St George's Church, High Street, Brentford, London
5 - Pre-determination assessment/evaluation not undertaken; heritage assets identified during development
The absence of pre-determination assessment/evaluation on all or part of the development site (e.g. because of difficulties with access, refusal to evaluate) led to the unexpected discovery of archaeology during development that caused problems, such as delays to the development programme and/or the need for additional resources.
12 - A planning application was determined without specialist archaeological curatorial advice
The absence of specialist archaeological curatorial advice (adviser not in post; advice not given because of capacity or other issues) led to the determination of an application without appropriate consideration of the archaeological implications.
Designated asset of architectural and historic interest Undesignated assets of archaeological and historic interest
Conversion of grade II listed church and demolition of associated hall to create 21 dwellings.
19th century parish church on the site of an 18th century church. It was suggested that the burial ground associated with the earlier church had been substantially cleared in the late 19th century.
A planning application submitted in 2009 was determined in 2011 and an archaeological planning condition was attached. However, a full assessment of archaeological impact had not taken place, and an archaeological evaluation comprising two small test pits had led to the conclusion that the cemetery had been cleared in the 19th century.
A second planning application in 2014 was accompanied by a desk-based assessment (incorporating the results of the earlier very limited test pit evaluation) which suggested only low potential for human burials 'of local interest' on the historic church site:
"A chapel and burial ground is known to have occupied the study site in the 18th and 19th centuries. The extent, to which the burial ground was cleared in the late 19th century, is uncertain. Therefore, a potential for in situ burials and disarticulated human remains cannot be entirely precluded. These remains, if present, are considered to be of no more than local historic interest."
Pre-determination evaluation was recommended by GLAAS and carried out by Allen Archaeology. The results indicated that the chapel cemetery extended over much of the development site excepting the former chapel itself.
The planning permission given in 2015 included a bespoke planning condition to secure archaeological investigation, recording, analysis and publication, including the subsequent reburial of the human remains.
GLAAS involvement after the 2011 permission identified the potential for burials associated with a mid-18th century chapel beneath the 19th century parish church. Subsequent investigation revealed about 650 human burials underneath and around the 19th century church. The excavated burials were dated 1828-1861, forming a small part of the 2290 recorded in burial registers.
There was substantial delay and cost to the developer who is understood to have acquired the site having gained the impression that the site had been cleared of burials.
- Allen Archaeology 2014, Historic Building Survey Report: 367-368 High Street, Brentford, London Borough Of Hounslow. Unpublished report 2014050.
- CgMs 2014, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment: St George’s Church, High Street, Brentford, London. Unpublished report including a report by PCA on Archaeological Evaluation at St Georges Church, High Street, Brentford. Unpublished report 2004.
- Allen Archaeology 2014, Archaeological Scheme of Works Report: 367 – 368 High Street, Brentford, London Borough of Hounslow. Unpublished report.
- Under the Roof and the Shadow of a Noble Church: archaeological investigation at St George’s, Brentford, 2014–2017, Alan Telford and Elizabeth Knox, excavation publication in preparation.
