East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, North

Archaeological Watching Brief

for Anesco Ltd

CA Project: 660580 CA Report: 15871

February 2015

East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, Richmondshire

Archaeological Watching Brief

CA Project: 660580 CA Report: 15871

Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by A 22.01.16 MW SCC Internal QA SRJ review

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

© Cotswold Archaeology

© Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...... 4

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 4

4. METHODOLOGY ...... 5

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-8) ...... 5

6. DISCUSSION ...... 6

7. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 7

8. REFERENCES ...... 7

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 8

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM...... 10

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Area of observed groundworks, showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:3000) Fig. 3 Site, looking south-east (photograph) Fig. 4 Site, looking south-east (photograph) Fig. 5 Trenches 3 and 16, showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:50) Fig. 6 Ditch 302, section and photograph (1:20) Fig. 7 Ditch 306, section and photograph (1:20) Fig. 8 Ditch 1602, section and photograph (1:20)

1 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

SUMMARY

Project Name: East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Location: Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire NGR: East Appleton: SE 2312 9590 Stripe: SE 2270 9560 Type: Watching Brief Date: 1 December 2015 to 8 January 2016 Planning Reference: 15/00448/FULL and 15/00449/FULL Location of Archive: To be deposited with Richmondshire Museum Accession Number: 4556 Site Code: EASS 15

Between December and January 2016, an archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the development of two solar farms at the sites of East Appleton and Stripe, Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire.

Previous geophysical survey of the site recorded two areas of enclosures and settlement activity, one at each of the sites.

The watching brief identified three undated ditches, located on the periphery of the easternmost area of settlement activity. The monitored groundworks lay outside of the main concentration of features recorded by the previous geophysical survey of the site. The lack of features exposed during the present works confirms that the previous survey accurately defined the limits of the archaeological remains at the site.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Between December 2015 and January 2016, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief at East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire (centred on NGR: SE 2312 9590 and SE 2270 9560, respectively; Fig. 1). The watching brief was commissioned by Anesco Ltd.

1.2 The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to a planning consent granted by Richmondshire District Council (RDC; the local planning authority), for the construction of a solar farm on each of the sites (Planning refs: 15/00448/FULL and 15/00449/FULL).

1.3 The scope of this watching brief was defined during discussions between CA and Lucie Hawkins, North Yorkshire County Council’s Principal Archaeologist (NYCCPA; the archaeological advisor to RDC).

1.4 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2015) and approved by Lucie Hawkins. The fieldwork also followed Standard and guidance: Archaeological watching brief (CIfA 2014), the Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (English Heritage 1991) and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (Historic 2015).

The site 1.5 The sites of East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms lie immediately adjacent to each other in the Richmondshire District of North Yorkshire (Fig. 1). They lie within a rural landscape, characterised by isolated farmsteads located within a patchwork of fields.

1.6 The small hamlet of East Appleton lies to the immediate south-east of the sites. The East Appleton site is approximately 11.46ha in area and the Stripe site measures approximately 12.1ha in extent. Both sites comprise two arable fields.

1.7 The underlying bedrock geology of the area is mapped as dolostone of the Cadeby Formation. This is overlain by superficial deposits of diamicton (BGS 2015). The sites are characterised by slowly-permeable and seasonally-wet acid loamy and clayey soils (Cranfield University 2015).

3 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 East Appleton and Stripe Farms have been the previous subjects of desk-based heritage assessments (CA 2015b and 2015c) and a geophysical survey (Stratascan 2015). The following section is summarised from these sources.

2.2 The geophysical survey detected two areas of enclosures and settlement activity, one at each of the sites. The enclosure at East Appleton Farm is also visible as cropmarks on historic aerial photographs; that at Stripe Farm was previously unknown, possibly because ridge and furrow cropmarks visible in this area of the site obscured the enclosure. The enclosures are interpreted as being of probable Iron Age or Roman date on the basis of morphology.

2.3 A number of further geophysical anomalies of potential archaeological nature were recorded throughout the sites, but particularly in the northern and western parts of Stripe Farm.

2.4 Cropmark and geophysical evidence for ploughed-out ridge and furrow at Stripe Farm indicates that the site formed part of the agricultural hinterland of the surrounding settlements during the medieval period.

2.5 The geophysical survey also detected the remains of a possible post-medieval field boundary within Stripe Farm.

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 The objectives of the archaeological works, as stated in the WSI (CA 2015a), were:

• to monitor groundworks, and to identify, investigate and record all significant buried archaeological deposits revealed on the site during the course of the development groundworks;

• at the conclusion of the project, to produce an integrated project archive and a report setting out the results of the archaeological conclusions that can be drawn from the recorded data.

4 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2015a). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising the ground reduction for four transformer pads, two on each site; the ground reduction for a substation situated within East Appleton; and the excavation of all low voltage (LV) and high voltage (HV) cable trenches (Fig. 2).

4.2 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual.

4.3 No finds were recovered from the features or deposits encountered during the watching brief and no deposits were identified which were suitable for environmental sampling.

4.4 The archive from the evaluation is currently held by CA at their offices in Milton Keynes. Following full reporting the archive will be deposited with Richmondshire Museum, under accession number 4556. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix B, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-8)

5.1 A broadly similar stratigraphic sequence was encountered across the area of observed groundworks. The geological substrate was identified at depths of between 0.25m and 0.4m below present ground level (bpgl). Within the eastern part of the site this comprised dark purple grey sandy clay with frequent unsorted stones and boulders (Figs 3 and 4). In the eastern part of the site, the geological substrate consisted of mid brown grey silty sand with frequent unsorted stones and boulders. This was directly overlain by topsoil, up to 0.4m thick.

5.2 Located towards the eastern end of the site, within Trenches 3 and 16, was a group of three broadly north/south orientated ditches. Ditch 302/1608 measured 0.94m wide and 0.32m deep, with moderately sloping sides and a slightly concave base (Fig. 6). No dateable material was recovered from its single silty sand fill 303.

5 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

5.3 Approximately 4m to the east was ditch 306/1606 (Fig. 7). It measured 0.52m wide and 0.15m deep, with a sandy silt fill (1607). Ditch 1604 lay 2m east of this, it was 1.94m wide and 0.25m deep. No dateable material was recovered from its silty clay fill 1605. Ditch 1602, located c. 5m to the north, may represent the continuation of ditch 1604 (Fig. 8); however, the grey-scale plot of the geophysical survey seems to indicate they are two separate ditches on slightly divergent alignments (Stratascan 2015).

5.4 Ditches 303/1608, 1602 and 1604 were detected by the geophysical survey, interpreted as peripheral ditches associated with the undated settlement to the west. The presence of ditch 306/1606 was not predicted by the geophysical survey.

6. DISCUSSION

6.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological background above), the watching brief identified limited archaeological remains within the area of observed groundworks. The watching brief has demonstrated that settlement remains do not extend beyond the areas defined by the preceding geophysical survey.

6.2 In those areas where the watching brief and geophysical survey was coincident, the watching brief confirmed the presence of archaeological remains, of probable Iron Age to Roman date. These features consisted of a group of three broadly north/south orientated ditches, which may form part of the eastern periphery of the identified settlement. Although undated artefactually, these features broadly share a similar alignment to and are considered contemporary with the identified settlement to the west.

6.3 The lack of features exposed during the present watching brief, except within the eastern part of the site, confirms that the previous geophysical survey accurately defined the limits of the archaeological remains. The monitored groundworks were predominantly outside of the main concentration of presumed Late Iron Age and/or Romano-British features recorded by the geophysical survey, with the construction footprint designed to avoid these anomalies.

6 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

7. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Ralph Brown. The report was written by Mark Woodley. The illustrations were prepared by Sam O’Leary. The archive has been compiled by Emily Evans, and prepared for deposition by Hazel O’Neill. The project was managed for CA by Stuart Joyce.

8. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2015 Geology of Britain Viewer http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html Accessed 10 May 2015

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2015a Land at Pasture Farm Allington : Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2015b Stripe Solar Farm, Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire: Heritage Desk-Based Assessment CA Report No. 15255

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2015c Land at East Appleton Farm, Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire: Heritage Desk-Based Assessment CA Report No. 15255

Cranfield University 2015 Soilscapes http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes Accessed 10 May 2015

Stratascan 2015 East Appleton and Stripe Farms, Richmondshire, Yorkshire: Geophysical Survey Report

7 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench Ctxt Type Fill of Context Description L (m) W (m) Depth/thick No. No. interpretation ness (m) Track(EA) 100 Layer topsoil Dark brown grey sandy loam 145 4 0.25-0.30 Track(EA) 101 Layer natural Yellow brown sand 145 4 >0.30 TPB(EA) 200 Layer topsoil Dark grey brown sandy loam 8.75 3.75 0.28 TPB(EA) 201 Layer natural Orange grey clay sand 8.75 3.75 >0.28 TPA(EA) 300 Layer topsoil Dark brown grey sandy loam 8.10 3.90 0.32 TPA(EA) 301 Layer natural Yellow brown sand 8.10 3.90 >0.32 TPA(EA) 302 cut ditch Linear, moderate slopes >4.00 0.94 0.32 TPA(EA) 303 fill 302 deposit Brown grey silty sand, frq >1.00 0.94 0.32 small stone inc. TPA(EA) 304 cut Ditch terminal Rounded end linear, >1.00 0.40 0.14 moderate slopes TPA(EA) 305 fill 304 deposit Brown grey sandy silt, mod >1.00 0.40 0.14 small sa stones TPA(EA) 306 cut ditch Linear, moderate slopes >1.00 0.45 0.13 TPA(EA) 307 fill 306 deposit Brown grey sandy silt, occ >1.00 0.45 0.13 small sa stone CarPark 400 Layer topsoil Dark brown grey sandy loam 20 20 0.25 CarPark 401 Layer natural Brown orange sand 20 20 >0.25 HV1 (EA) 500 Layer topsoil Brown grey sandy loam 600 0.50 0.40 HV1 (EA) 501 Layer natural Brown yellow sand 600 0.50 >0.40 substation 600 Layer topsoil Dark brown grey sandy loam 14.3 9.8 0.30 substation 601 Layer natural Brown yellow sand 14.3 9.8 >0.30 TPA (ST) 700 Layer topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 9.4 3.9 0.40 TPA (ST) 701 Layer natural Dark blue grey clay 9.4 3.9 >0.40 LV1 (EA) 800 Layer topsoil Brown grey sandy loam 190 1.20 0.40 LV1 (EA) 801 Layer natural Brown yellow sand 190 1.20 >0.40 HV2 (ST) 900 Layer topsoil Dark grey brown sandy silt 500 0.75 0.30 HV2 (ST) 901 Layer natural Brown sand to blue grey clay 500 0.75 >0.30 TPB (ST) 1000 Layer topsoil Dark brown grey sandy loam 9.00 3.75 0.35 TPB (ST) 1001 Layer natural Blue grey sandy clay 9.00 3.75 >0.35 LV2 (EA) 1100 Layer topsoil Brown grey sandy loam 200 1.20 0.40 LV2 (EA) 1101 Layer natural Orange brown sandy clay 200 1.20 >0.40 LV3 (ST) 1200 Layer topsoil Grey brown sandy loam 130 1.20 0.38 LV3 (ST) 1201 Layer natural Orange brown sandy clay 130 1.20 >0.38 LV4 (ST) 1300 Layer topsoil Grey brown sandy loam 210 1.20 0.40 LV4 (ST) 1301 Layer natural Grey brown sand 210 1.20 >0.40 LV5 (ST) 1400 Layer topsoil Dark brown grey sandy loam 100 2.00 0.40 LV5 (ST) 1401 Layer natural Yellow brown sand to blue 100 2.00 >0.40 grey clay LV6 (ST) 1500 Layer topsoil Grey brown sandy loam 120 1.20 0.40 LV6 (ST) 1501 Layer natural Orange brown clay 120 1.20 >0.40 LV7 (EA) 1600 Layer topsoil Dark brown grey sandy loam 77 1.00 0.35 LV7 (EA) 1601 Layer natural Blue grey sandy clay 77 1.00 >0.35 LV7 (EA) 1602 cut ditch Linear, moderate sides >2.00 0.87 0.25 LV7 (EA) 1603 fill 1602 deposit Brown grey clay silt, rare sa >2.00 0.87 0.25 small stones LV7 (EA) 1604 cut ditch Linear, moderate slopes >1.00 1.94 >0.25 LV7 (EA) 1605 fill 1604 deposit Brown grey silt clay >1.00 1.94 >0.25

8 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

LV7 (EA) 1606 cut ditch Linear, moderate slopes >1.00 0.52 0.15 LV7 (EA) 1607 fill 1606 deposit Brown grey sandy silt >1.00 0.52 0.15 LV7 (EA) 1608 cut ditch Linear, moderate slopes >2.00 1.10 0.31 LV7 (EA) 1609 fill 1608 deposit Brown grey sandy silt >2.00 1.10 0.31 LV8 (EA) 1700 Layer topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 160 1.90 0.37 LV8 (EA) 1701 Layer natural Yellow brown sandy clay 160 1.90 >0.37

Key: LV = Low voltage cable trench HV = High voltage cable trench EA = East Appleton site ST = Stripe site

9 © Cotswold Archaeology East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name East Appleton and Stripe Farms, Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire Short description Between December and January 2016, an archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the development of two solar farms at the sites of East Appleton and Stripe, Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire.

Previous geophysical survey of the site recorded two areas of enclosures and settlement activity, one at each of the sites.

The watching brief identified three undated ditches, located on the periphery of the easternmost area of settlement activity. The monitored groundworks lay outside of the main concentration of features recorded by the previous geophysical survey of the site. The lack of features exposed during the present works confirms that the previous survey accurately defined the limits of the archaeological remains at the site. Project dates 01 December 2015 08 January 2016 Project type Watching Brief Previous work DBA CA 2015a & 2015b Geophysics – Statascan 2015 Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location East Appleton and Stripe Farms,Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire Study area (M2/ha) 23ha Site co-ordinates SE 2312 9590 and SE 2270 9560 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator N/A Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Stuart Joyce Project Supervisor Ralph Brown MONUMENT TYPE Undated enclosures SIGNIFICANT FINDS none PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content Physical Richmondshire Museum, Accession None Paper Number 4556 WSI, pro forma registers, recording forms and photographs Digital Digital photographs and survey data BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2015 East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms, Tunstall, Richmondshire North Yorkshire. Archaeological Watching Brief. CA Report No. 15871

10 N Andover 01264 347630 Cotswold Cirencester 01285 771022 DURHAMDURHAM Exeter 01392 826185 RTLEPOOLRT Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 STOCKTON-ON-TEES AND CLEVELAND w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire

FIGURE TITLE NORTHNORTH YORKSHIREYORKSHIRE Site location plan 0 1km

FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the 2015 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with DRAWN BY SO PROJECT NO. 660580 YORKYORK the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller CHECKED BY LM DATE 27-01-16 of Her Majesty's Stationery Office c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109 APPROVED BY SJ SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1 ANCASHIRE Pond Pond

0 100m

Drain Andover Cirencester Exeter Milton Keynes

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE Area of observed groundworks showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results

DRAWN BY SO PROJECT NO. 660580 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY LM DATE 26/01/16 APPROVED BY SJ SCALE@A3 1:3000 2 3

4

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 3. Site, looking south-east Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

4. Site, looking south-east (scale 1m) PROJECT TITLE East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire FIGURE TITLE Photographs

DRAWN BY SO PROJECT NO. 660580 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY LM DATE 27/01/16 APPROVED BY SJ SCALE@A4 N/A 3 & 4 N

positive geophysical anomaly linear anomaly - possibly related to field drain

A A section location

1608 1604 1606 LV7

B B

306

HV1

304

303

302

02m A A

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 LV 8 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE 1602 C East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire FIGURE TITLE Trenches 3 and 16 showing, archaeological features and C geophysical survey results

DRAWN BY SO PROJECT NO. 660580 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY LM DATE 28/01/16 APPROVED BY SJ SCALE@A3 1:50 5 Section AA EW

87m AOD 300

301 301 303

ditch 302

01m1:20

Ditch 302, looking south (scale 1m)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire FIGURE TITLE Ditch 302, section and photograph

DRAWN BY SO PROJECT NO. 660580 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY LM DATE 27/01/16 APPROVED BY SJ SCALE@A4 1:20 6 Section BB W E 87m AOD 300

307

ditch 306

01m1:20

Ditch 306, looking north (scale 1m)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire FIGURE TITLE Ditch 306, section and photograph

DRAWN BY SO PROJECT NO. 660580 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY LM DATE 27/01/16 APPROVED BY SJ SCALE@A4 1:20 7 Section CC NW SE

87m AOD 1600

1601 1603

ditch 1602

01m

Ditch 1602, looking south (scale 1m)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 826185 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE East Appleton and Stripe Solar Farms Tunstall, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire FIGURE TITLE Ditch 1602, section and photograph

DRAWN BY SO PROJECT NO. 660580 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY LM DATE 27/01/16 APPROVED BY SJ SCALE@A4 1:20 8

11