| Abstract: |
The watching brief, which took place between 1st – 7th February 2023, involved archaeological monitoring of groundworks associated with foundation trenching for a rear extension to Vanbrugh House, East Boldon. The monitoring process included all ground disturbing work, including site preparation, foundation trenching and service trenching, which were monitored by an archaeologist to observe and record the presence or absence of any archaeological remains. If archaeological remains were identified the groundworks would be instructed to stop, to allow the excavation and recording of any remains found. All archaeological features within the construction area were to be fully excavated. Accordingly, all excavations were closely monitored, or conducted by, a suitably trained and experienced archaeologist from The Archaeological Practice Ltd. The excavations were largely carried out by a “Bobcat E26” small mechanical excavator utilizing a flat-bladed ditching bucket, but some finishing work utilized hand tools. Following the excavations, the watching brief area was recorded by measured survey, scaled section illustrations and by digital photography and the stratigraphic make-up of the sub-surface levels reported upon. The photographic record of the monitoring was undertaken in high-resolution digital format with a minimum resolution of 14 megapixels. Photographs were taken of all archaeological and palaeoenvironmental features in addition to general site photography locating the individual features in their wider context. All areas of groundworks were located and tied to the National Grid at a scale of 1:2500 or greater. All archaeological features were to be located accurately within the specified area and their height also accurately recorded above Ordnance Datum. The same level of accuracy would be applied to measuring the respective heights of the top and base of excavations if features were discovered. The Field Investigation was carried out by means of an Archaeological Watching Brief; all work was undertaken in compliance with the Code of Conduct of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) (2021), the CIfA Standard and Guidance for Watching Briefs (2020a), Yorkshire, the Humber & the North East: a Regional Statement of Good Practice for Archaeology in the Development Process (2019), and the Tyne and Wear Archaeology Service Specification for Archaeological Monitoring (MON18041). The results of archaeological watching brief at Vanbrugh House concluded that no archaeological remains were revealed by the groundworks, nor were any stratified archaeological horizons encountered down to natural subsoil levels. The only discernible features identified were the footings of a recently demolished conservatory [03], and additional footings from a post-1970s structure [04], possibly a garage. Historic Ordnance Survey mapping evidences an abundance of late-19th century outbuildings once existing on the site, until their clearance in the 1930s. Throughout the current foundation trenching, it was perhaps surprising to see a clean homogenous topsoil across the entire site, sitting directly upon natural clay, without any stratigraphic layers in-between or any hint of the previous Victorian structures shown on the old maps. The project concludes therefore, that the rear garden has most-likely been landscaped down to natural clay, at some time after the 1930s, perhaps when the outbuildings were cleared, and with new topsoil brought in to makeup the cleared plot for a new garden. This historic landscaping process has unfortunately removed any archaeological remains that had once potentially existed on the site. No further archaeological mitigation work is required in association with this scheme or elsewhere within the rear gardens of Vanbrugh House. |
