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Slaidburn Pipeline, Lancashire SLAIDBURN PIPELINE, LANCASHIRE Historical Research, Walkover Survey, Strip and Record Investigation and Topographic Survey Oxford Archaeology North November 2010 United Utilities Issue No: 2010-11/1079 OAN Job No: L10221 NGR: SD 69642 53756 to SD 70335 51365 Slaidburn Pipeline, Lancashire: Historical Research, Walkover Survey, Strip and Record Investigation and Topographic Survey 1 CONTENTS SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................... 4 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 5 1.1 Circumstances of Project............................................................................. 5 1.2 Location, Topography and Geology ............................................................ 5 2. METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 6 2.1 Project Design............................................................................................. 6 2.2 Historic Research........................................................................................ 6 2.3 Walkover Survey ........................................................................................ 6 2.4 Strip and Record Investigation .................................................................... 7 2.5 Watching Brief............................................................................................ 7 2.6 Topographic Survey.................................................................................... 7 2.7 Archive....................................................................................................... 7 3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ............................................................................ 8 3.1 Background ................................................................................................ 8 3.2 Map Regression Analysis...........................................................................15 3.3 Aerial Photographs ....................................................................................16 3.4 Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) ...............................................16 3.5 Slaidburn Conservation Area .....................................................................16 4. FIELDWORK RESULTS....................................................................................18 4.1 Walkover Survey .......................................................................................18 4.2 Strip and Record Investigation ...................................................................21 4.3 Watching Brief...........................................................................................21 4.4 The Finds...................................................................................................23 4.5 Topographic Survey...................................................................................24 5. SITE GAZETTEER ...........................................................................................25 6. DISCUSSION....................................................................................................38 6.1 Synthesis....................................................................................................38 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY ..............................................................................................39 7.1 Cartographic Sources.................................................................................39 7.2 Secondary Sources.....................................................................................39 8. ILLUSTRATIONS .............................................................................................41 8.1 List of Figures............................................................................................41 8.2 List of Plates..............................................................................................41 APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT INDEX..............................................................................43 APPENDIX 2: FINDS CATALOGUE ..........................................................................44 For the use of United Utilities Ltd © OA North: November 2010 Slaidburn Pipeline, Lancashire: Historical Research, Walkover Survey, Strip and Record Investigation and Topographic Survey 2 SUMMARY United Utilities propose the construction of a pipeline from Little Dunnow Wood to Proctor’s Farm, near Slaidburn, Lancashire (SD 69642 53756 to SD 70335 51365). The total length of the proposed pipeline is approximately 5km. Following recommendations made by the Planning Archaeologist at Lancashire County Council Historic Environment Service, United Utilities commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to undertake historic research and a walkover survey for the proposed development area. This was duly undertaken in February 2010. As a result of the historic research and, in particular, the results of the walkover survey, which combined identified 56 sites of archaeological interest, a programme of topographic survey was carried out on an extensive number of earthwork remains in and around the village. In addition, the site of the proposed pumping kiosk within Slaidburn village, was subject to a strip and record investigation. These elements, together with a limited watching brief maintained adjacent to the site of the kiosk, were undertaken during August 2010. A watching brief remains to be maintained during trench open-cut activities. This will be subject to a separate report. There is clear evidence of human activity at Slaidburn from the prehistoric period, with a Bronze Age burial cairn (Site 9) being sited just to the south of the parish church. Slaidburn appeared in the Domesday Survey, and it has been suggested that the raised land in the vicinity of St Andrew’s Church (Site 01), which dates to at least as early as the first half of the twelfth century, would represent the most likely location for any pre-Conquest settlement associated with the village. The church foundation occurred prior to 1090 AD, and two pieces of stone sculpture of apparent early-medieval date have been found in the vicinity of Slaidburn, one of which was discovered in the area close to the church. Slaidburn, in common with other villages in the Bowland area, relied on agricultural subsistence throughout the early post-medieval period, and during the sixteenth century, following the increase of the population, an increase in the reclamation and enclosures of the waste took place. In addition to the dominance of agriculture in the Slaidburn area, weaving was also practiced, and a fulling mill was in use from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century. Agricultural practice has dominated the landscape ever since. The results of the fieldwork confirm the findings of the documentary research, with the vast majority of the earthwork features observed relating to agriculture and, in particular, field boundaries, ridge and furrow and lynchets. Indeed, there is a significant amount of well-preserved earthworks in and around the village, their presence being determined by the walkover survey, and highlighted by the subsequent topographic survey. Although no archaeology was encountered during the strip and record investigations. a linear feature, the fill of which contained sherds of pottery of twelfth to fifteenth century date, was exposed during the watching brief. For the use of United Utilities Ltd © OA North: November 2010 Slaidburn Pipeline, Lancashire: Historical Research, Walkover Survey, Strip and Record Investigation and Topographic Survey 3 Other than the outstanding watching brief, no further recommendations for archaeological investigation are made. For the use of United Utilities Ltd © OA North: November 2010 Slaidburn Pipeline, Lancashire: Historical Research, Walkover Survey, Strip and Record Investigation and Topographic Survey 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) would like to thank United Utilities for commissioning the project. Thanks are also due to Ken Davies of the Historic Environment Record Office, Preston, the staff of the County Record Office in Preston, and the staff at Slaidburn Archive for their assistance with this project Alastair Vannan compiled the historic research. Peter Schofield conducted the walkover survey, and Sean McPhilips undertook the strip and record investigation and the watching brief. Chris Wild undertook the topographic survey. Alastair Vannan, Peter Schofield and Sean McPhilips wrote the report. Mark Tidmarsh produced the drawings, and Alison Plummer, who managed the project, also edited the report. For the use of United Utilities Ltd © OA North: November 2010 Slaidburn Pipeline, Lancashire: Historical Research, Walkover Survey, Strip and Record Investigation and Topographic Survey 5 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 CIRCUMSTANCES OF PROJECT 1.1.1 United Utilities propose the construction of a pipeline from Little Dunnow Wood to Proctor’s Farm, near Slaidburn, Lancashire (SD 69642 53756 to SD 70335 51365), comprising two main sections aligned in approximate north- west to south-east and north-east to south-west orientations (Fig 1). The total length of the proposed pipeline is approximately 5km. Following recommendations made by the Lancashire County Historic Environment Service (LCHER) Planning Archaeologist, United Utilities
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