Stage 1 & 2 Archaeological Assessment London Psychiatric Hospital 850 Highbury Avenue North City of London (Former London Township) Middlesex County, Ontario Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished Submitted to Ecoplans Limited 2655 North Sheridan Way Mississauga, Ontario L5K 2P8 Tel.: (905) 823-4988 Fax.: (905) 823-8503 Prepared by ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES INC. 528 Bathurst Street Toronto, Ontario M5S 2P9 Tel.: 416-966-1069 Fax: 416-966-9723 Email: archaeology@sympatico.ca World Wide Web: archaeologicalservices.on.ca ASI File 03UA-02 Archaeological Licence P061 MCL CIF # P061-022 December 2003
PROJECT PERSONNEL Project Director: Project Archaeologist: Field Archaeologists: Report Preparation: Mr. Martin Cooper Dr. Frank Dieterman Dr. Shaun Austin Mr. Greg Braun Mr. David Robertson
Stage 1 & 2 Archaeological Assessment London Psychiatric Hospital 850 Highbury Avenue North City of London (Former London Township) Middlesex County, Ontario Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished 1.0 INTRODUCTION On behalf of the Ontario Realty Corporation, Ecoplans Limited of Mississauga, Ontario contracted to conduct a Stage 1 and 2 archaeological assessment of two areas within the London Psychiatric Hospital property in the City of London, Middlesex County, Ontario. The present report summarizes the results of the assessment of the grounds immediately surrounding four buildings (the 1890 Examination Building, the 1894 Storage Barn, the 1912 Potting Shed, and the 1956 Granary) that may be demolished (Figure 1). The assessment was conducted under the project direction of Mr. Martin Cooper, of Archaeological Services Inc., under a professional archaeological licence (P061) issued to Dr. Frank Dieterman in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act (1990). Figure 1: The location of the study area. (NTS Sheets 40 P/3 [Lucan], ed. 7, 1998 and 40 I/14 [St. Thomas], ed. 8, 1999)
Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished Page 2 2.0 STAGE 1 BACKGROUND RESEARCH Background research was completed to identify any archaeological sites previously registered within the study area and to assess the area s archaeological potential. 2.1 Previous Archaeological Research In order that an inventory of archaeological resources could be compiled for the study area, three sources of information were consulted: the site record forms for registered sites housed at the Ontario Ministry of Culture; published and unpublished documentary sources; and the files of In Ontario, information concerning archaeological sites is stored in the Ontario Archaeological Sites Database (O.A.S.D.), a database maintained by the Ontario Ministry of Culture. This database contains archaeological sites registered within the Borden system. Under the Borden system, Canada has been divided into grid blocks based on latitude and longitude. A Borden block is approximately 13 kilometres east to west, and approximately 18.5 kilometres north to south. Each Borden block is referenced by a four-letter designator, and sites within a block are numbered sequentially as they are found. The study area under review is located in Borden Block AfHh. While no sites have been documented within the study area, one site has been registered within approximately 250 metres of the study area. The Kirwani s Park site (AfHh-251) is a Late Woodland period occupation documented on a low-lying manicured terrace along the edge of Pottersburg Creek. The site was discovered in 1999 by the firm of Archaeologix Inc. 2.2 Physiography The study area is located within the eastern portion of the Caradoc Sand Plain physiographic region, which is surrounded by the spillways of the Thames River (Chapman and Putnam 1984). The eastern sand plain represents a basin into which the earliest glacial spillways deposited muddy water. Laying down beds of silt and fine sand. The topography of the study area consists of level to gently undulating terrain. Pottersburg Creek is located to the southeast of the study area (Figure 1). 2.3 Summary Review of Historic Mapping The London Asylum for the Insane was opened in 1870. Located two miles east of the city limits of London, the grounds of the facility occupied 300 acres of farmland on part of Lot 8, Concession 1 and Part of Lots 6 and 7, Concession 2 in the former Township of London, Middlesex County.
Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished Page 3 The Asylum grounds are depicted on the map of London Township in the 1878 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Middlesex (Figure 2), although no structures appear within the study area. 2.4 Assessment of Archaeological Potential 2.4.1 Precontact Potential Potable water is the single most important resource necessary for any extended human occupation or settlement. Since water sources have remained relatively stable in south central Ontario after the Pleistocene era, proximity to water can be regarded as a useful index for the evaluation of archaeological site potential. Indeed, distance from water has been one of the most commonly used variables for predictive modelling of site location. The Ontario Ministry of Culture Primer on Archaeology, Land Use Planning and Development in Ontario (1997:12-13) stipulates that undisturbed land within 300 metres of a primary water source (lakeshore, river, large creek, etc.), and undisturbed Figure 2: The study area overlaid on the map of London Township in the 1878 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Middlesex. (1) the Storage Barn (2) the Examination Building (3) the Potting Shed (4) the Granary land within 200 metres of a secondary water source (stream, spring, marsh, swamp, etc.), as well as undisturbed land within 300 metres of an ancient water source (as indicated by remnant beaches, shorecliffs, terraces, abandoned river channel features, etc.) and undisturbed lands within 250 metres of a previously registered archaeological site, are considered to have potential for the presence of precontact archaeological sites. The study area is located within approximately 200 metres of Pottersburg Creek, and within approximately 250 metres of the Late Woodland Kirwani s Park site. The study area must, therefore, be considered to exhibit potential for the presence of precontact archaeological resources, depending upon the degree to which it has been disturbed by modern land uses. 2.4.2 Euro-Canadian Potential For the Euro-Canadian period, the majority of early nineteenth century farmsteads (i.e., those which are arguably the most potentially significant resources and whose locations are rarely recorded on nineteenthcentury maps) are likely to be captured by the basic proximity to water model outlined above, since these occupations were subject to similar environmental constraints. An added factor, however, is the development of the network of concession roads through the course of the nineteenth century. These
Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished Page 4 transportation routes frequently influenced the siting of farmsteads. Accordingly, undisturbed lands within 100 metres of an early settlement road are also considered to have potential for the presence of Euro-Canadian archaeological sites. By 1870, however, the property had been developed as the Insane Asylum, resulting in a shift in land use patterns. As discussed in Section 2.3, no structures are depicted within the approximate limits of the study area on the 1878 atlas map. However, it should be noted that not every feature of interest today would have been considered within the scope of the cartographic sources that were consulted for this study. It must be recognized that over the years the property contained numerous buildings that allowed the facility to operate. These included a rich and varied array of hospitals, residences, stables, sheds, etc. The green spaces that exist between the extant buildings have the potential, to contain nineteenth century archaeological resources connected with the varied and rich history of the facility, assuming that they have not been disturbed by modern activities. 3.0 STAGE 2 FIELD SURVEY The Stage 2 archaeological assessment, completed under the field direction of Dr. Frank Dieterman, was undertaken on October 22 and 23, 2003. The weather on these days was overcast and cool. As this study was required as a consequence of a proposal to demolish the existing 1890 Examination Building, the 1894 Storage Barn, the 1912 Potting Shed, and the 1956 Granary, the field assessment proceeded through the excavation of test pits at five metre intervals within ten metre buffer area around the foundation of each structure, within areas that had not been previously disturbed (Figure 3). Such a buffer was deemed sufficient to provide thorough coverage within the zone most likely to be subject to significant disturbance as a result of the proposed demolitions. The assessment entailed test pitting within those areas that did not have been extensively disturbed by previous activities. All test pits were excavated to sterile subsoil, all soil profiles were examined for cultural deposits, and within areas that were comparatively undisturbed, all test pit fills were screened through six millimetre mesh to facilitate artifact recovery. Test pits manifesting disturbed soil profiles were not screened. In the relatively undisturbed areas, the soil profile generally consisted of 20-25 cm of sandy loam soils. All test pits were backfilled. Despite careful scrutiny, no artifacts were recovered during the course of this work. 3.1 The 1890 Examination Building All lands surrounding the Examination Building are paved with either asphalt or concrete (Plates 1 and 2) or are extensively altered. These lands were deemed to exhibit no archaeological potential in consequence of previous disturbances as a result of the original construction of the building, grading of the surrounding areas, utility and servicing installations, landscaping, etc. Consequently, no testing was conducted within the buffer zone around this structure.
Granary Storage Barn Examination Building Potting Shed HIGHBURY AVE. 10m zone around structure (test pitted at 5m intervals where not previously disturbed) previously disturbed area within 10m zone around structure (no potential-not tested) 0 200m ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES INC. DATE: NOV24/03 Figure 3: Stage 2 Assessment of Buildings to be Demolished APPROX. SCALE DRAWN BY: DR FILE: 03UA-02
Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished Page 6 3.2 The 1894 Storage Barn Approximately two-thirds of the buffer zone lands surrounding the Storage Barn proved to be extensively altered (Plate 3), as a result of grading, paving, landscaping, utility and servicing installations, etc along the south and west sides of the barn. Consequently no test pitting was conducted within these portions of the buffer zone. The balance of the buffer zone was test pitted at five metre intervals. Despite careful scrutiny, no archaeological resources were encountered. 3.3 The 1912 Potting Shed Approximately one-third of the buffer zone lands surrounding the Potting Shed proved to be extensively altered (Plate 4), as a result of grading, paving, landscaping, utility and servicing installations, etc. along the north side of the building. Consequently no test pitting was conducted within this portion of the buffer zone. The balance of the buffer zone was test pitted at five metre intervals. Despite careful scrutiny, no archaeological resources were encountered. 3.4 The 1956 Granary All of the buffer zone lands surrounding the Granary proved to be extensively altered (Plate 5), as a result of grading, paving, landscaping, utility and servicing installations, etc. Consequently no test pitting was conducted within this buffer zone. 4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The research carried out as part of the Stage 1 archaeological resource assessment of the grounds immediately surrounding the 1890 Examination Building, the 1894 Storage Barn, the 1912 Potting Shed, and the 1956 Granary on the grounds of the London Psychiatric Hospital, 850 Highbury Avenue North City of London, determined that no archaeological sites had been registered previously within the study area, while one Late Woodland site has been registered within 250 metres of the study area. Review of the general physiography of the study area and local nineteenth century land uses suggested that the study area falls within a setting that would generally be considered to exhibit archaeological potential for the presence of precontact and historic sites in those locales which have not been disturbed by more recent land uses. The Stage 2 assessment was completed by means of test pit excavation at five metre intervals within those portions of a ten metre buffer area surrounding each of the structures that had not been extensively altered by previous disturbances. Despite careful scrutiny, no archaeological resources were encountered during the course of this work. In light of these results, the following recommendations are made:
Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished Page 7 1. The 1890 Examination Building, the 1894 Storage Barn, the 1912 Potting Shed, and the 1956 Granary may be cleared of further archaeological concern. 2. Should deeply buried archaeological remains be found on the property during construction activities, the Heritage Operations Unit of the Ministry of Culture should be notified immediately. 3. In the event that human remains are encountered during construction, the proponent should immediately contact both the Ministry of Culture and the Registrar or Deputy Registrar of the Cemeteries Regulation Unit of the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services, (416) 326-8392. The documentation related to the archaeological assessment of this project will be curated by until such a time that arrangements for their ultimate transfer to Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario, or other public institution, can be made to the satisfaction of the project owner, the Ontario Ministry of Culture, and any other legitimate interest groups. 5.0 PHOTOGRAPHY Plate 1: Disturbed lands on the south face of the Examination Building. Plate 2: Disturbed lands on the west face of the Examination Building.
Part 1: Buildings to be Demolished Page 8 Plate 3: View of the south face of the Storage Barn. The lands within the 10m buffer on this side of the building are extensively disturbed. The other sides were test pitted at five metre intervals. Plate 4: View of the north and east faces of the Potting Shed. The north and west sides of this building are extensively disturbed. The other sides were test pitted at five metre intervals. 6.0 REFERENCES CITED Chapman, L.J. and F. Putnam 1984 The Physiography of Southern Ontario. Ontario Geological Survey, Special Volume 2. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Toronto. Plate 5: View of the east face of the Granary. All lands within the 10m buffer around the building are extensively disturbed. Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Middlesex 1877 Toronto: H.R. Page & Co. Reprinted by Mika Silk Screening, Belleville, Ontario. Ministry of Culture 1997 Conserving a Future for Our Past: Archaeology, Land Use Planning & Development in Ontario. Cultural Programmes Branch, Archaeology & Heritage Planning Unit, Toronto.