Waun-Tysswg Farm, Abertysswg, Wales Desk
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A DIVISION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD WAUN-TYSSWG FARM, ABERTYSSWG, WALES DESK BASED ASSESSMENT (reference: WAUN-009) - addendum ON BEHALF OF A DIVISION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD Waun-tysswg, Abertysswg, Wales NGR: SO 136 066 Report No. 1233-A November 2018 This report has been compiled with all reasonable skill care and attention to detail within the terms of the project as specified by the client and within the general terms and conditions of Archaeological Management Services Ltd trading as Foundations Archaeology but no explicit warranty is provided for information and opinions stated. AMS Ltd accepts no responsibility whatsoever to third parties to whom this report or any part thereof is made known. Any such party relies on this report at their own risk. Copyright of this document is retained by AMS Ltd, but unlimited licence to reproduce it in whole or part is granted to the client and/or their agents and/or assignees on payment of invoice. Quality Assurance This Document has been Prepared and Checked in accordance with AMS's Quality Procedures (BS EN ISO 9001: 2015) Date: 09/11/2018 Approved: Roy King BA MCIfA QA Checked: Diana King BA MCIfA This report has been compiled with all reasonable skill, care and attention to detail within the terms of the project as specified by the client and within the general terms and conditions of Archaeological Management Services Ltd. (AMS Ltd.) trading as Foundations Archaeology. This report is confidential to the client. AMS Ltd. accepts no responsibility whatsoever to third parties to whom this report or any part thereof is made known. Any such party relies on this report at their own risk. Waun-Tysswg Farm Solar Park, Abertysswg, Tredegar, Wales: Heritage Impact Assessment CONTENTS Glossary of terms and abbreviations Summary 1 Introduction and Project Background 2 Assessment Methodology 3 Planning Background and Legislative Framework 4 Sources 5 Site Location and Description 6 Aerial Photographs 7 Archaeological and Historic Background 8 Historic Map Analysis 9 Archaeological Potential 10 Settings Appraisal 11 Impact Assessment 12 Cumulative Impacts 13 Conclusions 14 References 15 Acknowledgements Appendix 1 Gazetteer of Historic Environment Information V2.4 © Archaeological Management Services Limited i Waun-Tysswg Farm Solar Park, Abertysswg, Tredegar, Wales: Heritage Impact Assessment LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Site Location Figure 2 Map showing HER Data Figure 3 Parish of Bedwelty Tithe Map, 1839 Figure 4 Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 Plan, 1877 Figure 5 Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 Plan, 1901 Figure 6 Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 Plan, 1920 Figure 7 Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 Plan, 1945 Figure 8 Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 Plan, 1964 Figure 9 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Plan, 1973 Figure 10 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Plan, 1986 Figure 11 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Plan, 1999 Figure 12 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Plan, 2006 Figure 13 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Plan, 2017 Figure 14 Proposed Development Plan and Location of Features Identified during the Walkover Survey Figure 15: Viewpoint Plan *Maps at 1:10,560 are presented at 1:10,000 LIST OF PLATES Plates 1-3 Plates 4-6 Plates 7-8 Plate 9 V2.4 © Archaeological Management Services Limited ii Waun-Tysswg Farm Solar Park, Abertysswg, Tredegar, Wales: Heritage Impact Assessment GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Archaeology For the purposes of this project archaeology is taken to mean the study of past human societies through their material remains from prehistoric times through to the modern era. No rigid upper date limit has been set, but AD 1900 is used as a general cut off point. HER Historic Environment Record. HVIA Heritage and Visual Impact Assessment. ICOMOS International Council on Monuments and Sites. LVIA Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment. Medieval The period between the Norman Conquest (AD 1066) and c. AD 1500. Modern There is debate in archaeology about when then modern period commences, but 1900 is a useful start point. Natural In archaeological terms this refers to the undisturbed natural geology of a site. NGR National Grid Reference from the Ordnance Survey Grid. NMP National Mapping Programme whereby possible archaeological features present on aerial photographs were mapped. Undertaken for certain counties, including Cornwall. V2.4 © Archaeological Management Services Limited iii Waun-Tysswg Farm Solar Park, Abertysswg, Tredegar, Wales: Heritage Impact Assessment OD Ordnance Datum; used to express a given height above sea level. OS Ordnance Survey. OUV Outstanding Universal Value. Post-Medieval Refers to the period from c. AD 1500 to AD 1900. Prehistoric In Britain this term is generally used for any of the traditionally defined periods such as Palaeolithic (c. 480,000-12,000 BC), Mesolithic (c. 12,000-4000 BC), Neolithic (c. 4,000-2,500), Bronze Age (c. 2500-600 BC) and Iron Age (c. 800 BC – AD 43). Romano-British Term used to describe the fusion of indigenous late Iron Age traditions with the invasive Roman culture. Traditionally dated between AD 43 and AD 410. Saxon or Early Medieval Term used to describe the period between the end of Roman Britain c. AD 410 and the Norman Conquest (AD 1066). WHS World Heritage Site. ZTV Zone of Theoretical Visibility. V2.4 © Archaeological Management Services Limited iv Waun-Tysswg Farm Solar Park, Abertysswg, Tredegar, Wales: Heritage Impact Assessment SUMMARY This Baseline Heritage Impact Assessment has been prepared by Roy King and Kim Watkins. The illustrations for the report were prepared by Diana King and Santiago Erimo. The project was commissioned by David Meehan of Elgin Energy ESCO Ltd. This proportionate Heritage Impact Assessment has been prepared to accompany a Planning Application in relation to land at Wantysswg Farm, Abertysswg, Wales. The proposal is for the construction of a new 30MW photovoltaic scheme covering an area of approximately 57ha, and the assessment (HIA) has considered the potential for the proposed development to affect known and potential heritage assets, as required by Planning Policy Wales Chapter 6. There are several identified heritage assets present on the site. These are all located on the western edge of the site area and include the remains of a Post-Medieval barn shown on an 18th century map, but demolished by the time of the tithe survey in 1839, and some features from the early extractive industry in the area, including an early mine level and workings, a gully, and some small pits. If the barn and extractive industry features just to the north of it cannot be preserved in situ, then archaeological mitigation is recommended; the spoil tips further to the south will probably remain unaffected by the proposed development. Any identified features to be preserved in situ would benefit from the erection of temporary fencing around them to clearly demarcate their positions. The site also lies within an area of high historic landscape value known as the Bedwellte Fieldscape, including a recorded extractive ironworking industry site (EA072) and there is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the Tredegar Ironworks Cholera Cemetery, located just to the north. The HIA has also considered the potential for heritage assets with an archaeological interest to be present on the site, based on the known archaeological remains that are presently recorded in the vicinity. The potential has been assessed as low for the Prehistoric, Roman, Early Medieval and Medieval periods, with the recognition that if features were present they would be of moderate to high significance, given their rarity in the area. The potential for non-agricultural Post-medieval features has also been assessed as moderate-high and the potential significance for these periods is high, especially with regard to assets which may relate to the historic extractive industry in the area. Overall the proposed development would have a low non-visual impact on the heritage assets within the site area, especially if a mitigation strategy were adopted; that is to not extend the area of development to the western edge of the site area which has been identified as the main location for archaeological and historic features. The main impact which would result from the proposals has been identified as an effect on the setting of heritage assets. This would result in a negligible trending to minor adverse impact on the setting of extractive industry area EA072 and a moderate adverse unmitigated direct impact on physical remains associated with it, reducing to negligible with appropriate mitigation. An overall minor adverse impact on the setting of the Scheduled Monument Area of the Cholera Cemetery, with a minor adverse trending to moderate adverse impact on the Bedwellte Fieldscape including Cwm-Tysswg Farm, and the heritage assets within the site area. Due to the topography of the site area and the views from the surrounding area, no mitigation is possible, although it is important to note that the photovoltaic scheme will only be in place for 30 years and is fully reversible with regard to settings. V2.1 © Archaeological Management Services Limited 1 Waun-Tysswg Farm Solar Park, Abertysswg, Tredegar, Wales: Heritage Impact Assessment 1 INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT BACKGROUND 1.1 This proportionate Baseline Heritage Impact Assessment has been prepared by Roy King and Kim Watkins to accompany a Planning Application in relation to Land at Waun-Tysswg Farm, Abertysswg, Wales. The proposal is for the construction of a new 30MW photovoltaic scheme covering an area of approximately 57ha and this assessment (HIA) has considered the potential for the proposed development to affect known and potential heritage assets, as required by Section 6.5 of the National Planning Policy Wales, Edition 9 Chapter 6). The project was commissioned by David Meehan of Elgin Energy ESCO Ltd. 1.2 This Heritage Impact Assessment has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Wales, Edition 9 and Local Planning Policy.