The prestigious RICS South West awards were held on a beautiful autumn evening at the Roman Baths on the 21st September. Chief Executive of Cotswold Archaeology, Neil Holbrook, was in attendance as the Roman Baths Development project was awarded first place in the Community Benefit category. This award recognises outstanding achievement in providing a facility which directly benefits the local community. Cotswold Archaeology’s role included providing building recording and watching brief services, which offered new insights into the complex history of the site, resulting in a much enhanced understanding of the structures around the entrance area of the Roman Temple of Sulis Minerva and the development of the Roman drainage systems.
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| Mark Price (RICS Great Western Local Association Chair) and Mark Robinson (Chair of the RICS South West Judges) present the award to Stephen Clews (Roman Baths & Pump Room Manager) |
Neil Holbrook commented: ”We are delighted that this project won the Community Benefit project. This is an award based on positive local feedback and this makes it all the more important. Awards like this underscore our ability to support all types of building development, offering professional, time and cost-efficient archaeological solutions to a whole host of building and renovation projects.”
This project will now be put forward as a contender for the international RICS awards at the Savoy Hotel in October.
Notably, two other projects involving Cotswold Archaeology were also recognised. The Broad Quay development in Bristol and Bristol Civil Justice Centre (2 Redcliff Street) were both given Highly Commended in the Regeneration category.
Cotswold Archaeology’s consultancy, field work and post-excavation teams provided a vital role in the Broad Quay Development (a regeneration project comprising a new hotel, apartments, and retail and leisure premises), offering services from desk-based assessment to archaeological excavation and post-excavation assessment.
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| Broad Quay Development: Marsh Wall (with two pointed projections) which dates to the late 13th century |
For Bristol Civil Justice Centre (2 Redcliff Street), Cotswold Archaeology’s expert fieldwork and post-excavation teams undertook archaeological excavation and publication services.
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| Redcliff St: excavating a wattle-lined medieval drain | Redcliff St: later 12th– 13th century bridge-spouted pottery jug |
