New Burnt House 628 Wellsway Road, Bath, North East Somerset. Archaeological Watching Brief Report

In December 2006 and January 2007 Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out an archaeological watching brief at New Burnt House, 628 Wellsway, Bath, north-east Somerset (NGR ST 7346 6181). The work was commissioned by GCP Chartered Architects for Halsall Construction in advance of the construction of new flats. The watching brief revealed a single undated ditch extending across the site on a north-east/south-west alignment. The ditch was presumably for drainage purposes or represents a land boundary. A single probable 19th century stone-built culvert was also investigated and modern services associated with the recently demolished buildings were observed. No other archaeological features were noted cutting the natural silty clay and sandstone brash. The existing buildings on site were demolished to ground level. The site area was machine stripped to a level overall depth for construction purposes. All machine stripping was undertaken by 360� mechanical excavator using a flat bladed toothless bucket. The exposed surface was cleaned and mapped by OA's Survey team. A site grid was established using an EDM or theodolite and tied into the National Grid. All archaeological features were planned at a scale of 1:100 and where excavated their sections drawn at scales of 1:20. All excavated features were photographed using colour slide and black and white print film. A general photographic record of the work was made. Recording followed procedures detailed in the OAU Fieldwork Manual (ed. D Wilkinson, 1992). No certain evidence of Roman activity or any further burials was observed within the stripped area. The single ditch was undated but may represent a land division of any period, arguably between properties on the Old Fosse road, or have been excavated for drainage purposes. The stone culvert is probably of 19th century date and was presumably part of the land drainage system. The modern services and structures associated with the Public House and other building on the site require no further comment.