The Phase 1 AIA includes a pre-feasibility study and a 1 day field assessment (2012-11-02). The field assessment was done by foot and limited to a Phase 1 surface survey; no excavation or sub-surface testing was done. GPS co-ordinates were taken with a Garmin Oregon 550 (Datum: WGS84). Photographic documentation was done with a Pentax K20D camera. A combination of Garmap and Google Earth software was used in the display of spatial information.
Four archaeological and cultural heritage resources, as defined and protected by the NHRA 1999, were identified during the field assessment of the proposed Oxford Harbour View study site, briefly listed as:
- Site OHV1 – Colonial Period structure (wall);
- Site OHV2 – Colonial Period structure (staircase);
- Site OHV3 – Colonial Period structure (bunker?); and
- Site OHV4 – Colonial Period structure (reservoir).
All identified resources are thus classed as Colonial Period sites / structures, with 2 rough periods of construction or development associated therewith: The first or older period is inferred to date more or less to the 1880’s when the East London East Bank village was laid out, with the study site falling within the village’s designated Block P. Sites identified during the field assessment that relate to this period include the wall remains described as Site OHV1 and the 4 identified steps of the early staircase situated just west of co-ordinate OHV2b, the south-western extremity of Site OHV2. The later identified period of development dates roughly to the 1940’s, with structural and infrastructural development associated therewith displaying a noticeable degree of cultural overlay, already negatively impacting on structures dating to the earlier period. Identified sites associated with this later period of development include the Site OHV2 staircase, inferred to have been constructed with the aim of replacing the earlier staircase, the Site OHV3 bunker(?), the construction of which may be incidental to WWII activities and the Site OHV4 reservoir (and related infrastructure).
Thick vegetation did obscure surface visibility. However, more prominent with reference to the identification of specifically in situ archaeological and cultural heritage resources in the case of the field assessment is the fact that the property has been used extensively to dump old building rubble and that large parts of it have been built up with rubble infill. Strewn building rubble and rubble used for landfill principally date to Colonial Period times, testimony to development and renewal projects in East London from its early days, but greatly diminishing the heritage significance of on-site in situ resources.
