Castlering Archaeology Report No
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C ASTLERING ARCHAEOLOG Y R E P O R T N O . 5 3 4 LAND AT LANE FARM ROSSETT ROAD ROSSETT SJ 37325 57250 ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT MARCH 2016 CASTLERING ARCHAEOLOGY REPORT NO. 534, 2 LAND AT LANE FARM, ROSSETT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT CONTRACTED BY BELLIS BROS. LTD. WREXHAM ROAD FARM, HOLT, WREXHAM LL13 9YU UNDERTAKEN BY PAT FROST, CONSULTANT ARCHAEOLOGIST BA, PGDIP, MCIFA CASTLERING ARCHAEOLOGY 33 STALLION LANE PONTESBURY SHROPSHIRE SY5 0PN 01743 792297 / 07971751975 email:[email protected] www.castleringarchaeology.co.uk Every effort has been made to provide accurate information within this report. However Castlering Archaeology cannot be held responsible for any errors and inaccuracies contained therein. CASTLERING ARCHAEOLOGY REPORT NO. 534, 3 SYNOPSIS This archaeological desk-based assessment and field walkover has been undertaken to accompany a planning application for residential development on redundant farmland adjoining Lane Farm, Rossett. The application site comprises two relatively flat open arable fields to the north and south of the B5012, on the eastern edge of the present village. Documentary and cartographic evidence shows that the application site lay within an agricultural landscape which remained largely undeveloped until the 19th century. Changes in the landscape east and west of the village are linked largely to an increase in housing and changes in agricultural practice. Today’s open fields have been created by modifying, amalgamating and straightening the smaller historic field boundaries to create new larger fields. Aerial photography, undertaken in 2005 and 2009, and the geophysical survey undertaken to complement this report, show that below ground evidence of these former boundaries survives on the site. The geophysical survey has also identified below ground evidence of ridge and furrow cultivation in the north field, of possible medieval or post-medieval date, and evidence of field drainage in the field to the south. These buried agricultural features, while not being worthy of preservation in situ, warrant a programme of archaeological recording in order to preserve their extent and profile by record and perhaps gain some dating evidence, prior to any future development in this area. The site walk-over confirmed that there is no obvious potential for buried archaeological features within the application site, other than relict field boundaries. To date no finds have been recorded from the site although the potential for the recovery of metal objects by means of a metal detector on the fields around the village is considerable. The geophysical survey identified two areas where magnetic anomalies were detected. The area in the field to the south has been recorded from the air as a rectangular feature, interpreted as a possible building, although it was acknowledged that this feature could be modern. The site visit confirmed that there is no above ground evidence at this location and the recent geophysical survey results suggest it may be a large ferrous object or buried debris. Although this feature could possibly refer to something structural which also has metal content, at this location it is more likely to be redundant agricultural machinery, probably buried in the 20th century using a mechanical digger when old field boundaries were removed. The strong signal in the field to the north may also indicate buried debris, perhaps filling a natural hollow. Both sites require further archaeological investigation in order to prove or disprove these interpretations. At this stage it is not possible to fully assess the impact of any future development on potential buried archaeological remains. However, based on available sources and the recent site walk-over, the overall potential for significant buried archaeology is considered to be low. This assessment can only be used as a guide to the potential of buried archaeological deposits and, should they exist, their survival, nature, extent and significance will only be established through ground disturbing works. Given the extent of the application site a general mitigation strategy is recommended to allow for archaeological investigation and recording, to be attached as a condition of any planning approval for development. This assessment concludes that, allowing for suitable mitigation, development on this land is unlikely to have any permanent adverse impact on the archaeological resource. CASTLERING ARCHAEOLOGY REPORT NO. 534, 4 CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Aims of the Assessment 3. Methodology 4. Known Sites of Archaeological and Historic Interest 5. Background History 6. Aerial Photographic Evidence 7. The Application Site 8. Results of the Geophysical Survey 9. Impact Assessment 10. Mitigation 11. Conclusion 12. Acknowledgements 13. References Appendix 1: Sites of Archaeological / Historic Interest Referred to in the Text ABBREVIATIONS: approx. approximately c. circa CIfA Chartered Institute for Archaeologists CPAT Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust HER Historic Environment Record m metre mAOD metre above Ordnance Datum NGR National Grid Reference NPRN National Primary Record Number OS Ordnance Survey PAS Portable Antiquities Scheme PRN Primary Record Number RCAHMW Royal Commission on Ancient & Historic Monuments, Wales CASTLERING ARCHAEOLOGY REPORT NO. 534, 5 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This archaeological assessment and field walkover survey have been undertaken to accompany a planning application for residential development on redundant farmland adjoining Lane Farm, Rossett, as seen in Figs. 1 overleaf. The application site comprises two relatively flat open arable fields to the north and south of the B5012, on the eastern edge of the present village (NGR: SJ 37325 57250). Planning and the Archaeological Resource 1.2 The role of planning authorities in respect of the archaeological resource is defined by legislation at both national and local level. 1.3 Welsh Office Planning Guidance, 2016, Planning Policy Guidance Wales: Chapter 6 Conserving the Historic Environment (Edition 8) states that The Welsh Government’s objectives in respect of the historic environment (namely statutory designated and undesignated heritage assets, conservation areas, above and below ground archaeological remains, the historic landscape and the built heritage) are to: preserve and enhance the historic environment; protect archaeological remains, which are a finite and non-renewable resource; ensure the character of historic buildings is safeguarded; ensure that conservation areas are protected or enhanced. Paragraph 6.5.2 states that ...Archaeological assessments commissioned by developers can help provide information on the archaeological sensitivity of a site before submitting a planning application.... The results of any assessment or evaluation should be provided as part of the planning application. 1.4 At a local level, Wrexham County Borough Council as the Local Planning Authority has the statutory duty to manage and protect the historic environment. Chapter 5, Policy EC11 of the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan, 1996 – 2011 adopted by Wrexham County Borough Council (http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/pdfs/planning/udp/written_statement_e.pdf) states that: Development that directly affects non-scheduled sites of archaeological importance will only be permitted if an archaeological investigation has been carried out to determine the nature, extent and significance of the remains ... and a programme of excavation and recording has been agreed. 1.5 This assessment has been undertaken to assess the baseline conditions in respect of the archaeological resource in the light of the current legislation. CASTLERING ARCHAEOLOGY REPORT NO. 534, 6 Fig. 1 Site Plan CASTLERING ARCHAEOLOGY REPORT NO. 534, 7 2. AIMS OF THE ASSESSMENT The principle aims of the assessment are to: evaluate the archaeological resource by identifying previously recorded and potential sites of archaeological and historic interest, including standing buildings, structures, earthworks or find scatters, within or in close proximity to the application site; determine the potential for any negative / positive impact on the archaeological resource that may exist on the site; inform further works and any subsequent mitigation strategy in order to eliminate and / or minimise any adverse repercussions that the proposed works may have on the resource. 3. METHODOLOGY 3.1 The assessment has been undertaken using proven archaeological techniques, which comply with Guidelines and Codes of Conduct set out by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA, 2014a); in particular the Standard & Guidance for Standard and Guidance for historic environment desk-based assessment (CIfA, 2014b). The assessment comprises a desk-based study, which was complemented by a site visit. 3.2 In order to build a chronology of the past land use on the site, the desk-based study has consulted relevant readily available records held by the following sources: Historic Environment Record (HER) held by Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, Welshpool (CPAT) National Monuments Record (NMR), RCAHMW, Aberystwyth National Library of Wales (NLW), Aberystwyth Denbighshire Record Office Flintshire Record Office Wrexham Archives 3.3 The data have been collated together with information gained from online sources. All sources consulted are listed in Section 13 and Appendix 1 following. 3.4 A non-intrusive site visit was undertaken on March 8th 2016 in order to: assess the current land-use and topography; identify the