Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire:An Archaeological Watching Brief
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Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire: An Archaeological Watching Brief ARS Ltd Report No.2015/107 OASIS No: archaeol5-217051 Compiled By: Caitlin Halton Archaeological Research Services Ltd Angel House Portland Square Bakewell Derbyshire DE45 1HB Checked By: Chris Scott MCIfA Tel: 01629814540 [email protected] www.archaeologicalresearchservices.com An Archaeological Watching Brief at Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire Contents LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................. II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................................................................1 1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................2 2 LOCATION AND GEOLOGY ...........................................................................................................2 3 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ....................................................................2 4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................3 5 METHOD STATEMENT..................................................................................................................4 6 RESULTS ......................................................................................................................................4 7 POTTERY ......................................................................................................................................5 8 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................................5 9 PUBLICITY, CONFIDENTIALITY AND COPYRIGHT ...........................................................................6 10 STATEMENT OF INDEMNITY ........................................................................................................6 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................6 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................6 APPENDIX 1- FIGURES ..........................................................................................................................8 APPENDIX 2- CONTEXT REGISTER ...................................................................................................... 16 APPENDIX 3- WRITTEN SCHEME IF INVESTIGATION ........................................................................... 17 APPENDIX 4- OASIS FORM ................................................................................................................. 22 List of Figures Figure 1: Site location Figure 2. Plan site excavated Figure 3. South west facing view of car park showing top soil (001) and natural substrate (003). Scale = 1 x 2m . Figure 4. South east facing section of service trench. Scale = 1 x 1m Figure 5. South east facing section of service trench. Figure 6. South east facing section of service trench over the bridge. Scale = 1 x 1m. Figure 7. South east facing section of service trench in front of the den. Scale = 1 x 1m. Figure 8. Service trench over the bridge aligned north east curving east towards the carpark. Scale = 1 x 1m. Figure 9. North west facing section of service trench underneath road/Car park of the Adventure Centre. Scale = 1 x1m. Page | ii An Archaeological Watching Brief at Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire Executive Summary Project Name: An Archaeological Excavation at Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire Site Code: LEWCP 15 Planning Authority: Peak District National Park Authority Location: Longshaw Estate, Sheffield Geology: Rossendale Formation- Mudstone and Siltstone sedimentary bedrock formed in the Carboniferous Period. (BGS, 2015) NGR: SK 26620 80058 Date: July 2015 In March and June 2015 Archaeological Research Services Ltd was commissioned by the National Trust to undertake an archaeological watching brief during the refurbishment and extension of Woodcroft car park, Longshaw, Sheffield. The objective of the watching brief was to ensure that any archaeological features or deposits encountered during the refurbishment of the car park were appropriately recorded and interpreted. The ground works did not uncover any archaeological features or deposits. Six fragments of 19th- early 20th century pottery, including white stoneware and white earthenware were identified in the top soil. Page | 1 An Archaeological Watching Brief at Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire 1 Introduction 1.1 In March and June 2015 Archaeological Research Services Ltd was commissioned by the National Trust to undertake an archaeological watching brief at Longshaw Estate’s Woodcroft car park. 1.2 Planning permission was granted by the Peak District National Park Authority. Condition No. 15 of the planning permission required that: “The development shall not proceed other than in full accordance with an archaeological watching brief with appropriate salvage, recording and protection provisions that shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Authority before work commences on site. Reason - To ensure any archaeological interest that may be found on the site is recorded and appropriate action taken to salvage or protect the interests during construction.” 2 Location and Geology 2.1 The Woodcroft car park of Longshaw Estate is located off the A6187 to the north-east of Longshaw Lodge and is centred at SK 426618 380035(Figure 1). 2.2 The underlying geology of the site is comprised of mudstones and siltstones of the Rossendale and Marsden Formations (BGS 2015). 2.3 The soils of the PDA belong to the Wilcocks 1 Soil Association (721c), which are cambic stagnohumic gley soils (SSEW 1983a). These soils form as drift from Palaeozoic sandstone, mudstone and shale and are characterised as ‘slowly permeable seasonally waterlogged fine loamy and fine loamy over clayey upland soils with a peaty surface horizon. Coarse loamy soils affected by groundwater in places. Very acid where not limed’ (SSEW 1983b). 3 Historical and Archaeological Background 3.1 Prehistoric remains in the Peak District are numerous, especially within the moorlands of Hathersage and Totley Moss. Within Longshaw Estate, ring cairns containing urns and human bones have been unearthed to the north of the PDA. Quarrying took place in the area from at least the 15th century, with Yarncliffe Quarry utilizing the natural rock outcrops of the Peaks to make millstones. (National Trust, n.d.) 3.2 Before the construction of modern roads in the 18th century, the landscape of the moorlands was crossed by numerous braided ways and paved causeways forming direct routes (where the topography of the area allowed) between Page | 2 An Archaeological Watching Brief at Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire towns and estates. After many years of use, many of these braided ways became sunken, due to the susceptibility of sandstone and shale to erosion. One such braided hollow way heading from Hathersage to Chesterfield crossed Lawrence Field, to the (south-east) of the PDA (Barnatt 2004, 104). This route became disused by the early 19th century. 3.3 Comprised of 1087 acres of moor and woodland, Longshaw Estate stretches almost down to Grindleford and includes the area around Millstone Edge and Bole Hill. The National Trust obtained the entire estate in 1931. With the estate lies two Grade II Listed Buildings: Longshaw Lodge (NHLE No. 1109833) and the Chapel to Longshaw Lodge (NHLE No. 1335025). Built in 1827 as a shooting box for guests of the Duke of Rutland, Longshaw Lodge has since been used as a hospital for wounded soldiers during WWI and is now private flats, though the National Trust maintains a café and shop for tourists on site. The area of the PDA is utilised as the main car park of the estate, called ‘Woodcroft’. This triangular tract of land appears on maps as early as 1878. 4 Aims and Objectives 4.1 Regional Research Aims and Objectives 4.1.1 Research topics identified in East Midlands Heritage: An Updated Research Agenda and Strategy for the Historic Environment of the East Midlands (Knight et al, 2012) applicable to this programme of works include researching regional communications infrastructure and exploring the landscape legacy of rural leisure pursuits. The medieval period is important for the study of communication routes, which the physical infrastructure, such as roads, and their associated landscape features, such as hollow-ways, remain little researched (Research Objective 7J, p. 106). The 19th century landscape of the midlands provided the locale for fox hunting and other leisure pursuits. Further research into the landscape and social history of these pursuits would allow for the identification of associated small and large-scale landscape features that are largely neglected by the Historic Environment Records (Research Objective 9F, p. 129). 4.2 Watching Brief Objectives 4.2.1 The objective of the watching brief is to ensure that any potential archaeological remains exposed during the groundworks associated with the refurbishment and Page | 3 An Archaeological Watching Brief at Longshaw Estate Car Park, Derbyshire extension of Woodcroft car park, are fully recorded and interpreted, and that any remains disturbed are recovered. 5 Method