Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A.P.A.C. Ltd.
Archaeological Perspectives Analysis Consultancy
REPORT
WB2/UN2/16
Summary
Following advice from the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust and in line with
Monmouthshire County Council Planning Conditions (DC/2015/01454), APAC Ltd were
commissioned to carry out an Archaeological Watching Brief during ground works at 1, West
End Cottages, West End, Undy.
Three conjoined trenches and a test pit were excavated on the western side of the existing
property in order to provide secure footings for a new extension. The trench to the north of
the existing house contained very little disturbance and consisted of clayey soils. To the west
of the house the disturbed deposits were associated with services and recent construction
related activity.
The Ordnance Survey has granted A.P.A.C. Ltd a Copyright Licence (No. 100046577) to reproduce map
information; Copyright remains otherwise with the Ordnance Survey.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
1. Summary…………………………………………………………………………. 1
2. Figures Index…………………………………………………………………….. 3
3. Plates Index………………………………………………………………………. 3
4. Introduction………………………………………………………………………. 4
5. Site Location and Description……………………………………………………. 4
6. Brief Historical Background……………………………………………………... 4
7. HER Data………………………………………………………………………… 4
8. Map Regression………………………………………………………………….. 5
9. Aims and Objectives of the Watching Brief……………………………………... 5
10. Watching Brief Results…………………………………………………………. 6
11. Conclusion and Discussion…………………………………............................... 7
12. Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………... 7
13. References………………………………………………………………………. 7
Appendices:
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A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
2. Figures
01 Location Map
02 Map showing plotted HER Data
03 Maps showing development of the site between 1839 and 1954
04 Overlay showing 1900 map and Google Earth satellite image
05 Site Plan
06 Footings Section drawings
3. Plates
01 View of site prior to footings excavation
02 North facing section of Test Pit
03 View of south-west facing section of T1
04 South-western junction of T1 and T2
05 View of northern end of T2 showing old wall section under concrete
06 View of T2
07 View of T3
08 View of T3
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A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
4. Introduction
This report describes the results of an archaeological watching brief carried out during the excavation of
footings for a two storey extension at 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy, NP26 3HJ. Glamorgan
Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT), acting as archaeological advisers to Monmouthshire County
Council (MCC) CC, had stated that an archaeological watching brief was required due to the proximity of
then site to an area of archaeological interest.
The watching brief was performed by APAC Ltd in accordance with an approved Written Scheme of
Investigation (Phillips 2015) in order to fulfil condition no. 1, part 2 of Planning Permission
DC/2015/01454 for Monmouthshire County Council (MCC).
There is evidence for Roman settlement and activity within the area (see HER below), whilst St Mary’s
Church, rebuilt during the later nineteenth-century, has surviving architectural elements suggesting a
thirteenth-century construction phase. Substantial twentieth-century development has occurred within
the area following the expansion of Caldicot and Magor as satellite suburban residential foci for cities
such as Newport and Cardiff to the west and Bristol to the south-east.
7. HER Data (Fig. 2; Appendices I, II, III)
A search of the Historic Environment Record (HER) database, held by GGAT, within a 0.5km radius of
the site was undertaken in order that any watching brief results could be interpreted within their historical
and archaeological context. The results (Report 5345) are summarised in cartographic and tabular formats
(appendices I-III; fig. 2) and briefly discussed here in chronological order (early to late):
Within the HER ‘Core’ database a number of Roman entries suggest activity within the immediate area.
These include an inhumation discovered within a stone sarcophagus (05669g; 06232g; E002287; NMW:
96.27H/1, 96.27H/2) located 0.37km to the north-east of the watching brief site. A second or third century
cremation burial (11198g) and a Roman agricultural building (11197g) were discovered in Undy playing
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A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
fields 0.4km to the east, whilst a brooch of Roman date was discovered approximately 0.13km east of the
site (03937g; E003499).
The remains of a possible medieval strip field (06230g) are located approximately 0.47km to the
north-east of West End cottages. The database notes that Post-Medieval buildings are shown
between Whitewall and Arch Farm (06231g) located 0.11km to the south-east of the site, although
no further details are noted.
In terms of Modern (20th century +) evidence, the database contains a reference to a World War II Air
Raid Shelter (09574g; E003382) located 0.17km to the north-northeast of West End Cottages.
Eight ‘Event’ records are noted within the HER database (appendix II) a number of which discovered
little or no significant archaeological material or are related to the excavations, watching briefs and
evaluations noted in the ‘Core’ data above. The exceptions to this being the LiDAR survey carried out by
Wessex Archaeology in 2011 (E002680) where 50 new potential sites were identified and Monmouth
Archaeology’s Watching Brief in which a possible Roman pit and post-medieval wall were discovered
(E003342).
8. Map Regression (Figs. 3 and 4)
A number of nineteenth and twentieth-century maps were consulted in order to chart the development of
the site area. The 1839 Undy Parish Tithe map shows the site to have been part of field no. 304, an un-
named arable field located between Bridewell Common and Reen and a road leading towards a T-Junction
located at West End. The six inch to 1 mile 1887 Monmouthshire (XXXV) map, surveyed in 1881, shows
a building in the location of West End Cottages and the new east to west Railway line located a short
distance to the north. This would suggest that West End Cottages were built in the mid nineteenth-century.
There appears to have been little change in the immediate area between 1887 and 1954, with the exception
of quarrying activity on the north-eastern side of West End Road at the end of the nineteenth-century.
Initial site preparation: Prior to the Watching Brief commencing the conservatory on the south-eastern
end of the house had been demolished down to ground level. A 1m by 1m test pit, 1.2m deep, had been
excavated in the lawn area adjacent to the line of the westernmost footing trench (trench 1). This was
photographed and contained no clear archaeological horizons.
Recording: A record of the features and stratigraphy exposed during excavation was kept including
written notes and photographs. Photographs were taken with a Canon EOS 350 D digital SLR camera and
the resulting JPGS files uploaded to the digital archive. All measurements were taken manually with tape
measures from fixed site boundaries or footings areas (T1 to T3). All diagnostic finds were recovered and
bagged according to date, area and context for post-excavation processing.
Difficulties and limitations: Bedding sand located under the brick surface in Footing trench T1 made
observations within this trench difficult.
Post-Excavation: Photographs (JPG files) were uploaded daily to the digital archive. All site photographs
are listed in Appendix V (31 images). Plates numbers are indicated where appropriate. Six finds were
washed, hand dried, identified, photographed and packed in sealed and labelled bags and recorded in
Appendix V. Finds are identified in terms of context and area. The pottery was identified and
photographed by Mr Adam Phillips (APAC Ltd).
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A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
10. Watching Brief Results (Figs. 5, 6; Plates 1-8; Appendices I to VI )
Three footings trenches were excavated in order to provide foundations for a two-storey extension on the
south-western side of the existing dwelling. In addition to this a Test Pit, excavated on the southern edge
of the lawn prior to the Watching Brief, was inspected (see fig. 6, plates 1, 2).
This trench was located along the northern side of the dwelling, between the proposed extension’s south-
west corner and the edge of the current porch and front entrance. The footing was 9.4m long (NE to SW),
0.6m wide and 0.7m deep. The brick path and patio surface had been removed prior to work beginning
and the upper most deposit consisted of 0.12m to 0.25m of sand (100) laid as bedding material for the
removed brick path. Underlying the sand was 0.2m deep dark grey silty clay (101) containing rare
rounded pebbles (<0.05m diameter). This deposit overlay deposit (102) a 0.23m deep medium grey silty
clay with rounded pebbles (<0.05m diameter). Underlying this deposit was a light grey clay (103) with
orange mottling (possibly iron panning) that was 0.1m deep to the base of the trench. Only one datable
artefact was visible within this largely sterile trench. One sherd of nineteenth or twentieth-century white
china rim with some black decoration was discovered within (101).
At the south-west facing intersection of T1 and T2 a section of late twentieth-century brickwork and 0.2m
deep concrete deposit represented the edge of the former patio surface. No further archaeological deposits
or features were observed within this trench.
The trench was located at a right angle to T1 and was aligned south-southeast to north-northwest. T2 was
9.4m long, 0.6m wide and 0.7m deep. The upper-most deposit was a 0.09m deep concrete surface (200)
that presumably formed the internal floor of the demolished conservatory and external hard standing area
to the south-west. This concrete surface was cut through in order to allow the machine bucket to dig the
0.6m wide footing. Immediately under this were two bands of leveling material, (205) & (206).
Underlying this, throughout most of the trench, was a 0.4m deep dark re-deposited brown mottled silty
clay (202) containing some waste building debris in the form of bricks, wire, and plastic fragments. This
deposit represented made up ground under the concrete surface likely to have been deposited in recent
decades prior to the construction of the conservatory and hard standing. Between the modern bricks seen
in T1 and the silty clay (202) was what appeared to be the 0.5m wide remains of partly demolished or
disturbed foundations for a stone and lime mortar wall (201), running parallel with the dwelling. This
feature ran across the width of footing T2 and could be seen in in both sections. Its function is unknown
but is likely to be part of a garden wall or ancillary building seen on the south-western end of the cottage
on the 1887 map (fig. 6). The basal deposit, excavated to a depth of 0.2m was a dark-grey-brown silty clay
(204). A sherd of nineteenth-century Mochaware pottery was observed within the mortar associated with
the wall. Any further evidence for the nineteenth-century structure was likely to have been destroyed
during the levelling for the hard standing and former conservatory area.
This trench represented the return wall in line with the current dwelling’s southern wall and forming a
right angle to T2. It was 5m long (NE to SW), 0.6m wide and 0.8m deep. The upper most context was the
0.09m deep concrete slab (300) under which a bedding or levelling deposit of a gritty grey matrix (303)
was observed. Deposit (301) consisting of a 0.6m deep deposit of re-deposited dark-brown mottled silty
clay containing a limited amount of building and demolition debris (301). Several sherds of nineteenth and
twentieth century pottery were discovered within this deposit (see Finds Register– appendix V). This was
found to overlie the basal dark-grey brown silty clay (302). A ceramic pipe representing services for the
current dwelling was seen within the lower part of deposit (301) and aligned north-northeast to south-
southwest across the width of the trench.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
A 1m by 1m test pit was located 0.5m north-west of the corner of T1 and T2. This was excavated prior to
the watching brief. The north facing section appeared to comprise 5 contexts. The upper most context
(400) was turf and dark brown silty loam with root material up to a depth of 0.2m lying on a thin lens
(0.05m) of lime mortar with some angular stone (401). The 0.2m deep dark brown silty loam (402) under
this horizon closely resembles deposit (400) and comprised of a dark brown silty loam. This gave way to a
0.7m deep mid brown silty clay (403) which, in turn, overlay the basal deposit, comprising an orange-
brown silty clay. No artefacts were observed within the sections of the test pit.
The watching brief discovered evidence for building activity associated with the construction of the hard
standing. This would suggest that the conservatory was constructed or altered during the later twentieth
century. The construction process appeared to disturb some earlier construction deposits and a wall
located parallel to the existing dwelling. It is likely that these earlier features date from the mid-nineteenth
century construction of the cottages. No earlier archaeological deposits, features, or artefacts were
observed during this work.
12. Acknowledgements
APAC Ltd would like to thank Mr. S. Merrett and the ground working team for their cooperation and
assistance during this work.
13. References
Owen, H.W. and Morgan, R. 2007. Dictionary of the place names of Wales. Llandysul: Gomer
Phillips, N. 2016. Written Scheme of Investigation for An Archaeological Watching Brief, 1, West
End Cottages, West End, Undy (DC/2015/01454). APAC Ltd Document No. 323.
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1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy
Contains Ordnance Survey data Crown Copyright and database right 2016
Derived from information held by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust copyright
0 500m
HLCA boundary Figure 02. Plotted HER data A.P.A.C. Ltd WB/UND2/16
1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy
1839
0 200m
0 200m 0 200m
1902 (surveyed 1899-1900) 1954 (revised 1949)
Fig. 03. Development of site between 1839 and 1954 A.P.A.C. Ltd WB/UND2/16
1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy
© 2016 Google
Fig. 04. Overlay showing 1902 map and Google Earth image A.P.A.C. Ltd WB/UND2/16
T3 1, West End Cottage, West End, Undy
Demolished
Conservatory
Existing Ground
Floor
Excavated
T2
Proposed Extension
Existing Area
structure
Porch
T1
0 5m Test Pit
1.0m
NE
SW
100 103
(100) [103]
(101) 101 104
(101)
(104)
(102) 102
0
Footing Trench T1 (north-west facing)
4.0m
1.0m
NW
SE (201) (207)
(205) (206)
(200)
0 (208)
(202)
4.0m
200
0
(204)
3.5m 205 207
202
204
1.0m
NW (300) (303) SE
300
(301)
303
0 301
(302) Pipe
302
1.0m 400
(400)
(401) 401
(402)
402
403
404
(403)
(404)
0
Test Pit (W facing)
Plate 01: View of site prior to footings excavation: Test Pit in foreground (looking east)
Plate 05: View of northern end of T2 showing old wall section under concrete (looking east)
Appendix I
HER Report 5345 - Core Record
PRN Name Period Site Type NGR
GGAT05669g OAK CREST, UNDY Roman Inhumation ST435872
GGAT06230g UNDY GREAT FIELD Medieval Field ST43508730
GGAT06231g Unknown Post-medieval Building ST43458680
GGAT06232g OAK CREST, UNDY Roman Inhumation ST435872
GGAT09574g Air Raid Shelter at Magor Modern Air Raid Shelter ST4340687013
Roman Building Undy Agricultural
GGAT11197g Playing Fields Roman Building ST4373586864
Roman Cremation Undy CREMATION
GGAT11198g Playing Field Roman BURIAL ST4375586864
GGAT03937g Undy Roman Brooch ST43488685
Periods:
Roman (1st – 5th C AD)
Medieval (11th C-15th C)
Post-medieval (16th C-18/19th C)
Modern (20th C +)
A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
Appendix II
HER Report 5345 - Event Record
PRN Name Event Contractor Year NGR
New M4 Project- LASER
Review of Sites- Lidar SCANNING Wessex
E002680 Plots SURVEY Archaeology 2011 ST3577785351
Watching Brief at 10
Whitehall Gardens, Watching Monmouth
E000926 Undy Brief Archaeology 2008 ST4352986868
Archaeological Glamorgan-
assessment of the Gwent
Second Severn Desk Based Archaeological
E001482 Crossing. Assessment Trust (GGAT) 1988 ST4670087100
Evaluation at Andros, Monmouth
E000953 The Causeway, Undy Evaluation Archaeology 2009 ST4350086971
Glamorgan-
Gwent
Archaeological
E002287 Oak Crest, Undy EXCAV Excavation Trust (GGAT) 1996 ST435872
Watching brief at Rose Watching Monmouth
E002011 Tor, Main Road brief Archaeology 2009 ST429870
Evaluation at
Strayleaves, The Monmouth
E001391 Causeway, Undy Evaluation Archaeology 2009 ST43618673
Glamorgan-
Gwent
Well Garage, Church Archaeological
E002571 Road, Undy EVAL Evaluation Trust (GGAT) 2001 ST4382086809
A.P.A.C. Ltd 1, West End Cottages, West End, Undy WB/UN2/16
Appendix III
Appendix IV
Photo Register
Appendix V
Finds Register
DSC09964
101 1
DSC09966
301 3