Johnson House, Cundy Street, Belgravia, City of Westminster

In August 2011, Oxford Archaeology conducted a trial trench evaluation at Johnson
House, Cundy Street, Belgravia, City of Westminster. This work was preceded by an
earlier phase of geotechnical and environmental test pitting, monitored by watching
brief in May 2011. This report details the findings of both investigations.
The site of Johnson House has been extensively affected by Victorian terraced
housing, the construction of the District and Circle Underground line, bombing
during World War II and the construction of Johnson House. These previous events
have truncated the underlying geology and therefore any earlier archaeological
deposits that may have been present within the site.
During the evaluation, five 10 x 2 m trenches were excavated around the site at
random locations. The site had been badly affected by a nearby V1 flying bomb
strike in World War II and all trenches contained evidence for the extensive
demolition clearance that occurred after the war. Remains of Victorian cellars or
basements associated with the former terraced housing were recorded in Trenches
1, 2 and 3. These remains consisted of brick walls, some concrete rendered and a
possible associated flag stone floor (Trench 2). A possible lime mortar mixing pit that
may pre-date the Victorian remains was discovered at the base of Trench 2. A
single, substantial, brick built wall, probably Victorian and modern soakaway were
recorded in Trench 4. Trench 5 contained Victorian remains consisting of a brickbuilt
soakaway, truncated brick walls possibly the remains of an outhouse and a
granite sett surface.
The watching brief encountered a similar sequence of deposits to those recorded in
the evaluation trenches. Three brick built structures, probably dating to the mid 19th
century and associated with Victorian cellars or basements were observed, as well
as an area of granite sett surfacing, probably the same deposit recorded in Trench
5. There was also evidence of disturbance from the construction of Johnson House
itself