Visitor Information Centre, Armidale, NSW: Report on the Archaeological Monitoring of the Bus Shelter Development: Site of the Armidale Inn and Dr Markhams House

Abstract

<p>Armidale Dumaresq Council undertook redevelopment of the bus shelter on the western side of the Armidale Visitor Information Centre (VIC) in May 2015. This involved the excavation of two holes for the placement of supporting piers for the shelter. The site at 82 Marsh Street once contained two early building complexes of the mid-19^th century settlement of Armidale: the <i>Armidale Inn</i> (1846-1851) and subsequently the house and outbuildings of the first medical doctor in Armidale, Dr Thomas Markham (1855-1885). Since the demolition of the Markham buildings, the area on the west side of the VIC had remained undeveloped, as an open field and spare ground. The archaeological potential for remains from this period to survive beneath the late 20^th century configuration of the area was considered to be high. Any remains from either of the two early phases of European settlement would be rare and significant in the interpretation of the historical record of Armidale.</p><p> The two development excavation trenches were designated as the North and South Squares. Once the backhoe had removed the 20^th century sequence of bitumen carpark surfaces and fills, the c. 1.5m² squares were excavated archaeologically by hand. The deposits below the carpark layers proved to contain 19^th century artefacts and architectural debris from the demolition of the early structures. No intact 19th century features were encountered; the finds belong at the latest to the demolition phase of the Markham era around 1885, when the housing was removed. None of the finds could be clearly attributed to the earliest short phase of occupation by the <i>Armidale Inn</i>.</p><p> The excavations tentatively identified the construction of a subterranean rubble drainage system after the Markham period, but wet conditions and inflowing groundwater prevented confirmation of its nature and relationship to the natural strata beneath the site.</p><p> The identified 19^th century architectural remains comprised early orange Armidale bricks used in the superstructure of the Markham era buildings, and basalt stones from their foundations, displaced from their original positions. The majority of artefacts consisted of broken fragments of domestic pottery, as well as a porcelain doll's leg, fragments of clay tobacco pipes, glass bottles and vessels, metal objects including a rare bookbinding hammer and other objects of miscellaneous materials, such as a vulcanite nit comb. The range of domestic pottery, many with distinctive patterns, derives from Britain and the whole assemblage reveals a typical middle class domestic repertoire. This can usefully be compared to other early domestic sites which have been archaeologically investigated within Armidale and its hinterland.</p><p> The archaeological finds recovered from this limited exposure confirm the archaeological potential of the site. Remains from the 19^th century survive in this area and the probability that intact features may still exist elsewhere on the site is not eliminated. Any future development of the area involving ground disturbance should be preceded by a detailed archaeological investigation in accordance with the necessary procedures and approvals of the NSW Heritage Branch of the Department of Environment and Heritage.</p>