Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation

Appendix D: Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation Stalybridge - Woodhead (4ZO) OHL Written Scheme of Investigation Submitted to: Energy Alliance Submitted by: AMEC Environment and Infrastructure UK Limited Shrewsbury, UK AMEC Project: 32430 October 2013 17 October 2013 AMEC Ref No: 32430n037i1 Dear Sir/Madam Re: Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL Please find enclosed the Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation which sets out procedures and standards for archaeological work to be carried out in mitigation of potential effects on the historic environment arising from the scheme. If you have any questions regarding the project please contact the undersigned. Yours sincerely Robert Johns (Reviewer) Senior Consultant AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Ltd Canon Court Abbey Lawn Abbey Foregate Shrewsbury SY2 5DE Tel: +44 (0)1743 342029 Author: John Mabbitt Senior Consultant AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Ltd Partnership House Regent Farm Road Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3AF Tel: +44 (0)191 2726254 Energy Alliance Repair Works October 2013 AMEC Project 32430 REPORT ISSUE FORM Client Name Electricity Alliance Project Name Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL Report Title Level 1 Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Appraisal Document Status & Draft For Comment Issue No. 1 Issue No. Issue Date 17 October 2013 Author John Mabbitt 11 October 2013 Reviewer Rob Johns 17 October 2013 Programme Manager Approval Hilary Valler Copyright and Non-Disclosure Notice The contents and layout of this report are subject to copyright owned by AMEC (©AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited 2013) save to the extent that copyright has been legally assigned by us to another party or is used by AMEC under licence. To the extent that we own the copyright in this report, it may not be copied or used without our prior written agreement for any purpose other than the purpose indicated in this report. The methodology (if any) contained in this report is provided to you in confidence and must not be disclosed or copied to third parties without the prior written agreement of AMEC. Disclosure of that information may constitute an actionable breach of confidence or may otherwise prejudice our commercial interests. Any third party who obtains access to this report by any means will, in any event, be subject to the Third Party Disclaimer set out below. Third Party Disclaimer Any disclosure of this report to a third party is subject to this disclaimer. The report was prepared by AMEC at the instruction of, and for use by, our client named on the front of the report. It does not in any way constitute advice to any third party who is able to access it by any means. AMEC excludes to the fullest extent lawfully permitted all liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever arising from reliance on the contents of this report. We do not however exclude our liability (if any) for personal injury or death resulting from our negligence, for fraud or any other matter in relation to which we cannot legally exclude liability. Written Scheme of Investigation Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL ii Energy Alliance Repair Works October 2013 AMEC Project 32430 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY This report sets out the procedures and standards for proposed archaeological monitoring and recording of construction work in mitigation of potential disturbance of archaeological deposits and material arising from EAWs proposed scheme (EAW No. 20594) for the potential repair of the existing overhead electricity line (OHL) between towers 4ZO250 and 4ZO200. This report sets out the scheme description (Section 1), the aims and objectives of the archaeological work (Section 2), and summarises the archaeological and historical context of the area (Section 3) before setting out detailed procedures and standards for the archaeological fieldwork (Sections 4-6) and reporting (Section 7). Issues of health and safety management are considered at Section 8. The archaeological mitigation proposed comprises archaeological monitoring (watching brief) of intrusive groundworks at the identified work locations with provision to step the intervention up to strip and record investigation where areas of more complex archaeological deposits and features are observed. At the conclusion of the works, a report will be prepared which summarises the results of the archaeological works and sets out proposals for further analysis and dissemination if these are considered appropriate. Written Scheme of Investigation Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL iii Energy Alliance Repair Works October 2013 AMEC Project 32430 Written Scheme of Investigation Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL iv Energy Alliance Repair Works October 2013 AMEC Project 32430 CONTENTS 1. The Project 1 2. Archaeological and Historical Background 1 2.1 Geology and Historic Landscape Character 1 2.2 Archaeology and History 2 3. Archaeological Response 4 3.1 Aims and Objectives 4 3.2 Work Locations 5 4. Standards for Archaeological Monitoring of Intrusive Groundwork 7 4.1 General Standards 7 4.2 Archaeological Monitoring 7 4.3 Recording 7 5. Standards for Strip and Record Investigation 8 5.1 General Principles 8 6. General Standards 8 6.1 General Methods 8 6.2 Sample Excavation 9 6.3 Recording 10 6.4 Environmental Sampling 11 6.5 Artefact Recovery 12 6.6 Scientific Dating 13 6.7 Human Remains 13 7. Post-excavation Analysis, Reporting and Archiving 13 7.1 Finds 13 7.2 Post-Excavation Reporting 14 7.3 Site Archive 15 7.4 OASIS 15 7.5 Further analysis and Dissemination 15 8. Health and Safety 15 9. References 16 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Summary Mitigation Table (see Appendix 2: Summary of Mitigation Options) 5 Written Scheme of Investigation Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL v Energy Alliance Repair Works October 2013 AMEC Project 32430 APPENDICES Appendix 1: Legislation and Guidance Appendix 2: Summary of mitigation Proposals Appendix 3: Archaeological Constraints mapping Written Scheme of Investigation Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL vi Energy Alliance Repair Works October 2013 AMEC Project 32430 1. THE PROJECT AMEC Environment and Infrastructure UK Ltd (AMEC E&I) have produced this archaeological written scheme of investigation (WSI) on behalf of Electricity Alliance West (EAW, now Energy Alliance). This WSI draws on the detailed Level 1 and Level 2 assessment reports which considered a study area of 500m from the OHL (AMEC 2013) and subsequent consultation with the archaeological advisors to Tameside, Derbyshire County Council and the Peak District National Park Authority. EAW propose to undertake repairs to an existing overhead electricity line (OHL) between towers 4ZO250 and 4ZO200, from the Millbrook Area of Stalybridge to the entrance of the Woodhead Tunnel in Derbyshire (EAW Scheme No. 20594). The total length of the line is almost 16km, running in an approximate west to east direction from NGR 397541 399754 (4ZO250) to NGR 411149 399867 (4ZO200). Approximately one third of the route lies in the metropolitan borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, with the remainder in Derbyshire High Peak District. The proposed scheme of repair works comprises maintenance works and as such can normally be undertaken without the need for a specific grant of planning permission. However, there are still legal obligations to statutorily protected sites (such as Scheduled Monuments and Listed Buildings) and a statutory duty under Section 38 and Schedule 9 of the Electricity Act 1989 to have regard to the desirability of protecting buildings and other objects of architectural, historical or archaeological interest. The WSI sets out an appropriate scheme of archaeological mitigation of the potential effects of the refurbishment of the existing 4ZO Stalybridge - Woodhead Overhead Electricity Line (OHL) to comply with these statutory obligations. 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Geology and Historic Landscape Character High ground to the north and south of the 4ZO OHL route is formed by gritstone (a coarse sandstone) overlying softer mudstones (shales), sedimentary rocks deposited in the Carboniferous Period (around 326 316 million years ago) (Peak District National Park Authority - PDNPA, undated). The Longdendale Valley is glacial in origin; the melting ice finding a path of lesser resistance through the softer shale. Historic Landscape Characterisation projects (HLC) carried out for Greater Manchester Urban, Derbyshire and PDNPA characterise the Stalybridge end of the 4ZO line as post- medieval to 19 th -century piecemeal enclosure, remnants of a more extensive enclosed landscape which has been encroached upon by the developing town. Outside Stalybridge, the fields exhibit similar, though probably earlier piecemeal enclosure. Further west, the route passes through woodland, and moorland identified. To the east of the Swineshaw reservoirs, the land exhibits post-medieval piecemeal enclosure, some of which has been abandoned and is now regenerated moorland. Written Scheme of Investigation Stalybridge – Woodhead (4ZO) OHL 1 Energy Alliance Repair Works October 2013 AMEC Project 32430 South of the Longdendale Chain, land is recorded as irregular enclosure before 1840, and south of the Woodhead Reservoir, the route passes into moorland, recorded in the HLC assessment as open wastes and common, some of which has been enclosed in large irregular enclosures, mostly after 1881. 2.2 Archaeology and History 2.2.1 Prehistoric Period There is no recorded material from the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic within the North West of England, and very limited

Load more