Wessex Archaeology

UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON, BARKING CAMPUS

LONGBRIDGE ROAD
LONDON BOROUGH OF BARKING AND DAGENHAM
GREATER LONDON

Archaeological Evaluation Report

Ref: 66180.03 August 2007

UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON, BARKING CAMPUS
LONGBRIDGE ROAD
LONDON BOROUGH OF BARKING AND DAGENHAM
GREATER LONDON

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT

Prepared for:
CgMs Consulting
Morley House
26 Holborn Viaduct
London
EC1A 2AT

by:
Wessex Archaeology (London)
Unit 113
The Chandlery
50 Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7QY

Reference: 66180.03
MOL UEB07

Date: August 2007

© Wessex Archaeology Limited 2007, all rights reserved

Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786
 University of East London Barking Campus

UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON, BARKING CAMPUS

LONGBRIDGE ROAD
LONDON BOROUGH OF BARKING AND DAGENHAM
GREATER LONDON

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT

Contents
SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ II
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................ III
1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1
1.1 Scope of Document ...................................................................................... 1
1.2 Planning Background ................................................................................... 1
1.3 Site Description ............................................................................................. 1
2. GEOLOGICAL AND TOPOLOGICAL BACKGROUND............................. 1
2.1 Geology........................................................................................................... 1
2.2 Topography .................................................................................................... 2
3. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...................................................... 2
3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................... 2
3.2 Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic (45,000 – 1,800 BC)....................... 2
3.3 Bronze Age (1,800 – 600 BC). .................................................................... 2
3.4 Iron Age (600BC – AD43) ........................................................................... 3
3.5 Romano-British (AD43 – AD410)................................................................ 3
3.6 Saxon (AD410 – 1066)................................................................................. 3
3.7 Medieval and Post-Medieval (AD1066 – 1799) .......................................... 3
3.8 Post-Medieval and Modern (AD1799 – Present) ........................................ 4
4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .......................................................................... 4
5 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY ............................................................... 4
5.1 Fieldwork ........................................................................................................ 4
5.2 Trial Trenching............................................................................................... 5
5.3 Health and Safety.......................................................................................... 5
6 RESULTS ................................................................................................... 5
6.1 Introduction..................................................................................................... 5
7 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................... 6
8 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................... 7
APPENDIX: TRENCH SUMMARY TABLES..................................................... 1

List of Figures
Cover
Figure 1 Site and Trench location plan
Figure 2 Sections drawings
Figure 3 Plates 1 and 2
Figure 4 Plates 3 and 4

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 University of East London Barking Campus

UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON, BARKING CAMPUS

LONGBRIDGE ROAD
LONDON BOROUGH OF BARKING AND DAGENHAM
GREATER LONDON

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT

Summary

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by CGMS Consulting on behalf of

George Wimpey East London Ltd to carry out an archaeological evaluation at the
former University of East London Barking Campus, Longbridge Road, Barking
(NGR 546460 185650). Nineteen trenches were excavated in total across the
site. No archaeological remains were present anywhere on site, and it appears
likely that the site area has been severely truncated during previous phases of
construction.

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UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON, BARKING CAMPUS

LONGBRIDGE ROAD
LONDON BOROUGH OF BARKING AND DAGENHAM
GREATER LONDON

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT

Acknowledgements

The project was commissioned by Duncan Hawkins of CGMS Consulting on

behalf of George Wimpey East London Ltd (the Client). Wessex Archaeology
would like to thank David Divers of English Heritage Greater London
Archaeological Advisory Service (GLAAS) for help and advice on the project.

The project was managed for Wessex Archaeology by Nick Truckle. The
fieldwork was undertaken by Cornelius Barton, with the assistance of Alice
O’Mahoney and Steven George. Cornelius Barton compiled this report with
illustrations by Gareth Owen.

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 University of East London.
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UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON, BARKING CAMPUS

LONGBRIDGE ROAD
LONDON BOROUGH OF BARKING AND DAGENHAM
GREATER LONDON

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope of Document
1.1 Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by CgMs Consulting on
behalf of George Wimpey East London Ltd (The Client) to conduct an
archaeological evaluation on land at the University of London, Barking
Campus, Longbridge Road in the London Borough of Barking and
Dagenham (Figure 1) hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’.
1.2 Planning Background
1.2.1 Planning permission had been granted for the redevelopment of the
Site as a residential area with an associated school and doctor’s
surgery. The Site is located within an area of Archaeological
Significance, as defined within the London Borough of Barking and
Dagenham Unitary Development Plan (UDP), and the planning
application was supported by an Archaeological Desk-based
Assessment of the Site (CgMs 2006).
1.2.2 The assessment suggested that there was a moderate potential for
archaeological remains dating from the later prehistoric period to be
present on the Site and therefore a condition requiring a
archaeological field evaluation was placed on the consent on the
advice of the Greater London Archaeological; Advisory Service acting
as archaeological advisors to the Borough.
1.3 Site Description
1.3.1 The Site comprises an irregular parcel of land measuring 9.58
hectares, centred on National Grid Reference (NGR) 546460 185650
(Figure 1). It is bounded to the north and west by Longbridge Road,
to the south by Mayesbrook Park and to the east by Lodge Avenue.
1.3.2 The Site is currently occupied by abandoned / disused university
buildings.

2. GEOLOGICAL AND TOPOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 Geology
2.1.1 The Site lies within the former floodplain of the River Roding and
River Thames. Mayes Brook flows approximately 50m to the
southwest of the Site into the River Roding, the modern banks of
which flow approximately 2.5km southwest of the Site.

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2.1.2 The title Mayes Brook is recorded from the 16th century but is thought
to derive from around 1300 (CgMs 2006). The brook splits into two
branches to the south of the Site, the western part of which is now
mostly culverted.
2.1.3 The underlying geology of the Site is Taplow Gravel river terrace
deposits. To the east of the Site this is overlain by Ilford Silt
‘brickearth’ (BGS 1996, Sheet 257, Romford).

2.2 Topography
2.2.1 The Site lies on a slope which rises gently from southwest to
northeast with ground levels varying from 6.7m aOD at the southwest
of the Site to 8.05m above Ordnance Datum (aOD) to the northwest.

3. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 The Site was the subject of a Desk-based Assessment by CgMs
Consulting in 2006 and its main conclusions were as follows:
3.2 Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic (45,000 – 1,800 BC)
3.2.1 No evidence from the early prehistoric periods has been recorded on
the Site.
3.2.1 The Site is located on the former gravel terraces of the River Roding
and River Thames where it is probable that hunter-gatherer
communities would have utilised the water resource. The river gravels
have been subject to heavy fluvial erosion by fluctuating river
channels, therefore any prehistoric finds are likely to be derived and
residual
3.3 Bronze Age (1,800 – 600 BC).
3.3.1 An archaeological excavation, undertaken in 1991 by Newham
Museum Service, within the surrounding locale of the Site revealed
two possible Middle Bronze Age ditches and associated material
which may have formed an enclosure. The exact location of the
excavation has been lost but it is likely to have been undertaken prior
to the expansion of the university campus in the south and/ or west of
the Site.
3.3.2 Aerial photographs of the Site, taken in 2005, revealed anomalies
immediately to the south. Circular features which may represent
enclosures in conjunction with linear features probably representing
field systems could relate to the Middle Bronze Age features
uncovered during the nearby excavation. The location of the Site on
the drier gravel terraces of the river floodplain may have rendered it a
likely candidate for early settlement

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3.4 Iron Age (600BC – AD43)

3.4.1 There is scant evidence of this period in the vicinity of the Site. During
development at Westrow Drive in 1936, 500km to the southwest, a
large Iron Age jar and fragments of another were uncovered. Further
evidence of Iron Age activity was recovered from cropmarks on
Fairlop Plain, situated 4km to the north, which were excavated in 1994
and interpreted as evidence of several enclosures and field system
ditches.
3.5 Romano-British (AD43 – AD410)
3.5.1 Excavation evidence from the previously mentioned 1991 excavation
of the Site revealed a shallow pit of Roman date in conjunction with a
small assemblage of pottery recovered from the plough soil, indicating
activity in the area.
3.5.2 The excavations at Fairlop Plain uncovered two groups of cremation
burials which were cut into surface of the previously mentioned Iron
Age ditches indicating continued utilisation of the Site.
3.6 Saxon (AD410 – 1066)
3.6.1 The earliest documentary reference to Barking dates from AD735 and
describes the establishment of the Abbey in AD666 by Erkenwald,
Bishop of London, for his sister Ethelburga. Early development of
Barking concentrated around the Abbey precinct where the River
Roding joins Barking Creek, 4km to the southwest of the Site.
3.6.2 There is no known evidence of the early medieval period on the Site.
It is likely that during this period the Site lay within an agrarian
landscape of scattered hamlets and farmsteads.
3.7 Medieval and Post-Medieval (AD1066 – 1799)
3.7.1 By the medieval period the Site lay within the manor of Jenkins or
Dagenham. During the 12th century the manor was the property of
Barking Abbey and consisted of 101a arable and 19a meadow (VCH
9199). According to cartographic evidence the manor house, which
was surrounded by a moat, was situated within Mayesbrook Park 1km
to the southwest of the Site.
3.7.2 By the 15th century the Site was bounded to the north by the current
Longbridge Road (formerly Smallwell Road) which provided a major
route from Barking to Becontree Heath.
3.7.3 The Site continued to occupy part of the estate of the Manor of
Jenkins in the post-medieval period as indicated by the estate map of
1653. By this date the northwest corner of the Site was occupied by
Longbridge House. The remainder of the Site comprised agricultural
land including a field to the west entitled Tile Kiln Field. There was
little change in the use of the Site throughout the post-medieval
period.

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3.8 Post-Medieval and Modern (AD1799 – Present)

3.8.1 In 1860 Longbridge House was demolished and replaced by
Longbridge Farm and associated gardens whilst the remainder of the
Site continued to be utilised as agricultural land.
3.8.2 In the 1920s the town of Barking spread east along the Longbridge
Road and by 1936 the South East Technical College was opened on
the Site. The main building was H-shaped in plan and fronted onto
Longbridge Road. It was designed by J.Stuart, the Essex County
architect and is described by Pevsner as a symmetrical building with
projecting wings and a seven bay centre with a solid stone cupola.
The building was a three storey structure, constructed of pale brick
with some good cast stone decoration. There were further buildings in
the complex of single and two storey construction in conjunction with
a grassed quadrangle and associated grounds. Longbridge Farm still
occupied the Site during this period of expansion.
3.8.3 By the 1960s the college campus had expanded extensively,
additional blocks were added to the east and west of the main building
and the current students union was constructed on the site of the
previously demolished Longbridge Farm buildings, of which only the
main farmhouse and two ancillary buildings survived.
3.8.4 By 1977 the farmhouse had also been demolished and its land had
been incorporated within the Technical College campus as the site of
an engineering block with associated car park and landscaping.
3.8.5 In 1992 the college became the Barking campus site for the University
of East London. Prior to this date additional buildings had been
constructed to allow for this transition including residential buildings,
additional academic blocks and associated car parks. The standing
buildings have been subject to an assessment that will be presented
as a separate report

4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

4.1 The objective of the evaluation was to establish and record the
presence and nature of any surviving archaeological remains
associated with human occupation and activity in the area covered by
the Site.
5 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY
5.1 Fieldwork
5.1.1 All evaluation work was conducted in compliance with an approved
Written Scheme of Investigation (WA 2007a), which follows standards
outlined in the Institute of Field Archaeologist's Standard and
Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation (2001) and the Greater
London Archaeological Advisory Service Guidance Papers.
5.1.2 All archaeological deposits were recorded by means of Wessex
Archaeology’s pro forma recording sheets. A photographic record was

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made by means of black and white prints, colour slides and digital
images. Plans were drawn at a scale of 1:20 or 1:50 as appropriate,
and annotated with OD heights. Sections, including a representative
section of each trench, were drawn at 1:10. The trenches were
surveyed and tied into the Ordinance Survey grid by means of a GPS
system.
5.2 Trial Trenching
5.2.1 It was originally proposed to evaluate the Site through the excavation
of 25 trial trenches, each measuring 30m by 1.8m to be excavated to
the depth of significant archaeological remains or to the level of the
underlying natural gravels, whichever should be encountered first.
Two of the proposed trenches were abandoned due to the position of
surviving flowerbeds that were to be retained, leaving 23 proposed
trenches. In the event, only 19 trenches could be excavated, due to
the presence of live services or protected trees (see Figure 1 for
locations of proposed and excavated trenches).
5.2.2 The trenches were dug by a JCB excavating machine under the
supervision of an archaeologist. Trenches were dug using a toothless
ditching bucket to facilitate examination of exposed deposits.
5.3 Health and Safety
5.3.1 All works were carried out in accordance with the Health and Safety at
Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety
Regulations 1992, and all other relevant Health and Safety legislation,
regulations and codes of practice in force at the time. A Risk
Assessment was compiled by Wessex Archaeology before
commencement of works (WA2007b).
6 RESULTS
6.1 Introduction
6.1.1 No archaeologically significant remains were present in any of the
trenches. The Site can be divided into two broad areas- the western
and central area housing the University buildings, and the south-
eastern area of the sports field.
6.2 Area 1
6.2.1 Trenches 3, 5, 8, 9, 13-16 and 22-25 were dug in the western and
central area. The stratigraphic sequence in all these trenches was
essentially the same. Below the tarmac cap was a layer of building
rubble and hardcore, laid onto a thick plastic mesh. Directly below the
mesh were natural sandy gravels (see Section 1 and Plate 1 for an
example of this sequence). The gravels were probed in several
trenches to ensure that the deposits were natural laid gravels, and in
all cases were present to depths in excess of 1.5m, and clearly
natural in origin. This would indicate that the ground was levelled by
removal of topsoil and subsoil, presumably at the time of construction
of the university buildings.

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6.3 Area 2
6.3.1 Trenches 10-12 and 17-21 were dug in the eastern area of the Site, in
the area previously in use as a sports field. The ground was largely
undisturbed in this area. In all trenches a silty clay subsoil deposit was
present below the topsoil. This deposit appeared colluvial in origin,
and contained occasional small fragments of modern ceramic building
material in the upper horizon. Below the subsoil were natural sandy
gravel deposits similar to those seen elsewhere on the Site (see
Section 2 and Plate 4 for an example of this sequence).
6.4 Finds and Environmental
6.4.1 No artefactual or environmental material was recovered.
7 CONCLUSIONS
7.1 No archaeological remains were encountered anywhere on the Site. It
appears likely that any archaeological remains which may have been
on the main Site area would have been destroyed during construction
of the University. Following consultation with representatives of GLAAS
and CgMs the trenches were all backfilled.

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8 BIBLIOGRAPHY

CgMs Consulting, 2006, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment

University of East London, Barking Campus, Longbridge
Road, London Borough f Barking and Dagenham Ref
SG/7289
Institute of Field Archaeologists 2001, Standards and Guidance for
Archaeological Evaluations
Wessex Archaeology, 2006a, University of East London, Barking
Campus, Longbridge Road, London Borough of Barking and
Dagenham: Written Scheme of Investigation for
Archaeological Evaluation Ref 66810.01
Wessex Archaeology, 2006b, University of East London, Barking
Campus, Longbridge Road, London Borough of Barking and
Dagenham: Risk Assessment for Archaeological Evaluation
Ref 66810.02

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APPENDIX: Trench summary tables

Trench Number 01 Ground Level mOD
Not Excavated

Trench Number 02 Ground Level mOD

Not Excavated.

Trench Number 03 Ground Level mOD 7.47

Context. Description Type Depth
301 Tarmac cap - 0.09m
302 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.35m
303 Dark yellow sandy gravel Natural 0.35m+

Trench Number 04 Ground Level mOD

Not excavated

Trench Number 05 Ground Level mOD 8.06

Context Description Type Depth
501 Tarmac cap - 0.10m
502 Mixed rubble and hardcore Made ground 0.35m
503 Dark yellow-brown gravel Natural 0.35m+

Trench Number 06 Ground Level mOD

Not excavated

Trench Number 07 Ground Level mOD

Not excavated

Trench Number 08 Ground Level mOD

Not excavated

Trench Number 09 Ground Level mOD 7.75

Context Description Type Depth
901 Tarmac cap - 0.03m
902 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.27m
903 Dark grey-brown silty clay Subsoil 0.93m
904 Dark yellow-brown clay Natural 0.93m+

Trench Number 10 Ground Level mOD 7.18

Context. Description Type Depth
1001 Mid brown silty clay Topsoil 0.33m
1002 Yellow-brown silty clay Subsoil 0.56m
1003 Dark yellow-brown clay Natural 0.56m+

Trench Number 11 Ground Level mOD 7.35

Context . Description Type Depth
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1101 Dark yellow-brown silty clay Topsoil 0.12m

1102 Mid yellow-brown silty clay Subsoil 0.37m
1103 Reddish-brown clay Natural 0.37m+

Trench Number 13 Ground Level mOD 8.17

Context Description Type Depth
1301 Tarmac cap 0.05
1302 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.25m
1303 Red-brown clay with gravel Natural 0.25m+
patches

Trench Number 14 Ground Level mOD 8.15

Context Description Type Depth
1401 Tarmac cap 0.09m
1402 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.40m
1403 Mid yellow-brown sandy Natural 0.40m+
gravel
1404 Cut of NNE-SSW linear Drainage ditch 0.14m
1405 Dark yellow-brown silt fill of Silt fill of small 0.14m
1405 ditch

Trench Number 15 Ground Level mOD 7.82

Context. Description Type Depth
1501 Tarmac cap 0.09m
1502 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.38m
1503 Red-brown sandy silt with Natural 0.38m+
gravel patches

Trench Number 16 Ground Level mOD 7.48

Context Description Type Depth
1601 Tarmac cap 0.11m
1602 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.38m
1603 Dark red-brown sandy Natural 0.38m+
gravel

Trench Number 17 Ground Level mOD 7.29

Context. Description Type Depth
1701 Dark grey-brown silty clay Topsoil 0.19m
1702 Yellow-brown silty clay Subsoil 0.41m
1703 Red-brown silty sand with Natural 0.41m+
gravel patches

Trench Number 18 Ground Level mOD 7.07

Context Description Type Depth
1801 Mid grey-brown silty clay Topsoil 0.50m
1802 Mid yellow brown silty clay Subsoil 0.70m
1803 Mid orange-brown sandy Natural 0.70m+
clay
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Trench Number 19 Ground Level mOD 6.93

Context Description Type Depth
1901 Mid brown silty clay Topsoil 0.28m
1902 Mid orange-brown silty Subsoil 0.43m
clay
1903 Dark yellow clay with Natural 0.71m
gravel patches

Trench Number 20 Ground Level mOD 6.92

Context Description Type Depth
2001 Pale brown silty clay Topsoil 0.16m
2002 Dark yellow-brown silty Subsoil 0.28m
clay
2003 Red-brown sandy gravel Natural 0.28m+

Trench Number 21 Ground Level mOD 6.88

Context Description Type Depth
2101 Pale brown silty clay Topsoil 0.17m
2102 Dark yellow-brown silty Subsoil 0.22m
clay
2103 Red-brown gravel with Natural 0.22m+
sand and silt patches

Trench Number 22 Ground Level mOD 6.80

Context Description Type Depth
2201 Tarmac cap 0.09m
2202 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.40m
2203 Dark red-brown sandy Natural 0.40m+
gravel

Trench Number 23 Ground Level mOD 7.43

Context Description Type Depth
.
2301 Tarmac cap 0.09m
2302 Hardcore and rubble Made ground 0.40m
2303 Dark red sandy gravel Natural 0.40m+

Trench Number 24 Ground Level mOD 7.70

Context Description Type Depth
2401 Tarmac cap 0.09m
2402 Mixed rubble and hardcore Made ground 0.40m
2403 Dark red-brown sandy Natural 0.40m+
gravel

Trench Number Ground Level mOD 8.09

Context Description Type Depth
2501 Tarmac cap 0.09m
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2502 Mixed rubble and hardcore Made ground 0.36m

2503 Dark red-brown sandy Natural 0.36m+
gravel

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 E W
7.528m OD
2501

2502

2503

Section 1. North facing rep section Tr 25 Plastic/Fibre matting

N S
7.134m OD

1001

1002

1003

Section 2. West facing rep section Tr 10

0 500mm

This material is for client report only © Wessex Archaeology. No unauthorised reproduction.

Date: 06/07/07 Revision Number: 0

Scale: 1:10 @ A4 Illustrator: GDO

Wessex
Archaeology Path: Y:\PROJ\66180\Draw Offi\Rep Fig\Eval\05-07-07\Sections Drawings.dwg

Section drawings Figure 2

 Plate 1. Dcp 3890 Rep. Section Tr.25 N. facing, 1m Scale

Plate 2. Dcp 3891 General shot of Tr.25 from West 1x1m &
1x2m Scale

Wessex Date: 06/07/07 Illustrator: GDO

Archaeology Path: Y:\PROJECTS\66180\Drawing Office\Report Figures (y-m)\Eval\05-07-07\66180 Plates.cdr

Plates 1 & 2
 Plate 3. Dcp 3381 Rep. Section Tr.10 W. facing, 1m Scale

Plate 4. Dcp 3880 General shot Tr.10 from south, 1x1m &
1x2m Scale
Wessex Date: 06/07/07 Illustrator: GDO
Archaeology Path: Y:\PROJECTS\66180\Drawing Office\Report Figures (y-m)\Eval\05-07-07\66180 Plates.cdr

Plates 3 & 4
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