Wrotham Heath Solar Farm Wrotham Heath Kent
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Wrotham Heath Solar Farm Wrotham Heath Kent Archaeological Evaluation for Good Energy CA Project: 770319 January 2016 Wrotham Heath Solar Farm Wrotham Heath Kent Archaeological Evaluation CA Project: 770319 CA Report: 16019 Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by A 04/01/16 OG DDR Internal Generals Edits REG review B 11/01/16 OG DDR Draft for REG issue 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 CONTENTS SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 4 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 5 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................ 6 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................... 7 4. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 8 5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-8) ......................................................................................... 8 Stratigraphic Sequence ...................................................................................... 8 Archaeology ....................................................................................................... 9 6. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 10 9. CA PROJECT TEAM .......................................................................................... 10 10. REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 10 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................... 11 APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM .......................................................................... 12 APPENDIX C: HER SUMMARY SHEET ........................................................................ 13 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan showing geophysical survey results (1:2000) Fig. 3 Trench 1, looking north - photograph Fig. 4 Trench 2, looking north-east - photograph Fig. 5 Trench 3, looking east - photograph Fig. 6 Trench 4, looking east - photograph Fig. 7 Trench 5, looking east - photograph Fig. 8 Trench 6, looking north-west - photograph Fig. 9 Trench location plan showing geophysical survey results and proposed solar farm development 3 SUMMARY Project Name: Wrotham Heath Solar Farm Location: Wrotham Heath, Kent NGR: NGR6328 5884 Type: Evaluation Date: 21-22 December 2015 Site Code: WHK 15 An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in December 2015 at the site of a proposed solar farm at Wrotham Heath, Kent. Six trenches were excavated. The evaluation was carried out following a desk based assessment (CA 2015a) and geophysical survey of the site (WYAS 2015). Of the archaeological trial trenches excavated three were targeted on the locations of the two PV stations and the internal road associated with the proposed solar farm development, with the remaining three trenches spread at random across the site in order to corroborate the results of the geophysical survey. The trial trenches measured 30m long and 1.8m wide and did not identify any archaeological features or artefactual material. 4 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In December 2015 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Good Energy at Wrotham Heath Solar Farm, Wrotham Heath, Kent (centred on NGR 6328 5884; Fig. 1). 1.2 A planning application for the installation of a 5MW solar farm (Fig. 9) has been submitted to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council by Good Energy. 1.3 In order to inform the application a programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken on the site. The scope of the evaluation was defined following consultation with Wendy Rogers, Senior Archaeological Officer at Kent County Council (SAOKCC), the archaeological advisor to the LPA, and was informed by a desk based assessment (CA 2015a) and geophysical survey of the site (WYAS 2015). 1.4 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (CA 2015b) and approved by SAOKCC. The fieldwork also followed Standard and guidance: Archaeological field evaluation (CIfA 2014) and the KCC Evaluation Specification Manual Part B. It was monitored by the SAOKCC. The site 1.5 The proposed development site is situated on farmland approximately 1.8km to the east of the town of Wrotham in north-west Kent, and comprises an irregular parcel of land of approximately 18.2ha in area. 1.6 The site is located within a well-settled landscape, the village of Wrotham Heath lies approximately 700m to the south and the small village of Nepicar lies approximately 400m to the west. The local area also has numerous historic farmsteads. The site is situated between two motorways, the M20 and M26 which meet at a junction approximately 450m to the east. The motorways define the sites northern and southern boundaries and dominate the landscape in this area. 1.7 The site consists of five irregular fields, a mixture of arable and pasture. Due to the impact of the motorways on local land organisation only the site’s western boundary 5 is of a historic character consisting of a heavily wooded, mature hedgerow. Boundaries within the site include two historic hedgerows as well as modern fences. A historic boundary crosses the site from north to south that is particularly substantial consisting of a broad drainage ditch lined by a large mature hedgerow and mature trees. The drainage ditch at this boundary may be a canalisation of the route of a former watercourse. 1.8 The underlying geology within the proposed development site varies between the north and south of the site. The northern side of the site consists of mudstone of the Gault Formation a sedimentary bedrock formed approximately 100 to 112 million years ago in an environment of shallow seas. The southern side of the site consists of sandstone of the Folkestone Formation an older sedimentary bedrock formed approximately 100 - 125 million years in a similar environment. Both rock types represent bands of bedrock situated on the northern edge of the Weald anticline. The Gault and Greensand bands underlie the chalk hills of the North Downs and overlay the Wealden Group of sands and clays which lie further south. No superficial deposits are recorded at the site. 1.9 The site is situated on land sloping to the south-east. The highest point is at the north-west boundary at approximately 80m AOD, the lowest point is on the southern boundary at approximately 65m AOD. A deep ditch carries a watercourse across the land from north to south draining from a small lake at Wrotham Water. It is likely that this represents the consolidation of a natural watercourse. 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND Introduction 2.1 A heritage desk based assessment (CA 2015a) and a geophysical survey (ASWYAS 2015) have been undetaken for the site. A brief summary of these results is presented below and the documents should be consulted for the full results. Heritage desk based assessment 2.2 Due to limited evidence for settlement, or other intensive activity in the site or study area, which is likely to have been a marginal landscape on the edge of woodland, the assessment identified a very low potential for any buried remains within the site dating from the prehistoric or Roman periods. Cartographic and historic evidence 6 suggests that most of the site was under agricultural use throughout the medieval, post-medieval and modern periods. The north-eastern part of the site was entirely disturbed by modern quarrying and the northern and southern boundaries were disturbed by the construction of the M20 and M26 motorways. It is likely that arable farming at the site would have left no archaeological remains and may have impacted upon any pre-existing buried remains. 2.3 There are no designated heritage assets within the site. The only known remains identified comprise post-medieval and modern features, including buried, infilled post-medieval field boundaries, the foundations of a former road and the possible foundations of a modern agricultural building. Geophysical Survey 2.4 A geophysical survey (ASWYAS 2015) of the site was undertaken (Fig. 2). The magnetic survey did not detect anomalies of an archaeological origin. The majority of responses were of a ferrous origin relating to former quarrying, motorway construction, metal fencing, pylons and scatters of iron debris. A large area of magnetic disturbance was present caused by the location of a former quarry and dumping. A former field boundary was identified; this corresponds to the 1840 Tithe Map of Wrotham Parish (CA 2015a) and is visible on Ordnance Survey mapping from 1870. By the 1961 map the boundary has been removed. Responses consistent with variations in the underlying geology were also identified. The survey identified a low potential for the presence of buried archaeological remains within the site. 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 3.1 The objectives of the trial trench evaluation were to provide information