Severn Estuary RCZAS NMP Report 2008
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Severn Estuary Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Stephen Crowther & Amanda Dickson Contributions by Krysia Truscoe 2008 Severn Estuary Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme English Heritage; HEEP Project No. 3885 Report Authors: Stephen Crowther and Amanda Dickson Contributions by Krysia Truscoe 2008 Applications for reproduction should be made to either: Archaeology Service English Heritage NMR Services Environment Directorate National Monuments Record Centre Gloucestershire County Council Kemble Drive Shire Hall, Gloucester Swindon GL1 2TH SN2 2GZ Email:[email protected] Email: nmrinfo@english- Tel: 01452 425705 heritage.org.uk Fax: 01452 425356 Tel: 01793 414700 Fax: 01793 414707 ENGLISH HERITAGE SEVERN ESTUARY RCZAS NMP ii GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL DRAFT REPORT SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL Contents Contents ................................................................................................. i List of Figures ......................................................................................... iv Summary ................................................................................................ 1 Acknowledgements ............................................................................ 4 Mapping Conventions ......................................................................... 6 1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 7 1.1 Severn Estuary RCZAS Introduction .......................................... 7 1.2 NMP Methodology ................................................................... 11 1.3 Photographic Coverage ......................................................... 13 1.4 Light Detection And Ranging (lidar) Assessment Survey ... 15 2 Landscape Character .................................................................... 17 2.1. Introduction .............................................................................. 17 2.2 Solid and Drift Geology ........................................................... 18 2.3 The Wentlooge Formation....................................................... 23 2.4 Landscape Character And Landuse Of The Coastal Hinterland ......................................................................................... 25 2.5 The Character of the Intertidal Zone ..................................... 37 2.5.1 Introduction ........................................................................ 37 2.5.2 Erosion and Accrection in the Severn Estuary’s Intertidal Zone .............................................................................. 44 3 Previous Archaeological Work and Mapping ............................ 51 4 Factors Affecting The Results ......................................................... 57 4.1 Visibility ....................................................................................... 57 4.2 Methodology Within The Intertidal Zone ............................... 63 5 The Intertidal Zone ........................................................................... 67 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................... 67 5.2 Fishing In The Severn Estuary From Gloucester To Avonmouth ...................................................................................... 69 5.2.1 Regulation Of Fisheries ...................................................... 69 5.2.2 Putts And Putchers ............................................................. 70 5.2.3 Other Fishing Practices ...................................................... 79 5.3 Avonmouth To Clevedon: Gaps In The Evidence ............... 81 5.4 Woodspring Bay ........................................................................ 84 5.5 Middlehope, Sand Point And Sand Bay ............................... 86 5.6 Weston Bay ................................................................................ 88 5.7 Discussion Of Boat Fishing In The Severn Estuary ................. 89 5.8 Fish Weir And Trap Forms In The Outer Severn Estuary ........ 91 5.8.1 Introduction ........................................................................ 91 5.8.2 Discussion Of Morphological Form, Dating And Construction. ............................................................................. 101 5.9 Case Studies: Somerset Fisherman ...................................... 110 5.9.1 Introduction ...................................................................... 110 5.9.2 Birnbeck Island And The King Of Yellers ....................... 110 5.9.3 Stert Flats And The Somerset Mud-Horse Fishermen ... 114 5.9.4 Past, Present And Future ................................................. 118 GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL SEVERN ESTUARY RCZAS NMP i ENGLISH HERITAGE NOVEMBER 2008 SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL 5.10 Other Intertidal Structures ................................................... 119 5.10.1 Wrecks ............................................................................. 119 5.10.2 Piers And Quays ............................................................. 122 5.11 Discussion Of The Archaeological Evidence In The Intertidal Zone ............................................................................... 124 5.11.1 Limitations Of Existing Knowledge .............................. 124 5.11.2 Preservation And Survival ............................................. 128 5.11.3 Limitations Of Aerial Photographic Analysis .............. 130 5.11.4 Fishing Practices ............................................................ 131 6 Prehistoric ....................................................................................... 133 6.1 Introduction............................................................................. 133 6.2 Neolithic ................................................................................... 133 6.3 Bronze Age .............................................................................. 135 6.4 Iron Age ................................................................................... 139 6.5 Summary Of Prehistoric Evidence ....................................... 143 7 The Roman Period ........................................................................ 145 7.1 Introduction............................................................................. 145 7.2 Discussion Of The Evidence .................................................. 151 8 The Early Medieval Period ........................................................... 155 9 Medieval And Post-Medieval ..................................................... 157 9.1 Introduction............................................................................. 157 9.2 Agriculture And Settlement .................................................. 157 9.2.1 Agriculture And Settlement In Gloucestershire .......... 157 9.2.2. Settlement On The Inner Severn Estuary Margins ...... 165 9.2.3 A Comparison Of The Severn’s East And West Banks In Gloucestershire ......................................................................... 168 9.3 Agriculture And Settlement In The Somerset Levels ......... 175 9.3.1 Land Reclamation .......................................................... 175 9.3.2 Settlements ....................................................................... 179 9.4 West Somerset - The Quantock Hills And Exmoor ............. 183 9.4.1 The Quantock Hills ........................................................... 183 9.4.2 Exmoor .............................................................................. 189 9.4.3 Water Meadows .............................................................. 195 9.5 Flood Defences And Land Reclamation ........................... 201 9.5.1 Introduction ...................................................................... 201 9.5.2. Sea And Flood Defences In Gloucestershire ............. 203 9.5.3 Sea And Flood Defences In Somerset ......................... 210 9.6 Post-Medieval Transport, Industry And Military Sites ......... 213 10 20th Century ................................................................................. 241 10.1 Introduction .......................................................................... 241 10.2 First World War ...................................................................... 243 10.3 Second World War ............................................................... 247 10.3.1 Introduction .................................................................... 247 10.3.2 Pillbox Defence ............................................................. 247 10.3.3 Coastal Crust Defences ............................................... 249 10.3.4 Batteries And Bombing Decoys .................................. 255 10.3.5 Military Camps And Training ........................................ 259 ii SEVERN ESTUARY RCZAS NMP GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL NOVEMBER 2008 ENGLISH HERITAGE SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL 10.3.6 Experimentation And Communication ...................... 267 10.4 Case Study: Bristol Defences And Battery Point .............. 270 10.4.1 Bristol Defences .............................................................. 270 10.4.2 The Coastal Battery At Battery Point, Portishead ..... 273 10.5 Summary Of Second World War defences ...................... 274 10.6 Cold War Military Sites .......................................................... 275 11 Steep Holm Assesment ............................................................... 279 12 Assessment Of