Data from a Trial Trenching at Newyears Green, Hillingdon, 2019 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., Wardell Armstrong Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Archaeology Wales, 2023. https://doi.org/10.5284/1106774. How to cite using this DOI
- HS2 Phase One: London to West Midlands Historic Environment Digital Archive
- Curated Collection: Kilns Through the Ages
Data copyright © High Speed Two Ltd. unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
Primary contact
High Speed Two Ltd.
2 Snowhill
Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6GA
United Kingdom
Tel: 08081 434 434
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4169
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1106774
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises site data (digital photographs, spreadsheets, specialist reports, scanned trench and context sheets, registers and drawings) from an archaeological evaluation of land at Newyears Green Lane, Ruislip in the London Borough of Hillingdon (centred on TQ 06709 88139). Work was carried out between 29th May and 23rd August 2019. The fieldwork was undertaken by Wardell Armstrong LLP, and later archived and deposited by Archaeology Wales.
Project Summary
The evaluation forms part of Phase One of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project, which was granted Royal Assent in 2017 as the High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act. Phase One runs 230 km from Euston Station in London to Curzon Street in Birmingham.
The specific aims and objectives were to:
- determine the presence or absence of buried archaeological remains within the proposed development site
- determine the character, date, extent and distribution of any archaeological deposits and their potential significance
- determine levels of disturbance to any archaeological deposits from plough damage or from any other agricultural/industrial practices or later building activities
- investigate and record all deposits and features of archaeological interest within the areas to be disturbed by the current development
- determine the likely impact on archaeological deposits from the proposed development
- disseminate the results of the fieldwork through an appropriate level of reporting.
Reuse Value Statement
Of the 33 trenches excavated across Newyears Green, only one contained a potentially significant archaeological feature; an area of medieval domestic and industrial activity associated with a medieval settlement. This can also be observed in the varied finds assemblage.
The finds strongly suggest a settlement dating to the 11th to 15th century was in close proximity to the site. The likelihood of a deserted medieval settlement centred around the junction of several routeways at the southeast corner of the evaluation area has been identified. The site therefore has the potential to add to research in landscape development around green or dispersed settlements in the wider Colne Valley in the later medieval period. In this regard, the site has the potential of addressing specific objectives as identified in the GWSI: HERDS (HS2-HS2-EV-STR-000-000015) document. "KC40: Identify patterns of change within the medieval rural settlement from the 11th to mid-14th century" and perhaps even to wider scheme objectives such as "KC35: Investigate the impacts on rural communities of social and economic shocks in the mid-14th century and thereafter and their contribution to settlement desertion".
Further mitigation has already been undertaken at the site (Newyears Green Mitigation, 1S20NYGAR), which has recommended a further programme of work to be decided upon at a later date. This dataset should be considered alongside that from 1S20NYGAR.
GIS data and the final reports have been uploaded to ADS directly by HS2. The physical archive is currently being stored by Archaeology Wales and will be deposited in a repository specified by HS2 in the future.
