Data from a Construction Integrated Recording at Northern Sustainable Placement Area Western Mound, Ruislip, Hillingdon, Greater London, 2021-2022 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., Archaeology Wales, 2024. https://doi.org/10.5284/1119872. How to cite using this DOI
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This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 6315
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1119872
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises site data from a Construction Integrated Recording at Northern Sustainable Placement Area Western Mound, Ruislip carried out by Archaeology Wales from May 2021 to May 2022. This includes the scanned paper archive (context sheets, registers, sample sheets, drawings), digital photos from the excavation stage of the evaluation, as well as spreadsheets and specialist reports created during the post-excavation phase of the project.
Project Summary
Skanska Costain Strabag Joint Venture (SCSJV) commissioned a programme of Construction Integrated Recording (CIR) on land at Newyears Green Lane, Ruislip, London Borough of Hillingdon to examine the site of, and an area surrounding, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Medieval features identified by evaluation trenching. The report in this collection outlines the work undertaken on site, the subsequent programme of post-fieldwork analysis, and the results of the archaeological Construction Integrated Recording.
Archaeological monitoring was undertaken over 62 days between the 12th March 2021 and 27th May 2022 and grouped into four phases of works. The work comprised the monitoring of ground clearance, topsoil stripping and excavations for foundations for an access road, a wheel wash, a haul road, laydown area, the area of the western mounds and the excavation of a pond. Archaeological features were observed during the works within Phases 3 and 4.
Phase 1 was conducted between 12th March and 30th April 2021. A total of 800m2 was stripped for the construction of an access road. The installation of a wheel wash required topsoil stripping of 315m2 and excavation of 160m2 for the wheel wash foundation. The removal of topsoil from c. 5400m2 for the construction of a haul road and laydown area.
Phase 2 of the works consisted of the excavation of an attenuation pond within the southwestern corner of the site. This was phase of work took place between 29th and 30th July.
Phase 3 took place between 1st and 7th September 2021 and consisted of the stripping of an area measuring 75m in length by a maximum width of 16m. This work was conducted to allow the construction of the haul road across this part of the site.
The final phase (Phase 4) of works took place between 11th April and 27th May 2022. Parcels 2-4 were stripped to allow the construction of the western mound.
The work was undertaken to contribute towards the following questions and GWSI-HERDS Specific Objectives:
- KC11: Does the high density of prehistoric settlement evidence in the Colne Valley reflect a genuine focus of activity or does it reflect a bias in the archaeological record?
- KC15: Can we identify regional patterns in the form and location of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements across the route and are there associated differences in landscape organisation and enclosure.
- KC21: Assess the evidence for regional and cultural distinctiveness along the length of the route in the Romano- British period, with particular regard to the different settlement types encountered along the route.
- KC24: To what extent are the patterns of settlement, landholding and enclosure in West London and the Colne Valley in the Iron Age and Romano-British period determined by those established in the Bronze Age?
- KC34: Undertake research and investigation into medieval manorial complexes. What was their origin, development and impact on the landscape?
- KC35: Investigate the impacts on rural communities of social and economic shocks in the mid C14TH and thereafter and their contribution to settlement desertion.
- KC40: Identify patterns of change within medieval rural settlement from 11th to mid-14th century.
The general aims of the archaeological evaluation were to:
- determine the presence or absence of buried archaeological remains within the proposed work area.
- determine the character, date, extent and distribution of any archaeological deposits and their potential significance.
- investigate and record all deposits and features of archaeological interest within the areas to be disturbed by the construction activity.
- determine the likely impact on archaeological deposits from the proposed construction activity.
- disseminate the results of the fieldwork through an appropriate level of reporting.
Re-Use Value Statement
Overall, the archaeological potential of the Northern Sustainable Placement is considered to be high with the features and material assemblage contributing to a number of the Knowledge Creation objectives (KCs) as outlined in the report.
The archaeology identified adds further detail to our existing knowledge of activity around New Years Green from the Palaeolithic period to the medieval period. As part of the next stage of post excavation analysis, all of the assemblages from the Northern Sustainable Placement Area should be analysed together so as to create a comprehensive picture of the archaeology of New Years Green.
