FORMER DEPOT, HARMONY HILL, MILNTHORPE, Cumbria Archaeological Evaluation Oxford Archaeology North September 2008 Home North West Issue No: 2008-9/857 OA North Job No: L10061 NGR: SD 5005 8163 Former Depot, Harmony Hill, Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Archaeological Evaluation 1 CONTENTS SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................. 4 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Circumstances of Project................................................................................. 5 1.2 Location, Topography and Geology ................................................................ 5 2. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Project Design................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Rapid Desk-Based Assessment........................................................................ 7 2.3 Visual Inspection ............................................................................................ 7 2.4 Evaluation Trenching...................................................................................... 8 2.5 Archive........................................................................................................... 8 3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND .................................................................................. 9 3.1 Prehistoric Period............................................................................................ 9 3.2 Roman Period ................................................................................................. 9 3.3 Medieval Period.............................................................................................. 9 3.4 Post-medieval Period .................................................................................... 10 4. TRENCHING RESULTS.......................................................................................... 13 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 13 4.2 Results .......................................................................................................... 13 4.3 Finds............................................................................................................. 13 5. CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................... 14 5.1 Discussion..................................................................................................... 14 5.2 Impact........................................................................................................... 14 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................ 15 Cartographic Sources................................................................................................ 15 Secondary Sources ................................................................................................... 15 For the use of Home North West © OA North: September 2008 Former Depot, Harmony Hill, Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Archaeological Evaluation 2 ILLUSTRATIONS ....................................................................................................... 17 List of Figures .......................................................................................................... 17 List of Plates............................................................................................................. 17 APPENDIX 1: PROJECT BRIEF .................................................................................. 18 APPENDIX 2: PROJECT DESIGN................................................................................ 22 APPENDIX 3: CONTEXT LIST.................................................................................... 30 For the use of Home North West © OA North: September 2008 Former Depot, Harmony Hill, Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Archaeological Evaluation 3 SUMMARY Following planning permission being granted to by Home North West to construct ten dwellings at Harmony Hill, Milnthorpe, Cumbria (centred on NGR SD 5005 8163), Cumbria County Council’s Historic Environment Service (CCCHES) issued a formal brief for a programme of archaeological work required as a condition. During a previous evaluation at Dallam School, immediately to the north of the proposed development site, in 2005 four human cremations were uncovered, three of which were of Late Bronze Age date and grouped together, the fourth was Late Neolithic and was located away from the other three (ASUD 2005a; ASUD 2005b). An undated pit and ditch were associated with the late Bronze Age cremations. Therefore, this area is considered to be of high archaeological potential and CCCHES advised that an archaeological evaluation comprising a rapid desk-based assessment, visual inspection and trial trenching of the site was necessary. Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) were commissioned to undertake the work in July 2008. Fifteen sites of archaeological significance were identified within the study area (a 0.5km radius surrounding the proposed development site) following consultation of the Historic Environment Record (HER) in Kendal. The whole of the proposed development site was identified in the HER as the site of a former weaver’s shop and paddock belonging to the Dallam Tower Estate (HER 42180), which dated to at least the early nineteenth century. However, by the second half of the nineteenth century it had been cleared, as shown on the Ordnance Survey first (1862) and second (1898) edition maps. The site was then later partially occupied by sheep pens by 1914 and became a Council Yard in the twentieth century (Greenlane Archaeology Ltd 2008, 8). Outside of the development site, but adjoining its western side is the Historic Core of Milnthorpe, which is a Conservation Area. Also to the west of the proposed development site is the site of Warehouse Cottages (HER 42178) demolished in the mid twentieth century. These were thought to have been constructed around the late seventeenth or early eighteenth centuries (op cit, 13-17). Census entries indicate that they were occupied by multiple families employed as sack makers, linen and handloom weavers (op cit, 7-11). To the south of this is Red Barn/Red Warehouse (HER 42179), which was a warehouse and small allotment dating to at least the early nineteenth century. The western side of the development site was known to be heavily disturbed in modern times. Therefore, a single 30m long evaluation trench was excavated within the eastern side, investigating 50m² of the proposed development area. The trench was machine-excavated down to the natural geology, revealing no archaeological features. There was no evidence of any significant truncation across the eastern half of the site at least, which would indicate that the lack of archaeological remains identified genuinely reflects the area examined. For the use of Home North West © OA North: September 2008 Former Depot, Harmony Hill, Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Archaeological Evaluation 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OA North would like to thank Gail Staton of Home North West for commissioning the project. Thanks are also due to Jo Mackintosh of Cumbria County Council Historic Environment Service, Kendal for her assistance with this project. Paul Clark undertook the evaluation, with assistance from Vickie Jamieson during trial trenching. The drawings were produced by Marie Rowland, the finds examined by Chris Howard-Davis, and Paul Clark compiled the report. Emily Mercer, who also edited the report, managed the project. For the use of Home North West © OA North: September 2008 Former Depot, Harmony Hill, Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Archaeological Evaluation 5 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 CIRCUMSTANCES OF PROJECT 1.1.1 Planning permission has been granted to construct ten dwellings on the former council depot at Harmony Hill, Milnthorpe, Cumbria, with a condition to undertake a programme of archaeological evaluation prior to the commencement of any construction work. Cumbria County Council’s Historic Environment Service (CCCHES) (Appendix 1) issued a formal brief stipulating the requirements due to the high archaeological potential of the site; in 2005 four human cremations were uncovered within the grounds of Dallam School situated to the north of the proposed development site. Three of the cremations were of late Bronze Age date and grouped together. The fourth cremation was located away from the other three and was dated to the late Neolithic (ASUD 2005a; ASUD 2005b). In order to assess the potential for below ground archaeological remains, in accordance with the brief, Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) was commissioned to undertake a rapid desk-based assessment, visual inspection and evaluation trenching, which was carried out in July 2008. 1.1.2 The rapid desk-based assessment comprised a search of the Historic Environment Record (HER) in Kendal. An appraisal was carried out of the HER information relating to the site and its study area, consisting of a 0.5km radius centred on the site. A visual inspection survey was undertaken to relate the desk-based findings, and identify areas of potential interest or disturbance on the site. 1.1.3 The proposed