The University of Greenwich will soon start work on the site of the old Village Market in Stockwell Street.
Archaeological, ecological and geological surveys will take place and some of the disused buildings on the site will be pulled down.
The University plans to submit a planning application later this year for a new School of Architecture and campus on the site.
They have provided details on some of the investigations they will be carrying out on the site before any work can take place:
Before construction work begins, detailed studies are planned. Test pits will be dug to look at the archaeology of the site, which has been in use since at least the medieval period. Initial research indicates that building work over the centuries, and war-time bombs, have destroyed evidence from early periods, but the university will pay special attention to what remains of the 19th century maltings, which once supplied ale to the Spread Eagle Tavern.
Another investigation will establish whether there are still old petrol tanks beneath the forecourt of the disused petrol station on the site. If necessary, an expert team will carry out clean-up and remediation works. Greenwich Council has given permission for the removal of the petrol station, along with some other empty structures and hard landscaping. In order to preserve the streetscape for as long as possible, two large blocks on the frontage of Stockwell Street, John Humphries House and the disused storage unit at number 18-19, will remain standing for the time being.
Next weekend will mark the one year anniversary of the end of the much-loved Village Market which was held every weekend at the Stockwell Street site.
The land, which includes the John Humphries House office block, was sold to a developer who had planning permission for a mixed use development on the site but instead sold it on to the University of Greenwich.
This shows the richness of the archaeology in Greenwich. There is also an interesting dig taking place in the construction site of the Sammy Ofer Wing for the NMM.
But it is the potential for new discoveries in Greenwich Park that is so fascinating. Anything can emerge out of the ground at any time, and it actually did recently. Read The Greenwich Phantom today for news of some interesting bricks.
Doesn’t this also highlight the risk posed by the Olympics in Greenwich Park? Construction workers, 75,000 spectators, 75 horses: think of how shallow remains could be dug up and inadvertantly destroyed.
Does history matter? As one of the characters in The History Boys said,
” History? it’s just one f*****g thing after another”!
A maltings cannot supply ale – it can supply malt to a brewery, which can then be used to brew beer. Does this suggest that there was a small brewery on this site? Interesting if so, but perhaps the maltings just supplied malt to Lovibonds, who brewed the beer?