth. Finds but no archaeology.
10 25.00 2.00 SE 0.40 NW 0.70
SE end 0.00-0.10m topsoil overlying 0.25m made ground overlying 0.15m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. NW end 0.00-0.15m topsoil overlying 0.15m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
11 20.00 2.00 S 0.80 N 0.90
S end 0.00-0.35m topsoil overlying 0.15m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. N end 0.00-0.60m topsoil overlying 0.20m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
12 20.00 2.00 SW 0.60 NE 0.50
0.00-0.20m topsoil overlying 0.15m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
13 20.60 2.00 SW 0.60 NE 0.50
0.00-0.20m topsoil overlying 0.20m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
14 21.00 2.00 SW 0.65 NE 0.95
SW end 0.00-0.15m topsoil overlying 0.35m rubble overlying 0.30m subsoil/made ground overlying natural brickearth. NE end 0.00-0.20m topsoil overlying 0.25m subsoil/made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
15 4.50 2.00 SW 1.15 NE 0.30
SW end 0.00-0.20m Tarmac overlying 0.75m made ground overlying natural brickearth. NE end 0.00-0.20m Tarmac overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
16 4.80 2.00 SW 1.60 NE 1.75
0.00-0.25m Tarmac overlying 0.40m chalk and clay overlying 0.85m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
17 20 2.00 SW 0.65 NE 0.60
SW end 0.00-0.10m topsoil overlying 0.40m made ground overlying natural brickearth. NE end 0.00-0.45m topsoil overlying 0.10m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
18 4.80 2.000 SE 0.55 NW 1.30
0.00-0.10m tarmac overlying 0.20m reinforced concrete overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
19 25.2 2.00 SE 0.55 NW 0.60
0.00-0.25m topsoil overlying 0.25m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
20 9.00 2.00 SE 1.30 NW 0.90
SE end 0.00-0.40m topsoil overlying 0.40m made ground overlying natural brickearth. NW end 0.00-0.23m topsoil overlying 0.15m bricks and concrete overlying 0.39m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
21 25.20 2.00 SW 1.08 NE 0.71
SW end 0.00-0.27m topsoil overlying 0.36m made ground overlying natural brickearth. NE end 0.00-0.24m topsoil overlying 0.28m made ground overlying natural brickearth. Cut rectangular feature (2).
22 18.00 2.00 SE 0.90 NW 0.85
0.00-0.30m topsoil overlying 0.40m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
23 20.20 2.00 SE 0.50 NW 0.60
SE end 0.00-0.15m topsoil overlying 0.20m subsoil overlying natural. brickearth. NW end 0.00-0.30m topsoil overlying 0.20m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
24 20.40 2.00 SE 0.60 NW 0.60
SE end 0.00-0.25m topsoil overlying 0.25m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. NW end 0.00-0.30m topsoil overlying 0.10m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. Two late post-medieval ditches (4, 5) lay beneath the topsoil.
6
APPENDIX 1: Trench details continued 0m at south or west end
Trench No. Length (m) Breadth (m) Depth (m) Comment 25 20.20 2.00 SE 0.60
NW 0.40 SE end 0.00-0.30m topsoil overlying 0.20m made ground overlying natural brickearth. NW end 0.00-0.30m topsoil overlying 0.10m made ground overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds.
26 20.20 2.00 SW 0.70 NE 0.65
0.00-0.35m topsoil overlying 0.15m subsoil overlying natural brickearth. No archaeology, no finds..
7
APPENDIX 2: Feature details
Cut Description Date 1 Rectangular post-medieval pit 19th-20th century 2 Rectangular post-medieval pit 19th-20th century 3 Circular post-medieval pit 19th century 4 Post-medieval ditch 19th-20th century 5 Post-medieval ditch 19th-20th century 6 Circular post-medieval pit 19th-20th century 7 Circular post-medieval pit 20th century` 8 Square post-medieval pit 20th century 9 Circular post-medieval pit 19th-20th century
10 Square post-medievfal pit 19th-20th century 11 Square post-medieval pit 19th-20th century 12 Circular post-medieval pit 19th century 13 Square post-medieval pit 19th-20th century 14 Square post-medieval pit 19th-20th century
8
Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent, 2002Archaeological Evaluation Phase 1
Figure 1. Location of site within Canterbury and Kent
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Pathfinder 1211 TR05/15 1:25000Ordnance Survey Licence AL52324A0001
55000
56000
57000
58000
59000
TR13000 14000 15000 16000
SITE
NFC01/119
SITE
10
Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent, 2002Archaeological Evaluation phase 1.
Figure 2. Detailed location of site showing location ofphases 1 and 2.
56600
15000 15100TR14900
56700
56800
NFC01/119
SITE
South Canterbury Road
NunneryFields
Phase 1 areaPhase 2 area
N
TR14900 15000 15100
56600
56700
56800
South Canterbury Road
Area of proposedphase 2 evaluation 19
22
20
21
1
2426
14
11
13
25
17
23
15
18
12
10
9
7
3
65
4
2
16
Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent, 2002 Phase 1
0 200m
NFC01/119Figure 3. Trench location plan
8
2m 4m
Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent, 2002 Phase 1
NFC01/119
2
22m 24m
16m 18m
Trench 1
Trench 21
Trench 6
1
Trench 24
11m 13m 19m
3
5
5m0m
4
Figure 4. Plans of late post-medieval or modern features.
N
N
N
N
Nunnery Fields Hospital, Canterbury, Kent, 2002 Phase 1
NFC01/119
2m0
Trench 24
Topsoil
Brickearth
Subsoil
NW SE
Brickearth Brick rubble
6m 7m
NW SE3m 4m
Topsoil
Made ground
Brickearth
Topsoil
Concrete
Modern ditch (4)Base of trench
Trench 18
Base of trench
NS13m11m
Base of trench
Figure 5. Selected Sections
Trench 3
NFC 01/119
Plate 1: Trench 19 looking north. Scales 2m and 0.5m
Plate 2: Trench 7, looking north-west. Scales 2m and 0.5m
19