DOCUMENT NO 291 April 2016

A.P.A.C. Ltd.
Archaeological Perspectives Analysis Consultancy

ARCHAEOLOGICAL Watching Brief

REPORT: WB/LLF/15

Plot Adjacent to St Faith’s Church, Llanfoist

Pre-Planning Application No: MC/2014/ENQ/00865

Prepared for:
Messrs R & A Boucher

By: Dr N Phillips.
 A.P.A.C. Ltd Land Adjacent to St Faiths, Llanfoist. WB/LLF/15

Summary

This document is the report of an archaeological watching brief undertaken during

disturbance works, for the construction of a pair of semidetached residential houses.

A watching brief was imposed on the planning condition, as the site was identified as
having a potential for archaeological resources, which could be disturbed by
groundworks.

No archaeological resources were impacted upon during ground works.

Copyright Notice:
A.P.A.C. Ltd. retains copyright of this report under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

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.

Cover Photograph: DSC00008. View towards south at full depth of ground levelling.

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 A.P.A.C. Ltd Land Adjacent to St Faiths, Llanfoist. WB/LLF/15

Contents

Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 2
Figures ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Plates ............................................................................................................................................... 2
Appendices ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3
Site Location and Description ...................................................................................................... 4
Geology and Topography ............................................................................................................. 4
Brief archaeological and historical background ........................................................................ 4
Aims and Objectives...................................................................................................................... 4
Watching Brief............................................................................................................................... 5
Discussion and Interpretation ...................................................................................................... 5
Archive ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Staff ................................................................................................................................................. 6
Acknowledgements: ...................................................................................................................... 6
Bibliography and References: ...................................................................................................... 7

Figures

01 Site location map

02 Trench foundations

Plates

1 Initial levelling from road side. [100], [101], [102].

2 Spoil removal at road side, long view, [100], [101], [102].
3 Section along south east boundary [100], [102].
4 Section in trench 1, East face Detail. Contexts [100] [100] [103]
5 Site levelling, start of bedrock to SW of site [103]
6 Site levelled exposing sterile, natural deposit
7 Foundation trenches, partially dried out.
8 Foundation trenches, partially dried out.

Appendices

Appendix I Contexts sheets

Appendix II Digital Photograph list & contact sheet

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 A.P.A.C. Ltd Land Adjacent to St Faiths, Llanfoist. WB/LLF/15

Introduction

This Excavation Report has been prepared by Dr Neil Phillips, A.P.A.C. Ltd, as part of the response to a programme
of works, to construct a pair of semi-detached houses on a plot of land adjacent to St Faith’s Church, Llanfoist, NP7
9NF, NGR 328675 213170, fig 01.

The construction work involved the levelling of the site prior to excavation of trenches for footings and services.

The clients; Messrs R & A., Boucher, commissioned an archaeological evaluation of the site prior to groundworks;
as advised by Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT), Archaeological Planning Services (APS) through
Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) (MC/2014/ENQ/00865).

GGAT’s advice specified that the clients would need to engage a professional archaeological contractor in order to
undertake a programme of archaeological evaluation, citing Planning Policy Wales, 7th Edition 2014: Conserving
the Historic Environment; section 6.5.2 and Welsh Office Circular 60/96.

GGAT noted that:

the proposed development could have significant negative impact on the archaeological resource
in this area but that insufficient information is currently available for a determination to be
made…

and therefore advised:

that an archaeological evaluation be undertaken to consider the archaeological impact of

proposed development prior to the determination of the planning application, in order that
Members of the Monmouthshire County Council are full informed about the effect of the
development on the archaeological resource.

MON2128/2014/009/JBHD

The evaluation: EV/LLF/15, took place on 17th February 2015 revealing a total absence of archaeological resources
within the areas evaluated.

The resultant document was subsequently submitted to planning for consultation during the planning application.

Although the evaluation produced negative data, the limited area evaluated was thought to be insufficient to allow
further ground disturbance work to be undertaken without archaeological monitoring.

The primary concern was the close proximity to the 13th century church of St Faiths which could possibly have had
associated medieval buildings, MON2128/JBHD; although, potential survival of traces of the known industrial land
use of the area was also of concern.

GGAT therefore advised MCC planning of the need for further archaeological monitoring citing Welsh Office
Circular 60/96, Section 23.

No development shall take place until the applicant or his agents or successors in title has
secured the implementation of a programme of archaeological work in accordance with a
written scheme of investigation which has been submitted to and approved in writing by the
Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To identify and record any features of archaeological interest discovered during
the works, in order to mitigate the impact of the works on the archaeological resource.

MON2128/JBHD

A Written Scheme of Investigation, WSI:WB/LLF/15 was drawn up and approved in October 2015 and the work
was undertaken in November of the same year.

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 A.P.A.C. Ltd Land Adjacent to St Faiths, Llanfoist. WB/LLF/15

Site Location and Description

Llanfoist is a small village to the south west of Abergavenny in Monmouthshire and can be easily reached from the
south west junctions of the A465 Heads of the Valleys.

If travelling eastwards, take the slip road to the ‘Waitose’ roundabout and then the 2 nd left onto the A4143 and at
the next roundabout the 1st left onto the B4246, alternatively, if travelling westward take the slip road marked with
the brown Heritage sign to Big Pit and 1st exit at the roundabout onto the B4246.

Carry straight on to the centre of the village and turn left at the Spice Lounge, Indian Restaurant, onto Kiln Rd and
then 1st right onto Llanellen Rd and the current site.

At present, the site is overgrown grassland with an old garage built against the churchyard wall (see cover), and a
telegraph pole for which the ground would have been disturbed.

Geology and Topography

The village of Llanfoist lies at the foot of the north easterly slope of the Blorenge, in the Usk valley, to the south
west of Abergavenny.

The site itself is parcel of fenced waste land with grass and bramble cover; with buildings east and west, a road and
access to the north and fields to the south.

The underlying geology of Llanfoist is predominantly made up of St Maughans Formation - argillaceous rocks and
[subequal/subordinate] sandstone, interbedded with glaciofluvial deposits, Devensian - sand and gravel, (BGS
2015).

Brief archaeological and historical background

A background history of the site and references to the HER were provided in the evaluation document EV/LLF/15.

The range of HER records close to the proposed site reveal 2 Scheduled Ancient Monuments, 13 Grade II listed
Buildings and 20 other primary records; mostly post medieval/industrial.

To summarise, the main focus of the archaeological interest is based on the close presence of the early medieval
church and its potential associated buildings; both secular and ecclesiastical.

The potential however, exists for multi-period archaeological resources; prehistoric to modern, all represented
within the vicinity, although possibly the largest presence would be that of the industrial 19 th century.

The area has been greatly influenced by the industrial period and is included within the Blaenafon Registered
Historic landscape (HCLA013-Cwm Llanwenarth & Cwm Craf, and HLCA015-Llanfoist), (GGAT 4947).

Aims and Objectives

The aim of the watching brief was to preserve by record, within the resources available, any archaeological deposits
uncovered during groundwork.

The watching brief also ensured that: in the event of archaeological resources of significance, being discovered and
requiring treatment beyond the remit of the watching brief, that steps would be implemented to ensure that their
treatment would be undertaken within the standards recommended by the CIFA.

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 A.P.A.C. Ltd Land Adjacent to St Faiths, Llanfoist. WB/LLF/15

Watching Brief

Presentation Notes:
All contexts are denoted [#] in the text, listed in Appendix I.
Photographs used in the text are denoted PL # in the text and listed in appendix II with an additional contact sheet
of all photographs taken.
No finds were collected.

A contact sheet is also provided and a full set of photographs is included in an archive disc.

Ground conditions

Conditions were very good on the first day of the watching brief, which covered the ground reduction work.

Subsequent days had light rain which made the ground a little sticky underfoot. Followed by torrential downpours
for the latter stages of trenching.

The first phase of the watching brief covered a period of work involving ground reduction and levelling, PL01,
PL02.

The levelling work exposed the stratigraphic sequence across the site: grass/vegetation in a mid-brown topsoil, [100]
over a red/brown sandy clay [102], with pea sized angular gravels to around 600mm depth, PL03.

There was a narrow tapered verge of darker soil along the road side, [101], obviously associated with roadside
deposition.

As the levelling work became deeper at the rear of the field, a further context of natural bedding was revealed [103],
PL04.

The next phase of work was the excavation of a shallow area of ground along the roadside, to provide a former for a
layer of imported stone hardstanding, PL05 & PL06.

The work produced no finds or features of any description and so the site was considered at this point to be natural
undisturbed ground.

Later work on the foundation trenches cut directly into the natural [103], but were very difficult to record due to the
poor weather conditions, PL07 & PL08.

Discussion and Interpretation

The site revealed a natural sequence of topsoil over natural deposition with no evidence of human interaction other
than surrounding boundaries; walls, hedges and a metaled road.

Archive
Original archive will be retained by APAC Ltd.

A secondary Archive will be deposited with Gwent archives.

A copy of the final report & project design will be deposited with the HER.

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 A.P.A.C. Ltd Land Adjacent to St Faiths, Llanfoist. WB/LLF/15

Staff
Dr. Neil Phillips, MCIfA.

The copyright for this report shall remain with the A.P.A.C. Ltd.

Acknowledgements:
Thanks to Tom and Roger Boucher, for allowing APAC Ltd to undertake the evaluation, and for providing insight,
conversation and refreshments.

Thanks are also due to the driver for his expertise with the mechanical digger.

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 A.P.A.C. Ltd Land Adjacent to St Faiths, Llanfoist. WB/LLF/15

Bibliography and References:

APAC. Ltd. 2015 EV/LLF/15. Archaeological Evaluation on a plot adjacent to St Faith’s Church,
Llanfoist

BGS 2015 http://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html

Cadw Suzanne.Whiting@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK. RE: MM306-St Faiths Churchyard Cross

Llanfoist.

CIfA . Code of Conduct and the Code of Approved Practice for the Regulation of
Contractual Arrangements in Field Archaeology 2014.

Standard and Guidance for the Archaeological Field Evaluation. 2014.

Standard and Guidance for the Collection, Documentation, Conservation and

Research of Archaeological materials 2014

English Heritage 1991 Management of Archaeological Projects

GGAT MON2128/JBHD. Re: Proposed One Pair Semi Detached Dwellings And Garages:
Land Adjacent to St Faith’s Church, Llanfoist.

GGAT HER Enquiry Report. Core Records. ERN: 4947. HER search – 0.5km centred NGR
SO2867513170

Enquiry Report. Event Records. ERN: 4947. HER search – 0.5km centred NGR
SO2867513170

REF letter 4947. Sue Hill 20th February 2012.

Magic 2015 Online ordnance Survey http://magic.defra.gov.uk/

NA. (supplied by client) Ordnance Survey Block Plan centred on 328673 213179. www.mapcentre.com
SN:58795

Drawings: Pre Planning Advice. MC2014/ENQ/00865. RB/AB 01.

1st December 2014.

Pre Planning Advice. MC2014/ENQ/00865. RB/AB 01.

Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992.

A.P.A.C. Registered Address: 36 Hatherleigh Rd, Abergavenny Monmouthshire NP7 7RG.

Tel: 07734962919. Mobile: 07734962919 Email: apac.philips@btinternet.com
Company Registration No 5041541 VAT Reg No 826 3628 19
Director: Dr. N. Phillips D.Phil. BA (Hons).Cert Ed/FE. MCIfA.

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 The Ordnance Survey has granted A.P.A.C. Ltd a Copyright Licence (No. 100046577)
Land next to St Faith’s Church, llanfoist

A.P.A.C. Ltd WB/LLF/15

Llanfoist
 Land next to St Faith’s Church, llanfoist

St. Faith's
Church Shared
Access
N
W

NW
SW
NE
SE
E
S

Foot print
of houses adapted from R Boucher
RB/AB 01

11th February 2015

0 5 10
m

FIG 02 Foundation Trenches

A.P.A.C. Ltd WB/LLF/15
 Land next to St Faith’s Church, llanfoist

DSC09067
DSC09603
Plate 01: Initial levelling from road side. [100], [101], [102]. Plate 02: Spoil removal at road side, long view, [100], [101], [102].

DSC00009
DSC09065

Plate 03: Section along south east boundary [100], [102]. Plate 04: Section in trench 1, East face
A.P.A.C. Ltd WB/LLF/15
Detail. Contexts [100] [100] [103]
 Land next to St Faith’s Church, llanfoist

DSC00010
DSC00008
Plate 05: Site levelling, start of bedrock to SW of site [103] Plate 06: Site levelled exposing sterile natural deposit

IMGWA0003
IMGWA0002

Plate 07: Foundation trenches partially dried out Plate 08: Foundation trenches partially
A.P.A.C. Ltd WB/LLF/15
dried out
 A.P.A.C. Ltd. Appendix I Context Sheet Index 1

Site: Plot adjacent to Grid Ref: Site No: Alternate No: 1

St Faith’s, Llanfoist 328675 213170 WB/LLF/15
CONTEXT AREA FEATURE DESCRIPTION FINDS PHOTOGRAPHS
100 Site Surface Grass and assorted weeds on mid brown sandy DSC09063, DSC09064,
topsoil varied depth 300mm to 400mm DSC09065, DSC09066,
DSC09067, DSC09068,
DSC00007, DSC00008,
DSC00009.
101 Road Deposit Roadside accumulation of dark brown soil. DSC09063, DSC09064,
edge A wedge profile rising from the tarmac DSC09066, DSC09067,
DSC00007, DSC00008.
102 Site Deposit Red/brown sandy clay with ‘pea sized’ angular DSC09063, DSC09064,
gravels. ≥600mm. DSC09065, DSC09066,
DSC09067, DSC09068,
DSC00007, DSC00008,
DSC00009.
103 Site Deposit Sand and rounded and laminar fractured sandstone DSC00007, DSC00008,
bedding. DSC00009.
 A.P.A.C. Ltd Appendix II Digital photograph list WB/LLF/15

Photo no Date Camera Orientation View Description Plate

DSC09063 04/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SE Initial levelling from road side. [100], [101], [102]. PL01
DSC09064 04/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SW Initial levelling from road side. [100], [101], [102].
DSC09065 04/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SE Section along south east boundary [100], [102]. PL03
DSC09066 04/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SE Spoil removal at road side. [100], [101], [102].
DSC09067 04/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SE Spoil removal at road side, long view, [100], [101], [102]. PL02
DSC09068 04/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SW SE boundary completed, [100] [102]
DSC00007 06/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SW Final reduction to rear (SW) of site and beginnings of bedrock [103]
DSC00008 10/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape SE Site levelling, start of bedrock to SW of site [103] PL05
DSC00009 10/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape E Section in trench 1, East face Detail. Contexts [100] [100] [103] PL04
DSC00010 10/11/15 DSC F828 Landscape N Site levelled exposing sterile natural deposit PL06
IMGWA0002 24/12/03 Samsung Landscape SW Foundation trenches partially dried out PL07
IMGWA0003 24/12/02 Samsung Landscape S Foundation trenches partially dried out PL08