Watching brief by ECC Field Archaeolgy Unit at the 'Phase 2' London Southend Airport terminal extension, Rochford, 2012-2013 - EEX56561

A watching brief on foundation trenches surrounding selected pile caps and a baggage pit at the north end of the extension footprint was carried out in December 2012. The pile cap trenches varied in size from square trenches measuring 2m x 2m for those containing a single pile cap, to triangular trenches measuring 5m x 5m x 5m for those containing three pile caps in a triangular formation. The excavations varied in depth from 1.2 to 2.2m. A selection of the pile cap excavations were monitored, a sample of which was recorded in detail. Between February and April 2013 further archaeological monitoring was undertaken during the excavation of drainage trenches. No finds or features of archaeological significance were recorded. NRHE data transfer: Site code: RFAT10. A programme of archaeological monitoring and recording was carried out during the construction of an extension to the recently-built terminal at London Southend Airport between December 2012 and April 2013. Previous investigations carried out during various airport related developments have established the potential for the presence/survival of significant below-ground remains in this vicinity of the airport. The monitoring of foundation trenches surrounding selected pile caps and a baggage pit at the north end of the extension footprint was carried out in December 2012. A selection of the pile cap excavations were monitored, a sample of which was recorded in detail. Between February and April 2013 further archaeological monitoring was undertaken during the excavation of drainage trenches. The excavations revealed a uniform stratigraphic sequence extending across the site. The uppermost layers (c.0.3m in depth) were deposited recently and overlaid various deposits of modern made ground of a depth varying from 0.3 to 0.9m. The made ground was generally a dark greyish brown sandy clay and contained modern rubble. Over the majority of the site, the modern layers lay directly above the natural geology, which was an orange clay encountered at depths between 0.6 and 1.1m. Within an external sewer trench, east of the new building, a subsoil was observed to survive above the natural clay. This was a mid orangey grey brown, firm clay silt and measured between 0.1 and 0.2m thick. No archaeological remains were identified within any of the observed groundworks and no residual artefacts recovered from overburden deposits. Information from OASIS Online Form.