No 6, 8 and 10 High Street Hampton Wick Richmond-upon-Thames

In August 2016 Oxford Archaeology (OA) was commissioned by Nissen Richards
Studio on behalf of Mr David Evans to undertake an archaeological evaluation of the
site of a proposed residential development at Nos 6, 8 and 10 Hampton Wick,
London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames (TQ 17594 69483). The work was
undertaken as a condition of Planning Permission (planning ref: 14/0790/DD01).
A single trench measuring 6m x 6m, was dug to a maximum depth of 4m via a
series of 1m steps. The site lies in the historic core of Hampton Wick, a settlement
which lies at the western end of Kingston Bridge and may well have originated in
Saxon times. The site had the potential to contain post-medieval and medieval
structural remains associated with properties fronting on to the High Street and
remains of medieval and post-medieval river frontages and bridge crossing. The aim
of the evaluation was to assess the archaeological potential of the site and provide
information on the buried alluvial sequence where piling impacts are proposed.
The earliest phase of activity identified on site was consistent with river edge activity
and deposits. A sequence of alluvial and humic peaty deposits was identified
overlying the natural gravels, suggesting open marshy riverine conditions. The
alluvial clays forming with pottery dated to AD 1480-1600. A worked wooden stake
was also identified at the base of the sequence. The stake appears to have been
formed out of part of a reused medieval wagon.
A north-south boundary ditch was the earliest feature identified on site, possibly
representing a plot boundary at the rear of the street frontage properties and the
river edge. The ditch had a very small assemblage of pottery dated to 1480-1600,
broadly of a Tudor date. Overlying this was a sequence of horizontally ground makeup
deposits that indicate a period of deliberate ground raising activity in order to
provide a more stable area on which to build or maintain structures. Although the
pottery assemblage is small it suggests that these layers were in place by the late
17th to early 18th century, since two of the layers produced pottery dated to 1600-
1700 and a single fragment of clay tobacco pipe to c 1680-1710.
In the 18th century the site is characterised by a number of pits, some of which were
inter-cut. Most of the pit fills were consistent with rubbish disposal, both casual and
deliberate. One of the pits contained a moderately sized assemblage of pottery,
dated to 1770-1830 and the assemblage included table wares of sufficient quality to
suggest that the inhabitants were of middling status, along with more utilitarian
vessels bowls, jars, storage jars and a possible chamberpot fragment. Another of
the pits contained pottery that dated to 1650-1800 and a fragment of clay pipe of
1720-1800 date, implying that the pit is likely to date to the 18th century rather than
earlier. During this phase, the area remained open and was used for rubbish
disposal. This may correlate to built structures along the frontage of High Street to
the west and the presence of yards, open ground and land leading to the river to the
east.
In the 19th century the area appeared to see the infilling of open areas and the
construction of brick buildings. There appears to be at least two phases of brick
structures, with the earlier ones being carefully dismantled rather than being
demolished or left to decay. The deliberate dismantling would have then allowed the The earliest chalk floor building dated to the late 18th to early 19th century. This is
based on the small pottery assemblage dated to 1770-1840 from the layer directly
beneath the floor.
Overlying this was a later structure which dated to the 19th century on the basis of
pottery dated to 1815-1840 within the levelling layer between the earlier and later
chalk floors. The chalk floors can be used for stables, abattoirs or perhaps butcher's
shop. A butcher's is listed in the properties along High Street in the Hampton Wick
entries in various 19th-century trade directories. The position of the structures,
towards the rear of properties would mean that the structures could be ancillary
buildings either associated with the High Street properties or independently owned /
rented workshops, stables etc.
The evaluation identified archaeological remains of some significance, but the
proposed impacts of the scheme are likely to be contained within the current
foundations of the existing modern structures at the back of the site. The only
impact will be in terms of the piling array for the foundation slab and house deck.