Bond Street Station (Crossrail XSC10)

A programme of archaeological investigations were undertaken by Oxford Archaeology/Ramboll UK (OAR), in the vicinity of the new Crossrail Bond Street Station. The excavation revealed the infilled channel of the River Tyburn which was overlain by the remnants of 18th-20th century structures, ncluding a possible 18th century stables, St Anselm's School, St Anselm's Church and 65 Davies Street which was demolished ahead of construction for Crossrail. A programme of archaeological investigations were undertaken by Oxford Archaeology/Ramboll UK (OAR), in the vicinity Bond Street Station, City of Westminster, London W1 (between TQ 28486 80971 and TQ 28904 81124). The intermittent watching brief works which, commenced in June 2010 and continued through to February 2013, comprised the monitoring and recording of works prior to and during the construction of the Crossrail Bond Street Station (Ticket Halls East and West). The works monitored were generally relatively shallow, with the exception of the excavation of Grout Shafts and bulk excavations at 65 Davies Street (Western Ticket Hall). The majority of the archaeological deposits observed during the project, were dumps and levelling layers, effectively infilling the topography of the Tyburn Valley, prior to the development of the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. A number of 18th and 19th century brick built cellars and sewers were recorded, as well as more substantial brick buildings and cobbled surfaces in the South Molten Lane and Tenterden Street. Deposits associated with the former course(s) of the River Tyburn were uncovered at the base of Grout Shafts in South Molten Lane and in a number of utility trenches. Gravels and sands were observed in all of the Grout Shafts and during the Davies Street bulk excavations. These were identified as Pleistocene River Terrace deposits (Lynch Hill Gravels). The sands and gravels overlay layers of London Clay, which were seen in the base of all of the Grout Shafts. No artefacts or ecofacts were observed in these geological deposits.