Low Burntoft Solar Farm Newton Bewley County Durham

Home , Hartlepool, Newton Bewley

Archaeological Watching Brief

for Anesco Ltd

CA Project:660726 CA Report:16321

July 2016

Low Burntoft Solar Farm Newton Bewley County Durham

Archaeological Watching Brief

CA Project: 660726 CA Report: 16321

Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by A 24/06/2016 JSJ SRJ Internal QA MPH 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.

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...... 4

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 5

4. METHODOLOGY ...... 5

5. RESULTS (FIGS 4-8) ...... 6

6. DISCUSSION ...... 6

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

8. REFERENCES ...... 7

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 9

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

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The archaeological resource within the site Fig. 3 Extract from the 1897 Ordnance Survey Map Fig. 4 Location of HV cable, DNO and RMU bases (1:250) Fig. 5 View of made ground at eastern end of HV cable trench Fig. 6 General view of DNO base post-excavation Fig. 7 General view of RMU base post-excavation Fig. 8 Ditch 203, section and photograph (1:20)

1 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

SUMMARY

Project Name: Low Burntoft Solar Farm Location: Newton Bewley, County Durham NGR: NZ 4553 2657 Type: Watching Brief Date: 15 June 2016 Planning Reference: H/2015/0315 Location of Archive: To be confirmed Site Code: NBH 16

In June 2016, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological watching brief at Low Burntoft Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham. The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to planning consent for the construction of a solar farm at the site.

Archaeological interest in the site is derived from its close proximity to a high concentration of archaeological remains; most notably cropmarks, interpreted as Iron Age/Romano British enclosures, identified within and adjacent to the site.

The watching brief identified a single, undated, east/west orientated ditch which broadly corresponded to a cropmark identified through aerial photography.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In June 2016, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief at Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham (centred on NGR: NZ 4553 2657; Fig. 1). The watching brief was commissioned by Anesco Ltd.

1.2 The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil two conditions (Conditions 14 and 15) attached to planning consent, granted by Hartlepool Borough Council (HBC; the Local Planning Authority), for the construction of a temporary solar farm at Low Burntoft Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham (Planning ref: H/2015/0315).

1.3 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by Bournemouth Archaeology (BUARC 2016) and approved by Mr Peter Rowe, Durham County Council’s Planning Archaeologist (DCCPA, the archaeological advisor to HBC). 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 England 2015).

The site 1.4 The site, which covers an area of approximately 10.1 ha, is located to the west of the small settlement of Newton Bewley and to the north of Middlesbrough. It comprises a sub-square shaped parcel of land currently utilised for arable agriculture. It is bounded to the north by the North Burn River, to the east by agricultural land, to the south by the Cowbridge Beck and to the west by the A19. The site lies at 26m AOD along its southern boundary, rising gently to approximately 28m AOD in the north.

1.5 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Roxby Formation mudstone of the Triassic and Permian periods, overlain by superficial Devensian deposits of Glaciolacustrine sand (BGS 2016). Course yellow-brown sand was encountered across the site during the watching brief.

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 The archaeological and historical background of the site has been presented in a recent desk-based assessment (DBA) produced by CA (2015). The following section provides a summary of this information.

Late Iron Age to Post-Roman (100 BC to c. AD 410) 2.2 Cropmarks recorded by historic aerial photographs have been identified within and adjacent to the site. Although these features remain undated, they are interpreted as Iron Age/Romano British enclosures and settlement features, based on their morphological characteristics (Fig. 2). Iron Age activity, consisting of isolated pits and a possible enclosure ditch, was recorded during excavations on the northern edge of the site by Tees Archaeology (TA 2001).

2.3 Numerous pits, including linear alignments, gullies and the clay foundations of a possible trackway have been recorded within the excavated area of the site. In addition, five inhumations with associated grave goods, as well as the remains of a stone cist, were identified (TA 2001).

2.4 Also within the excavated area of the site, a probable sill beam building, consisting of a hollow defined by deep narrow gullies, has been securely dated to the Late Roman period (TA 2001). An enclosure ditch, which encompassed this building, was cut by a grave containing two young adults, thought to have suffered severe physical trauma immediately prior to their deaths.

Early Medieval (AD 410 – 1066) 2.5 A series of curvilinear ditches were recorded during excavations in the northern part of the site. Quernstone fragments, as well as animal bone, radiocarbon dated to between AD420 and AD795, was recovered from the excavated fills of these ditches, which are thought to relate to an early medieval enclosure complex within the site.

Medieval to modern (1066 – present) 2.6 The site appears to have remained in agricultural use after the abandonment of these early medieval enclosures. Historic Ordnance Survey mapping from the late 19th century onwards records the site as a single field with a farm dwelling labelled Hall’s Field immediately adjacent to its southern boundary (Fig. 3).

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 The objectives of the archaeological works 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;  to preserve any archaeological remains present by the most appropriate method according to their significance;  at the conclusion of the project, to produce an integrated archive for the project work and a report setting out the results of the project and the archaeological conclusions that can be drawn from the recorded data.

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (BUARC 2016). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising the excavation of a high voltage (HV) cable trench linking the solar farm to the main supply, District Network Operator (DNO) base and Ring Main Unit (RMU) base (Fig. 4). The DNO base and RMU base were excavated to the upper surface of the natural substrate, which was cleaned by hand and photographed before excavation to formation depth.

4.2 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual. No finds were recovered from the feature or deposits encountered during the watching brief and no deposits were identified which were suitable for environmental sampling.

4.3 The archive from the evaluation is currently held by CA at their offices in Milton Keynes and following confirmation of the acceptance by the client of the final report will be deposited with the appropriate local museum. 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 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

5. RESULTS (FIGS 4-8)

5.1 This section provides an overview of the results; detailed summaries of the recoded contexts are to be found in Appendix A.

Trench 1 - DNO Base 5.2 The natural substrate, which consisted of coarse mid yellow brown sand interspersed with lenses of small sub-rounded gravel (102), was encountered at an average depth of 0.6m bpgl. This was overlain by made ground 101, measuring approximately 0.34m thick and recorded within Trench 3 as deposit 301. Deposit 101 was subsequently overlain by topsoil 100, 0.28m thick.

Trench 2 - RMU Base 5.3 The natural geological substrate (202), which consisted of mid orange-brown clay sand, was encountered at a depth of 0.72m bpgl. East/west orientated ditch 203 was recorded for a total length of 4.7m across the centre of the stripped area, cutting through the natural substrate. It measured 0.98m wide and 0.18m deep, with a single mid to dark grey-brown clay sand fill (204), from which no finds were recovered. This was overlain by subsoil 201, which consisted of mid grey-brown clay sand, measuring 0.42m thick. This was in turn overlain by topsoil 200, which was 0.3m thick.

Trench 3 - HV Cable Trench 5.4 The natural geological substrate, which comprised coarse mid yellow brown sand interspersed with lenses of small sub-rounded gravels (302), was encountered at approximately 1.2m below present ground level (bpgl). This was overlain by a layer of made ground (301) approximately 0.8m thick, which consisted of mid grey-brown clayey sand with frequent inclusions of coal dust and broken stone. This was in turn sealed by topsoil 300, comprising mid grey-brown silty sand, 0.4m thick. No archaeological finds, features or deposits were encountered.

6. DISCUSSION

6.1 Despite the evident archaeological potential of the site, identified in the earlier investigation by Tees Archaeology (TA 2001), this watching brief identified limited archaeological remains within the area of observed groundworks.

6 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

6.2 In the area where the watching brief and cropmarks were coincident, the watching brief identified a single east/west oriented ditch. Although undated artefactually, it shares a broadly similar alignment to and is considered contemporary with the identified settlement to the north.

6.3 The presence of substantial deposits of made ground along the pre-existing road alignment, and adjacent to Hall’s Field (Fig. 3), is likely to be associated with the demolition and removal of the 19th-century farm buildings noted on historic Ordnance Survey Mapping.

6.4 The lack of features exposed during the present watching brief, except within the southern part of the site, confirms that the previous geophysical survey and cropmarks accurately defined the limits of the archaeological remains. The monitored groundworks were predominantly outside of this concentration of presumed Late Iron Age and/or Romano-British features, with the construction footprint designed to have a minimal impact upon them.

7. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Jake Streatfeild-James. The report was written by Jake Streatfeild-James. The illustrations were prepared by Leo Heatley. The archive has been compiled by Emily Evans, and prepared for deposition by Hazel O’Neill. The project was managed for CA by Mark Hewson.

8. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2016 Geology of Britain Viewer http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html Accessed 16 June 2016

BUARC (Bournemouth University Archaeology) 2016 Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2015 Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, Billingham, Hartlepool: Desk Based Assessment CA Report No. 15614

7 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

TA (Tees Archaeology) 2001 TSEP 3: Archaeological Investigation at Newton Bewley, Hartlepool, May 1998 - January 1999

8 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench Context Type Fill Context Description L W Depth/thickness No. No. of interpretation (m) (m) (m) 1 100 Layer Topsoil Mid grey-brown clay sand - - 0.28 1 101 Layer Subsoil Made ground, mid grey- - - 0.34 brown clayey sand with inclusions of brick fragments and coal 1 102 Layer Substrate Coarse mid yellow-brown - - >0.62 sand 2 200 Layer Topsoil Mid grey-brown clay sand - - 0.30 2 201 Layer Subsoil Mid grey-brown clay silt - - 0.40 sand 2 202 Layer Substrate Mid orange-brown clay sand - - >0.72 2 203 Cut Cut of ditch East/west orientated ditch 4.7 0.98 0.18 shallow sides, flat to concave base 2 204 Fill 203 Fill of ditch Mid to dark grey-brown clay 4.7 0.98 0.18 sand, friable 3 300 Layer Topsoil Mid grey-brown clay sand - - 0.40 3 301 Layer Subsoil Made ground, mid grey- - - 0.18 brown clay sand with inclusions of brick fragments and coal 3 302 Layer Substrate Coarse mid yellow-brown - - >1.2 sand

9 © Cotswold Archaeology Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham Short description In June 2016, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological watching brief at Low Burntoft Farm, Newton Bewley, County Durham. The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to planning consent for the construction of a solar farm at the site.

The watching brief identified a single, undated, east/west orientated ditch which broadly corresponded to a cropmark identified through aerial photography. Project dates 16.06.2016 Project type Watching Brief

Previous work Desk-Based Assessment (CA 2015) Archaeological Excavation (Tees Archaeology, 2001)

Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Lower Burntoft Farm, Newton Bewley Billingham, Hartlepool Study area (M2/ha) 10.1 ha Site co-ordinates NZ 4553 2657 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator Durham County Council Planning Archaeologist Project Design (WSI) originator Bournemouth University Archaeology

Project Manager Mark Hewson Project Supervisor Jake Streatfeild-James MONUMENT TYPE Settlement SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content (museum/Accession no.)

Physical Paper Permatrace Drawing, Context Sheets, Trench Sheets Digital Report, CAD drawing BIBLIOGRAPHY

Add reference this report only, for example:

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2016 Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Newton Bewley: Archaeological Watching Brief. CA typescript report 16321

11 Earth Hedge

MKR GAS NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION ONLY

260W Modules @ 20° Pitch Spacing - back to front = 5.0m Live Hedge front to front = 9.65m Inverters - 28KTL = 153 Total no. of Inverters = 153 Total no. of modules = 19224 modules

Total Installed Capacity = 4.99824MWp front Declared Net Capacity = 4.2075MWp back

Post & Wire Fence

MKR GAS

GAS PIPELINE - EXACT LOCATION TBC

Legend

Security Fence Wooden Post & Rail Fence

front back

Top of Kerb Gravel

Kerb

Top of Bank

Top of Kerb DNO Access Route Kerb

PV Array SI Area Reserved SI Tarmac Driveway for ESS

back

front LV Switch/transformer

RMU and GRP Communications Enclosure GU

Tarmac Driveway

BT DNO Metering RMU

Wooden Post & Rail Fence

Bottom of Slope

Top of Slope

Top of Kerb

Kerb Grass Verge

Containerised Energy Storage Wooden Post & Rail Fence Top of Kerb

Kerb

Grass Verge

10 20 40 60 80 100 0 GU

Revision Description Revised By Approved By Date Installation Address Project Installer Details Comments A Drawing renumbered from 001482_07-PL RK 16/03/2016 B DNO Substation amended/changed JH 24/05/2016 LOW BURNTOFT SOLAR FARM Anesco Ltd, The Green, Low Burntoft Solar Farm, Easter Park, Newton Bewley, Title Benyon Road, Billingham, SITE LAYOUT PLANNING Reading, Durham, RG7 2PQ TS22 5PD Tel: 0845 894 4444 Scale Drawn By Checked By Signed by PM Date Checked Drawing No. Rev. Page Sheet 001482_07-PL 1:750 @ A1 RK 1 of 1 A1 B