Title: |
Emergency Works to the Highway St Paul's Square, Bedford: Archaeological Observation Report |
Series: |
Albion Archaeology unpublished report series
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Downloads: |
albionar1-302912_1.pdf (792 kB)
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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: |
In December 2017, statutory undertaker, Anglian Water, was carrying out permitted works within the highway of St Paul's Square, Bedford. During the course of the works a void was encountered and some bones, thought to be human, were discovered at a depth of c. 1.2m below ground level. Work ceased and the contractors informed Bedford Borough Council's Manager for Highways, who then contacted Bedford Borough Council's Historic Environment Team (HET). The HET advised that Albion Archaeology should be contacted and asked for an archaeologist to attend site in order to identify the bones, determine their significance and assess the significance of the impact of the works. . The bones comprised random fragments of long bones and appeared to have come from a secondary context, probably the backfill of an old utility trench. The deposit contained occasional fragments of brick (both machine-made frogged brick and earlier hand-made brick) and fragments of softwood board that might have been the remains of trench shuttering. The location of the excavation was within the former extent of the Saxon and medieval churchyard of St Paul's Church, close to St Mary Herne chapel. The bones were, therefore, considered likely to be medieval or older. The excavation was backfilled and made safe, but further excavation was proposed in order to establish the nature of the void and undertake any remedial engineering work that might be necessary before allowing Anglian Water to complete their works and reinstate the highway. The works were completed and all excavations were observed. The excavation was extended to the north of the original trench, but the maximum depth of excavation was less than 0.5m below the existing road surface. The only material disturbed was road make-up. No further human remains or archaeological artefacts were found. |
Author: |
J Oetgen
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Publisher: |
Albion Archaeology
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Other Person/Org: |
Historic England (OASIS Reviewer)
Please note: this record has been validated by-proxy by Historic England.
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Year of Publication: |
2017
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Locations: |
Site: |
St Paul's Square emergency works |
County: |
Bedfordshire |
District: |
Bedford |
Parish: |
BEDFORD |
Country: |
England |
Grid Reference: 504950, 249650 (Easting, Northing)
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Subjects / Periods: |
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Identifiers: |
OASIS Id: |
albionar1-302912 |
OBIB: |
2017/207 |
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Source: |
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Relations: |
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Created Date: |
02 Jul 2018 |