Watching Brief at 40-46 Albert Road, Bristol (Phase 1)

The overall scope of the work was to conduct a watching brief during geotechnical site investigation groundworks comprising two boreholes and six window samples in phase 1, and five 'hand' pits and twelve further machine excavated test pits in phase 2. Three different mechanical drills and hand tools were used under partial archaeological supervision. Phase 1 July 2024: Made ground and slag were recorded in all locations. Further finds of CBM, pottery, clay pipe stem and glass were spot dated as either Post Medieval or Modern. No 'zoning' of different types of industrial activity was indicated and no below ground structural remains were identified. No substantial peat formation or pre-industrial activity was encountered, with several meters of clay stratigraphy interspersed with sand or gravel layers but very little organic remains. No activity of greater than local significance was indicated by any of the deposits recorded. The relatively small sample size of the interventions should be noted, and the results of the monitoring do not necessarily reflect negative potential for archaeological remains to exist elsewhere within the site. Phase 2 December 2024: All test pits encountered asbestos contaminated made ground and observations were carried out from a safe distance. There were no indication of zones of different industrial activities or pre-Modern structural remains encountered, and excavations did not reach a depth of alluvial clay deposits.