PCA Winchester was commissioned to undertake an archaeological watching brief (monitoring and recording) on geotechnical test pits and archaeological trial trench evaluation on land at Westmount Road with the pre-determination watching brief and evaluation targeting two currently undeveloped areas within the larger Our Hospital Project Site. The watching brief and evaluation form part of a staged approach to understanding the archaeological implications of the proposed development.

Both areas were considered to have the potential to contain archaeological resources of prehistoric date with some possibility of archaeological resources of post-medieval to modern date. One is located within the site of the possible Le Rouge Bouillon/Le Mont Patibulaire Megalithic Monument Area of Archaeological Potential (AAP) as designated by the States of Jersey.

The archaeological watching brief was carried out intermittently and the evaluation comprised 20 trenches each measuring 20m x 2m.

A number of features were found during the watching brief and evaluation including a semi-complete deliberately buried Bronze Age vessel and a curvilinear ditch. The latter contained two prehistoric pottery sherds which may also be Bronze Age in date. A 19th-century pit and an undated ditch were also recorded in one field and in the other was an undated north south linear intrusion along with a possible prehistoric pit.

Although it is thought that a lost Neolithic megalithic monument, currently referred to as Le Rouge Bouillon/Le Mont Patibulaire, is located within one site area and the site also has the potential for evidence of other prehistoric human activity neither the evaluation or watching brief revealed evidence for the megalithic monument but despite this it is possible that the buried vessel, along with the curvilinear ditch, indicates a Bronze Age revisiting of this monument.

Due to the results of both the watching brief and the evaluation further archaeological work was recommended as part of the planning conditions and this further work should be carried out as part of the pre-commencement condition of planning consent.

After the conclusion of the program of work, a post-excavation assessment was carried out and a written report produced as part of the planning conditions.