Stancombe Quarry Extension, Flax Bourton, North Somerset

STANCOMBE QUARRY EXTENSION, FLAX BOURTON, NORTH SOMERSET

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

C.A.T JOB: 935 C.A.T REPORT: 991113

DATE: DECEMBER 1999

This report has been researched and compiled with all reasonable skill, care, and attention to detail within the terms of the project as specified by the Client and within the general terms and conditions of Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd. The Trust shall not be liable for any inaccuracy, error or omission in the report or other documents produced as part of the Consultancy and no liability is accepted for any claim, loss or damage howsoever arising from any opinion stated or conclusion or other material contained in this report or other documents supplied as part of the Consultancy.

This report is confidential to the Client. Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd accept no responsibility whatsoever to third parties to whom this report, or any part of it is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk.

Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ...... 2

SUMMARY ...... 3

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 4

1.1 Introduction ...... 4 1.2 Geology and Topography ...... 4 1.3 Methodology ...... 5

2 RESULTS ...... 5

3 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ...... 5

4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... 6

5 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 6

1 Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1 Site Location Plan ...... 7 Figure 2 Site Plan and Location of Post-Medieval Miner’s Cottages...... 8

2 Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

SUMMARY

In November 1999 Cotswold Archaeological Trust (CAT) undertook an archaeological watching brief during the removal of overburden prior to limestone quarrying at the Stancombe Quarry Extension, Flax Bourton, North Somerset.

No features of archaeological interest were identified on site.

3 Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 This report presents the results of an archaeological watching brief carried out in November 1999 prior to the extension of the carboniferous limestone quarry at Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset NGR ST 50500 67800. The watching brief was commissioned by Tarmac in line with an archaeological planning condition imposed by North Somerset Unitary Council.

1.2 Geology and Topography

1.2.1 The site of the quarry extension occupies part of a limestone plateau to the south of Flax Bourton and lies at around 160m OD (Fig. 2). To the north, the ground falls away towards Flax Bourton with substantial truncation caused by the present quarry immediately to the north of the site. To the south, the land rises gently, whilst to the west, it falls. The eastern limit of the site was marked by a dramatic fall in the ground level and is occupied by woodland. These woods contain post-medieval lead quarrying works carried out from individual holdings.

1.2.2 The natural substrate consisted of Carboniferous Limestone and was encountered at 0.1m-0.2m below ground level.

1.2.3 Although no archaeological deposits had been identified on the site, prehistoric and Romano-British finds have been recovered from the wider locality. Post-medieval lead mining based in the Bourton Combe area was also thought to have extended onto the site.

4 Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

1.3 Methodology

1.3.1 A detailed project design was prepared by CAT in line with the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Watching Briefs issued by the Institute of Archaeology (IFA 1994). The stripping of the topsoil and subsoil down to the natural substrate was monitored for the presence of archaeological deposits. All recording was undertaken in accordance with CAT manuals.

2 RESULTS

2.1 No archaeological deposits were encountered on site. The sequence of deposits consisted of natural Carboniferous Limestone substrate which was encountered at up to 0.2m below ground level. This deposit was overlain by a poorly formed orange-brown clay silt subsoil up to 0.15m thick which in turn was overlain by an orange-brown silty clay topsoil up to 0.2m thick.

3 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

3.1 As described above, no archaeological deposits were encountered during the watching brief and the natural substrate was revealed throughout the site. Based on this evidence, it is likely that the main archaeological impact on the site was agricultural.

3.2 No evidence of an extension of the post-medieval lead quarrying from Bourton Combe was present on site. However, such workings and their associated features were identified immediately to the south-east of the site (Fig. 2). The substantial drop in ground level of around 20m here had been exploited in the post-medieval period for lead quarrying. The surviving remains of this activity consist of miner’s cottages, constructed from brick

5 Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

and limestone, with iron furnaces still in situ. Near to these are the mineshafts themselves which appear to have been both vertical and horizontal. The cottages and the mineshafts are situated alongside a track within a wooded area. They are bounded from the remainder of the woods by dry-stone walls but did not appear to have been bounded from one another. The woods themselves consisted of both timber and coppiced wood and would have provided a fuel source for the miners. The plan of this occupation is irregular suggesting that the mining was carried out on an individual basis rather than as a centralised activity, although some communal activity would have been necessary, such as the construction of the track and boundary walls as well as negotiating with the land owner.

4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CAT would like to thank Tarmac for their assistance during the course of this project. The on site assistance of the quarry team is also gratefully acknowledged. Fieldwork was carried out by Jon Hart and Franco Vartuca and this report was complied by Jon Hart with illustrations by Rick Morton.

5 BIBLIOGRAPHY

CAT 1999 Stancombe Quarry Extension, Flax Bourton, North Somerset. Project Design for an Archaeological Watching Brief.

IFA 1994 Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Watching Briefs. Institute of Field Archaeologists.

6 Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

Figure 1 Site Location Plan

7 Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset: Archaeological Watching Brief.

Figure 2 Site Plan and Location of Post-Medieval Miner’s Cottages.