Tis is Phase 2 comprising 5 trenches that were opened by machine. As all had asbestos contamination they could not be entered or finds recovered. all recordimg was done from outside the trenches. Phase 2 comprised a further five trenches numbered, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. With the exception of Trench 8 all the trenches were within the footprint of the Peek Frean Biscuit works that existed from the late 19th century finally closing in 1989. Heavy damage from bombing during the Second World War means the buildings are mainly post-war in date. All the trenches contained asbestos so could not be accessed for safety reasons which effected the level of recording and interpretation possible. Where reached natural deposits were brickearth between minus 0.63 OD (Trench 5) and 0.08m OD (Trench 6). Trench 7 had natural sands at minus 0.70m OD that were overlain by a 0.90m thick deposit of alluvial sands. A deposit of garden soil was seen in Trench 7 that may be evidence of the fields and market gardening that existed before the biscuit factor was built in the late 19th century. All the trenches found late 19th/20th century brick features that included walls, concrete floors and several arched brick tunnels that are probably hot air vents associated with the processes taking place within the biscuit factory. Although its exact function is unclear, an arched brick structure in Trench 8 does not appear to be for hot air.
Tony Mackinder (Mon,) studied this question.