Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Barton Bridges
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Archaeological Desk-based Assessment Barton Bridges, Greater Manchester Client s: The Bridgewater Canal Company Technical Report: Ashley Brogan Report No: 2020/28 © SA: Barton Bridges, Greater Manchester: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment Site Location: The Site is bounded by the Bridgewater Canal to the east, Barton Lane to the north, Barton Road to the west and Redclyffe Road and to the south. NGR: Centred at NGR SJ 76715 97620 Prepared for: The Bridgewater Canal Company Document Title: Barton Bridges, Salford Document Type: Desk-based Assessment Report No: SA/2020/28 Version: Version 1 Author: Ashley Brogan Position: Archaeologist Date: April 2021 Checked By: Anthony Lee Signed: Position: Senior Project Manager Date: April 2021 Copyright: Copyright for this document remains with the Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford. Contact: Salford Archaeology, Centre for Applied Archaeology, Peel Building, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4WT Telephone: 0161 295 2144 Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: This document has been prepared by Salford Archaeology within the Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford, for the titled project or named part thereof and should not be used or relied upon for any other project without an independent check being undertaken to assess its suitability and the prior written consent and authority obtained from the Centre for Applied Archaeology. The University of Salford accepts no responsibility or liability for the consequences of this document being used for a purpose other than those for which it was commissioned. Other persons/parties using or relying on this document for other such purposes agrees, and will by such use or reliance be taken to confirm their agreement to indemnify the University of Salford for all loss or damage resulting therefrom. The University of Salford accepts no liability or responsibility for this document to any other party/persons than by whom it was commissioned. © SA: Barton Bridges, Greater Manchester: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment Contents Summary 2 1. Introduction 3 2. Method Statement 7 3. The Setting 8 4. Historical Background 10 5. Gazetteer 24 6. Significance 28 7. Impact of Development 32 8. Recommendations 33 Sources 34 Acknowledgements 35 Appendix 1: Figures 36 © SA: Barton Bridges, Greater Manchester: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment 1 Summary The Bridgewater Canal Company is devising proposals for the construction of a footbridge at the Barton Aqueduct over the Manchester Ship Canal at Barton, Greater Manchester (centred on NGR SJ 76639 97685). The proposed development site, which falls within the Salford and Trafford Districts, was occupied previously by Barton Aqueduct and its associated embankment that was built by James Brindley in 1760- 61 as a key component of the Bridgewater Canal, widely recognised as the world’s first true industrial canal. In order to facilitate the planning process, the Bridgewater Canal Company commissioned Salford Archaeology to carry out an archaeological desk-based assessment of the proposed development site, which was intended to establish, as far as possible, the nature and significance of the archaeological resource. The site of the former aqueduct, a portion of which is a designated scheduled monument, lies at the heart of the Barton-upon-Irwell Conservation Area. Whilst the survival, extent and condition of any below-ground archaeological remains within the proposed development site is presently unknown, it is considered likely that the side walls of the original canal channel and their associated capping stones will survive in- situ, as is typically found along the length of the canal. It is possible that stone-built retaining walls and associated buttresses deriving from the original construction of the canal in 1760-61 may exist at depth within the earthen embankment, although it is not entirely certain that such structures were actually built or retained following extensive reconstruction of the embankment in 1822-24. The material used to infill the original canal channel in the 1890s is of little archaeological interest, and there is no evidence to suggest that the proposed development site has potential to contain any other below-ground remains of archaeological interest. A fragment of a substantial wall survives extant within the proposed development site. It has been suggested previously that this formed part of the wing wall of the original Barton Aqueduct, although there does not appear to be any distinguishable features to the wall or known archival sources which clearly date it to 1760-61, and it is known that this part of the aqueduct was rebuilt at various points in the nineteenth century, especially in 1822-24. There is also a substantial stone-built retaining wall that dates to 1822-24, which is of some historic interest. Any development within the area of the scheduled monument known as the ‘Bridgewater Canal’s Barton Aqueduct embankment and retaining walls’ will require scheduled monument consent. Elsewhere within the proposed development site, due to the archaeological sensitivity of the area, archaeological monitoring via a programme of archaeological watching briefs may be required during phases of work which may affect below-ground remains. However, the requirement for any further archaeological investigation in advance of, or during, development works will be decided by the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service (GMAAS), in their capacity as archaeological advisor to Salford and Trafford Councils. © SA: Barton Bridges, Greater Manchester: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment 2 1. Introduction 1.1 Project Background The Bridgewater Canal Company are considering options for a footbridge over the Manchester Ship Canal adjacent to the Barton Swing Bridge which straddles Salford and Trafford, , Greater Manchester (referred to herein as ‘the Site’). The site was occupied previously by Barton Aqueduct and its associated embankment that was built by James Brindley in 1760-61 as a key component of the Bridgewater Canal, widely recognised as the world’s first true industrial canal. The Barton Aqueduct was hailed as a remarkable feat of engineering for its period, and was the first canal aqueduct to span a road (Barton Lane) and a large river. The aqueduct was superseded by a swing aqueduct in the 1890s (now a Grade II* listed building), necessitated by the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal, and the original structures were dismantled and the short section of canal that approached the aqueduct was infilled following the creating of a new channel that connected with the swing bridge in the 1890s. In recognition of the historic significance of the original aqueduct, the west portal was carefully dismantled and re-erected in 1894 on the north side of Barton Lane, as a commemorative memorial (now a Grade II listed building). The remainder of the site, comprising the infilled channel of the original canal atop a substantial earthen embankment, is currently dominated by scrub vegetation and is not accessible to the public. Similarly, the towpath alongside this section of the canal no longer exists, thereby precluding public access to a site of industrial-heritage interest. The desk-based study aimed to identify as far as possible the nature, extent and significance of the sub-surface archaeological resource within the Site. 1.2 Government and Local Planning Policies 1.2.1 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) The significance of the archaeological resource identified within this report has been assessed as recommended in the revised National Planning Policy Framework (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, revised February 2019). The NPPF sets out the Government’s planning policies and outlines the presumption in favour of sustainable development, which is defined by three principles: economic, social and environmental. Of the core planning principles underpinning decision making, conserving heritage assets ‘in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of existing and future generations’ is one. Section 16 deals specifically with the historic environment (paragraphs 184-202), and states that local planning authorities should consider: • the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets and putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation; © SA: Barton Bridges, Greater Manchester: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment 3 • the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits that conservation of the historic environment can bring; • the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness; and • opportunities to draw on the contribution made by the historic environment to the character of a place. Paragraph 189 states that local planning authorities, when determining applications, should require the applicant to describe the significance of any affected heritage assets, including any contribution made by their setting. ‘The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. As a minimum the relevant historic environment record should have been consulted and the heritage assets assessed using appropriate expertise where necessary. Where a site on which development is proposed includes, or has the potential to include, heritage