| Title: |
Geotechnical Survey at Valence House, Becontree Avenue, Dagenham, RM8 3HT, Valence House, Becontree Avenue, Dagenham, RM8 3HT |
| Series: |
Museum of London Archaeology unpublished report series
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| Downloads: |
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molas1-508768_190858.pdf (5 MB)
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Download
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| Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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| DOI |
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| Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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| Abstract: |
(Exact dates of survey unknown). The site comprises the L-shaped lake-moat which lies in the north-west corner of Valence
Park on the boundary of the Valence House museum and archive site. The site lies within the
Becontree Estate and was used until recently as an angling lake.
The onsite works comprised two east/west transects across the lake-moat (consisting of 5
boreholes each with test pits at either ends) as well as a 10m trench across the former
course of the northern section of moat. The borehole exercise indicated the lake area lacks any substantial silt deposits which
suggests the mid-20th Century dredging has removed all historical silts from the base of the
lake. All that remains are odourous black silts which post-date the dredging event and
therefore have little to no archaeological potential, even though they do contain
environmental (macrofossil) remains such as seeds and leaves. The profile of the gravels at
the base of the lake, however, indicate that the original moat may lay toward the western
margin of the lake, where the profile is deepest.
In contrast, the trench excavation was more productive in terms of finds and the recovery of
historic silts. The finds, which range from pottery sherds to milk bottles, tend to substantiate
the 1920’s date for the backfilling of the moat. Similar to the lake, benthic black silts were
found at the base of the moat, which appeared to be overlain by blue-grey silts when seen in
the trench section. These sediments, importantly here sealed by the 1920 backfill deposits,
were rich not only in plant remains but also insect remains – all of which give these silts
greater environmental significance (for reconstructing the environment of the past), albeit that
of the late 19th / early 20th Century. The overlying blue-grey silts in the trench, originally
thought to be possibly in situ historic silts, are more likely to be unoxidised backfill deposits
following closer examination. Interestingly, the profile of the moat substantiates the U-shaped
profile seen in photographs taken near to the trench location when the moat was partially
drained in the mid-1960s. |
| Author: |
G Spurr
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| Publisher: |
MOLA
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| Year of Publication: |
2021
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| Locations: |
| Parish: |
Barking and Dagenham, unparished area |
| County: |
Greater London |
| District: |
Barking and Dagenham |
| Country: |
England |
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Grid Reference: 548188, 186445 (Easting, Northing)
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Grid Reference: 548196, 186435 (Easting, Northing)
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| Note: |
This report was uploaded to the OASIS system by the named Publisher. The report has been transferred into the ADS Library for public access and to facilitate future research.
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| Created Date: |
24 Aug 2022 |
