ROMNEY MARSH Persistence and Change in a Coastal Lowland

Edited by Martyn Waller, Elizabeth Edwards and Luke Barber

www.rmrt.org.uk

Romney Marsh Research Trust 2010 Published by Romney Marsh Research Trust, Sevenoaks,

© Romney Marsh Research Trust and the individual authors, 2010

ISBN 978-0-9566575-0-3

Printed by Short Run Press, Exeter

The Romney Marsh Research Trust exists to promote, co-ordinate and disseminate research into the historical, social, economic and physical development of Romney and Walland Marshes and their immediate hinterlands. The Trust receives, raises and holds funds to meet grant applications to support and publish research into the Marsh and invites individuals to become Friends of the Romney Marsh Research Trust and to participate in lectures, conferences, field visits and research projects. Details of the Trust and membership are available on the web-site www.rmrt.org.uk. Contents

List of Contributors vii

Foreword and publications of members of the Romney Marsh Research Trust from 2002 (Martyn Waller, Elizabeth Edwards and Luke Barber) ix

1. The Holocene Coastal Deposits of Sussex: a Re-evaluation (Martyn Waller and Antony Long) 1

2. The Mid-Late Holocene Evolution of Southern Walland Marsh and the Origin of the ‘Midley Sand’ (Jason Kirby, David Clarke, Tim Shaw and Emma Toole) 23

3. Holocene Fire Histories from the Edge of Romney Marsh (Michael Grant and Martyn Waller) 53

4. Adapting to PPG16: Planning-led Archaeology on the Walland, Denge and Romney Marshes of Kent and East Sussex, 1990–2010 (Casper Johnson) 75

5. The Romney Marsh Archaeological Gazetteer: its Creation and Use (Alan Tyler) 93

6. Overcoming disaster? Farming Practices on Christ Church Priory’s Marshland Manors in the Early 14th Century (Sheila Sweetinburgh) 97

7. ‘My boddye shall lye with my name Engraven on it’: Remembering the Godfrey family of , Kent (Terreena Bellinger and Gillian Draper) 117

8. Aspects of Corporate Landownership and the Fortunes of Livestock Farmers on Walland Marsh and Denge Marsh, c. 1730–90 (Anne Davison) 141

9. Boom, Slump and Intervention: Changing Agricultural Landscapes on Romney Marsh, 1790 to1990 (Hadrian Cook) 155

Index of Places and People 185

Contributors

Luke BarBer Jason r. kirBy Sussex Archaeological Society, Barbican House School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Museum, 169 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, 1YE. E-mail: [email protected] Liverpool L3 3AF. E-mail: [email protected]

Terreena BeLLinger anTony Long 95 Godinton Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1LN. Environmental Research Centre, Department of Geography, University of Durham, Science Site, DaviD CLarke South Road, Durham DHI 3LE. Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, Roxby Building, Liverpool L69 7ZT. TiM a. sHaw School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, HaDrian Cook Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Centre for Earth and Environmental Science Liverpool L3 3AF. Research, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, sHeiLa sweeTinBurgH Kingston, Surrey KT1 2EE. E-mail: h.cook@ 11 Caledon Terrace, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3JS. kingston.ac.uk E-mail: [email protected] anne Davison eMMa TooLe 50 Park Avenue, Maidstone, Kent ME14 5HL. School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, E-mail: [email protected] Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF. giLLian Draper Lynton Lodge, 1 Clarendon Road, Sevenoaks, aLan TyLer Kent TN13 1EU. E-mail: [email protected] 22 Albert Road North, Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 2TP. E-mail: [email protected] eLizaBeTH eDwarDs School of History, Rutherford College, MarTyn waLLer The University, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NX. Centre for Earth and Environmental Science E-mail: [email protected] Research, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, MiCHaeL granT Kingston, Surrey KT1 2EE. Wessex Archaeology, Portway House, Old Sarum E-mail: [email protected] Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6EB. E-mail: [email protected]

Casper JoHnson Archaeology, Transport and Environment, East Sussex County Council, County Hall, St Anne’s Crescent, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1UE. E-mail: [email protected] Romney Marsh: Persistance and Change4. in Planning-led a Coastal Lowland Archaeology 75 (eds. M. Waller, E. Edwards and L. Barber), Romney Marsh Research Trust, 2010, 75–91

4. Adapting to PPG16: Planning-led Archaeology on the Walland, Denge and Romney Marshes of Kent and East Sussex, 1990–2010

Casper Johnson

The publication in 1990 of Planning Policy Guidance 16 (PPG16): Archaeology and Planning provided guidance to archaeologists, developers and planners on how archaeological mat- ters should be dealt with in the planning process and why archaeology is important. On 23 March 2010 PPG16 was replaced by Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment. This article provides an overview of how archaeologists and developers adapted to PPG16 between 1990 and 2010 and outlines the range of methodologies employed with examples of the result obtained. The review is based on records from the Kent and East Sussex Historic Environment Records and the associated developer-funded ‘grey literature’.

Introduction the low tide mark to the 5 m contour and from Pett in the west to Hythe in the east (henceforth simply This article is an overview of planning-led, developer- referred to as ‘the Marsh’). The article focuses on funded archaeology on Romney Marsh that followed the evolving methodologies adopted for surface and the introduction of Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) below-ground archaeology formulated largely by Note 16 (Department of Environment 1990) in KCC and to a lesser extent by ESCC in response to 1990. This type of archaeological work, which sits the adoption of PPG16. The article is not a compre- alongside the substantial body of academic research hensive overview of work carried out but rather takes led by the Romney Marsh Research Trust, has been as its basis a selection of records extracted from the largely initiated and managed by the archaeology and two county Historic Environment Records (HERs), heritage teams at Kent County Council (KCC) and complemented by the Romney Marsh Research Trust East Sussex County Council (ESCC) in their roles (RMRT) gazetteer (which is also based on the two as archaeological advisors, both internally to their HERs – Tyler this volume and www.rmrt.org.uk) to respective county councils for minerals and highways illustrate the significant increase in our understanding planning and externally to Ashford Borough Council of the history of the Marsh that has resulted from the and Shepway District Council (Kent) and Rother implementation of this planning policy. It is interest- District Council (East Sussex) as the local planning ing to compare, for example, the gazetteer in the first authorities for the generality of development. The RMRT monograph (Woodcock 1988, fig. 16.1) with area encompassed comprises the Walland, Denge the results of the work reviewed here. The first gazet- and Romney Marshes and adjacent river valleys from teer focused on prehistoric, Romano-British and Saxon 76 Casper Johnson

Hythe N West Hythe Sandtun Tenterden

Romney Marsh Appledore Isle of St Mary’s Bay Oxney Rhee Wall Brookland Old Land above 10 metres Romney Exposed shingle Rother Lydd quarries W alland New 1 Lydd Quarry Marsh Romney 2 Dering Farm 5 3 Allen’s Bank Little 4 Cheyne 4 Pioneer Pit 3 Court 5 Caldicott Farm 2 Lydd 6 6 Denge West (North) Rye 1 7 7 Denge West (South) Tillingham Denge 8 Brickwall Farm Camber Marsh 8 Brede New Winchelsea Rye Bay Winchelsea Beach

0 5 km

Fig. 4.1. Location of sites mentioned in text. sites; while the planning-led archaeology of the last an ad hoc manner by interested individuals with their twenty years has significantly added to this there has own research agendas’. This changed in 1984 with the also been a major increase in our understanding of establishment of the Romney Marsh Research Group, medieval, post-medieval and modern archaeo logy. As whose aim was ‘to approach jointly the problem of a result of development-led archaeological discoveries the evolution, human occupation and reclamation of our understanding of the Marsh’s past is changing on the whole Marshland from Fairlight to Hythe, and almost a monthly basis and for up-to-date information up the valleys of the Rother, Tillingham and Brede’. on archaeological projects and discoveries readers are The Research Group was reincarnated in 1987 as the advised to contact the Kent (heritageconservation@ Romney Marsh Research Trust and has demonstrated kent.gov.uk) and East Sussex (archaeology@eastsus- a collaborative approach between geomorphologists, sex.gov.uk) HERs. geoarchaeologists, archaeologists and historians with the results of research regularly published. It was noted, however, that excavation since 1988 has largely Changing Approaches to Archaeology been confined to developer-funded work in advance of or during development and that the results of the The foreword to the 2002 RMRT monograph (Long work would be important for our understanding of et al. 2002) summed up the history of archaeological the evolution and history of the Marsh (Long et al. work on the Marsh as being characterised up until the 2002). This has indeed been the case. Fundamental to 1980s by ‘archaeological work completed largely in this developer-funded work since the late 1980s has 4. Planning-led Archaeology 77 been the role of the land-use planning system and the Plans and district and borough Local Plans. Following evolving approach to its application by the archaeo- recent changes to the planning system, however, the logy and heritage teams at KCC and ESCC. For a Structure Plans are no longer valid and most policies comprehensive overview of the planning system and relating to archaeology in local plans have been lost the management of the archaeological resource in Kent as they are seen to be covered by national planning and the wider region, the reader is directed towards the policy and guidance (PPS5) and those of the strategic review of Williams (2003) and the following summary regional planning document, the South East Plan. is intended only to set out some of the key aspects At county level the Minerals and Waste, and Local of the changes that occurred in the lead-up to the Transport Plans continue to include policies for the publication of PPG16 and which underpin subsequent historic environment. An important objective for the archaeological work. In the late 1960s the Walsh Com- emerging Local Development Frameworks will be to mittee recommended that County Planning Authorities include policies for the historic environment, based on maintain a record of field monuments and then in what is locally important and whilst there still remains the 1970s the Department of Environment encour- much work to be done in this respect, the knowledge aged the appointment of County Archaeologists and gained from the work reviewed here will play an the establishment of Sites and Monuments Records important role in helping to define local distinctive- (SMRs). This was the background for the appointment ness. With the publication of PPS5 in March 2010, in 1978 of ESCC’s first County Archaeologist with this article aims therefore to present a first overview KCC’s following in 1989. SMRs were started in both of the legacy of PPG16 on the Marsh. counties in the 1980s, subsequently developing into The catalyst for the work reviewed here was of Historic Environment Records (HERs). Both coun- course the increasing scale of development during ties now use the exeGesIS HBSMR database system the late 1980s and early 1990s and an increasing con- linked to networked GIS mapping, with access to a sciousness of the value of the historic environment. wide range of sources including the developer-funded Residential housing development concentrated in and archaeological reports that have been used as the basis around the main settlements, significant infrastruc- for this study and which are often referred to as ‘grey ture works including roads, water-treatment works, literature’. Fundamental to the work of the archaeol- sewerage systems and more recently a wind farm ogy and heritage teams in both KCC and ESCC during and proposals for an airport, characterise the types the period of this review has been the hierarchy of of development the Marsh has seen. The scale of legislation, policy and guidance for land-use planning development varied from single houses to large-scale and the consideration of archaeology as a material aggregate quarrying and from congested urban sites to consideration in the planning process. At the local extensive rural ones. Responding to this development, level the role of development plans has been crucial in the County Archaeologists developed approaches, providing the framework for carrying out the archaeo- using the SMR/HERs and evolving research for refer- logical work reviewed here. At the national level the ence, to advise on options for identifying, evaluating Town and Country Planning Act 1990 has been the and managing the archaeological resource. Where principal legislation, with PPG16 being the principal possible options were sought to safeguard archaeologi- guidance for archaeology and PPG15 (Department of cal remains in situ and where this was not possible Environment 1994) setting out policies for historic to define programmes of archaeological work to buildings, Conservation Areas and other elements ensure that remains that were to be destroyed were of the historic environment. A process of Heritage properly recorded. This was an evolving process as Protection Reform is actively being developed by planners, archaeologists and developers adapted to government advised by English Heritage with input the new legislation and guidance post-1990. During from bodies such as the Association of Local Govern- this period, for example, KCC was able to develop ment Archaeological Officers to reform the heritage a landscape-scale research-led approach to the study system and on 23 March 2010 PPG15 and PPG16 were of the quarries around Lydd (Plate 4.1), providing replaced by Planning Policy Statement 5 (Communi- dramatic new insights into the history of the Marsh. ties and Local Government 2010). The cancelling of In East Sussex, where the majority of gravel quar- PPG15 and PPG16 brought to an end nearly twenty rying around Rye Bay took place before the 1990s, years of planning policy which has underpinned the there was significantly less formal archaeological work reviewed here. Until 2009 the key local policies recording apart from in the towns of New Winchelsea were to be found in county Structure and Minerals and Rye. Both counties were developing the use of 78 Casper Johnson

Plate 4.1. Strip, map and sample excavation at Lydd 1, Lydd Quarry in 1998 (© Archaeology South-East). briefs and specifications to control the archaeological and only where this is not possible, to record the work, negotiating with developers and archaeologi- archaeological remains before they are destroyed. In cal contractors/consultants, monitoring fieldwork and practice, preserving archaeological remains in situ is agreeing standards for analysis and reporting before not always easy and much of the work reviewed here recommending discharge of the planning condition to has involved ‘mitigating’ the impacts of development the appropriate planning authority. English Heritage through programmes of archaeological work. The also played an important part, particularly through the suite of archaeological methods available runs from Inspectors, who advised on the designated heritage appraisals and desk-based assessments, to evaluations assets (Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings etc.) and surveys to excavation and watching briefs where and in supporting the work of the County Archaeo- the latter involve monitoring of building groundwork. logists, whilst the archaeological work itself was Selecting the appropriate approach is dependent on a undertaken by local, regional and national archaeo- number of factors but most importantly it should be logical consultants and contractors. determined by the extent of existing knowledge. Thus if one has sufficient desk-top knowledge already one does not repeat this but rather to make the decision Archaeological Methods whether field evaluation is necessary or whether one can move directly to excavation or indeed no further Perhaps not surprisingly the approach to planning-led action. Decision-making is based therefore on a archaeology has been based on the premise that you combination of factors involving extent of existing need to understand the archaeology of a site in order knowledge, potential for an increase in understanding, to determine whether the proposed development is planning test of reasonableness (and within this the acceptable in terms of its impact on archaeological most cost-effective approach to obtain the required remains. In line with PPG16 the primary aim has objective) and the impact of what is proposed. On been to preserve archaeological remains in situ the Marsh the methods employed for programmes 4. Planning-led Archaeology 79 of archaeological work secured by planning condi- with historical and archaeological background (includ- tion have involved Desk Based Assessment (DBA), ing searches of the HER, aerial photographs etc.) with survey (including geophysics, geoarchaeological and the most useful examples including an assessment palaeoenvironmental sampling and field walking), of past impacts, such as cellars and consideration of evaluation trial trenching, excavation, watching brief the likely impacts of the proposed development. A with post excavation assessment and formal publica- fundamental of planning-led archaeological work is tion of the more complex sites. The dissemination that each stage of work must be justifiable and the of the results of developer-funded projects has been DBA is commonly but not always the first stage in in three principal ways. Firstly as so-called ‘grey such an approach. On the Marsh a number of DBAs literature’ or unpublished client reports lodged with have been undertaken for road-improvement schemes the HERs, secondly summaries for county journals including for the A259 St Mary’s Bay and a proposed and thirdly, formal publications of significant projects by-pass for Dymchurch (Eddison 1992a; 1992b). A as monographs or as journal articles. On balance more recent example of a DBA in a rural context is this represents a reasonable approach to a range of that for the wind farm development at Little Cheyne information from relatively minor keyhole records Court (James 2002a) whilst in the urban context CgMS to complex urban and rural sites. It is noticeable that undertook a DBA for the Sainsbury’s site at Southlands since 1990 there has been a general improvement in School (Hawkins 2000) before evaluation by Wessex the presentation of the results of developer funded Archaeology. As might perhaps be expected given projects aided by significant developments in IT, their national importance, designated sites such as Computer Aided Drawing and GPS surveying. At the the Royal Military Canal (Canterbury Archaeological professional level the role of the Institute for Archae- Trust 1995) and Smeatons Harbour (James 2002b) ologists in helping to set standards has been important have been subject to DBAs. For the also. The requirements for constant improvements historic towns survey (Kent County Council 2003) have been taken forward by both the contractors and provides a generic DBA but there is still a clear role for by the more detailed and comprehensive briefs and site-specific assessments and in particular DBAs with specifications and standards and guidance documents impact assessments. Rye, also now has an Extensive provided by KCC and ESCC. It is noteworthy that Urban Survey (Harris 2008), which will be useful in the work reviewed here has been carried out by a this regard. The more comprehensive DBAs such as total of sixteen different archaeological consultants or that for Little Cheyne Court (James 2002b) provide contractors, with the majority of the work having been information on the archaeological, palaeoenvironmen- undertaken by Archaeology South-East (ASE of Uni- tal and geoarchaeological potential of the site. An early versity College London), Canterbury Archaeological example of a detailed assessment of geoarchaeological Trust (CAT) and Pre-Construct Archaeology (PCA). potential is represented by a survey for the Brookland Diversion (Bates 1995). With the increased influence of Environment Impact Assessment the better DBAs have become more sophisticated in defining the full Appraisal and Assessment breath of the historic environment. Approximately one in ten of the projects carried out on the Marsh An appraisal of a site’s archaeological potential is since 1990 has had a DBA specifically commissioned, usually carried out by the County Archaeologist using reflecting the fact that in many cases there has been the HER and at either the pre-application stage or sufficient understanding to move directly to a subse- at the time of the planning-application consultation. quent method. Either following a planning application, or now with PPS5 increasingly to inform a planning application and decision, the first principal stage is often but not always a DBA. These are normally requested by the Survey planning authority acting on the advice of the County Archaeologist and researched and written by an A range of field surveys has been undertaken on the archaeological consultant or contractor. In the early Marsh to provide information on the archaeological 1990s a number of important examples were prepared resource in order to inform further decisions and by the RMRT (e.g. Eddison 1992a; 1992b). The DBA one can crudely divide them between non-intrusive usually contains the results of a walk over survey along and intrusive methods. Non-intrusive and extensive 80 Casper Johnson methods have included for example a field-walking that all areas are tested and so that there is sufficient survey on the line of the A2070 Stockbridge to Bren- information to be able to inform judgements about zett route (Greig 1993), field walking and earthwork the need for further work. In cases where consent for survey for the A259 Walland Marsh Improvement extraction has been granted, there may be less value scheme (Moore and Manning 1995) and a geophysical in undertaking evaluation and instead more formal survey at Allens Bank, Lydd (Geophysical Surveys strip, map and sample excavation would be a better of Bradford 1998). Whilst field walking has not been use of resources. Strip, map and sample, is the phrase commonly used in the development context it has been used to describe large open-area excavations where used more for academic research on the Marsh, for topsoil is removed by machine to reveal archaeologi- example around (Gardiner 1994) and cal features, which are then sample excavated. If the more extensively across the Marsh (Reeves 1995) entire area is to be stripped as part of the next phase where flexibility with regard to timescales is greater of work at Allens Bank it will be interesting to see and the primary aim of the work related to the medi- if indeed there is more evidence of medieval as well eval landscape for which evidence was likely to be as Romano-British activity at this site. The reader is close to the surface. Getting access to fields at the referred to Barber and Priestley Bell (2008, 100–101) appropriate time, when the ground has been prepared for a more detailed description of the results of work and the crops are not high, is not often easy to fit with at the Pioneer Pit and Allens Bank sites and to Hey development timescales. It has become more widely and Lacey (2001) for a comprehensive study of the recognised in recent years, however, that field walking, approaches to archaeological evaluation. as well as providing insights into the archaeological The last twenty years has seen significant academic potential of areas that may be developed in the future, research into the geomorphology, geoarchaeology and can also provide an effective way of mitigating the palaeoenvironment of the Marsh and this body of impacts that occur through the removal of topsoil from published research (e.g. Long et al. 1998; 2007) has a site during development. With the increasing effect provided a strong basis for development-led projects of cultivation bringing artefacts into the ploughsoil to work from. The development control process has, from buried features which can be all but destroyed, however, allowed for some significant contributions the importance of recording this resource using field going back to the mid-1990s. The geoarchaeological walking has become ever more evident. assessment of existing data for the Brooklands Diver- The geophysical survey in 1998 at Allens Bank, sion (Bates 1995) provides an early example of where Lydd (Geophysical Surveys of Bradford 1998) rep- an assessment of existing developer-funded geotech- resents an example of where this technique was used nical surveys was important in helping to develop to inform trial-trenching evaluation. In this particular the understanding of the potential for archaeological case, evidence from aerial photographs of cropmarks deposits, associated with ‘archaeologically significant as well as information about known sites to the north palaeoenvironmental and geoarchaeological deposits’ was used as the trigger for the geophysical survey and where such deposits were likely to be impacted being undertaken. 17 hectares were scanned initially upon by development. The 1995 report was based on and this was followed by a detailed gradiometer sur- observations of test pits, inspection pits and boreholes vey over 4 hectares. The survey revealed evidence and allowed a model of the below-ground deposits to of enclosures, possible ring gullies and pit clusters be developed. This work was undertaken in response that were thought to be of prehistoric or Roman date. to the objectives of assessing the nature and location Interestingly the geophysical survey did not find strong of the palaeo-environmental sequence in the area, evidence for features within the enclosures identi- the potential for identified sequences to contain evi- fied from the aerial photography or of more regular dence for buried land surfaces, the identification of medieval ditch systems. The geophysical survey was any units likely to contain archaeology and the likely followed by targeted evaluation trial trenching (John scheme impacts on the sequences identified in the area Samuels 1999), which revealed evidence for Romano- (Bates 1995). The report identified three broad areas British activity on the eastern shingle bank but was of geoarchaeological potential at the site and made less useful in confirming the presence or absence of recommendations for further field and laboratory stud- archaeological features further west. The survey work ies in association with the proposed road scheme. The at Allens Bank is a good example of the value in fol- model put forward from the surveys and assessment lowing one evaluation method such as geophysics with was for the existence of buried deposits related to another, in this case evaluation trial trenching to ensure former landscapes dating from the Bronze Age to the 4. Planning-led Archaeology 81 recent past and encompassing a wide range of sedi- occurred within all the trenches fully investigated and ment types related to wetlands, channel margins and included evidence for floor levels, pits, postholes and channel fills. Building on these types of projects KCC ditches. The pottery suggested the medieval activity and ESCC are developing the HERs and associated dated to the 13th–14th centuries but as archaeological constraints mapping to ensure that the results of both horizons were not removed (as had been specified) academic and developer-funded geoarchaeological they probably covered earlier features and deposits work are more readily available for future research that were not evaluated. This example raises important and development control purposes. questions about the degree to which an evaluation Metal-detecting surveys of development sites on needs to provide a comprehensive understanding of the wetlands are becoming more common and along a site’s potential. Whilst each development must be with the ‘hobbyist’ activity reported though the Port- considered on its own merits, it is important to be able Antiquities Scheme. Together they are providing certain of the potential sensitivity of archaeological background information about the distribution of remains that lie below or adjacent to the develop- certain artefact types and past activities. The increase ment works. In the case of complex urban deposits, in coin evidence, for example, resulting from this tech- however, care has to be taken to ensure that a balance nique, may help us understand better the distribution is struck between extracting sufficient information of coins from the Saxon mint at New Romney and to inform decisions and limiting the impact of the the early medieval market economy. evaluation itself on deposits that are often difficult to understand in small trenches. It is very easy for too much excavation at evaluation stage to potentially Evaluation have an adverse affect on later archaeological work. On sites which have been developed and archaeo- Evaluation such as intrusive trial trenching, requested logical deposits left in the ground to be preserved in by the local planning authority to help inform a deci- situ only time and, most probably future development, sion on a planning application, has been employed will allow us to see whether the elements of the site where there has been a reasonable likelihood of that were not recorded have survived for future study. remains of national importance being present. The On sites where the archaeological remains are inter- aim has been to identifying such remains in order that related in complex sequences, preservation in situ can they may be preserved in situ. For example in New be difficult to achieve and methodologies have evolved Winchelsea, much of which is designated a scheduled to ensure that enough of the context of a feature or set monument and where research (e.g. Martin and Martin of features is excavated in order that it can be fully 2009; Martin and Rudling 2004) has helped define the understood and this may mean excavating and record- archaeological potential, this approach has been used, ing beyond the area of direct impact. For example, if albeit for generally very small developments such as only the top half of a medieval pit is to be impacted by house extensions. In some cases the information, such a foundation, it is clear that the bottom half of the pit as the discovery of a cellar for example, can lead to still has to be excavated in order to fully understand the abandonment of the development, in other cases the top half which is being impacted. Put another way, discoveries can lead to design changes or the formula- an impact on part of a feature or site complex is an tion of detailed strategies for further excavation and impact on the whole feature or site complex and this recording during development. can be justification for requiring sufficient recording In New Romney, Wessex Archaeology carried out to be undertaken to ensure adequate understanding. pre-determination evaluation at the proposed Sains- In the event each site has to be considered on its own bury’s Community Store Derville Site at Southlands merits and in many cases, particularly on complex School, New Romney (Wessex Archaeology 2000). urban sites with numerous intercutting features, dif- The evaluation followed a DBA by CgMS (Hawkins ficult decisions have to be taken about where recording 2000) who in this case worked up the specification stops and preservation in situ begins. for the evaluation with KCC (Hawkins 2001). The More typically trial-trench evaluation has been primary aim of the evaluation was to provide infor- employed post-planning decision as one of the mation that could be used to design a scheme for the approaches to mitigating the impact of the develop- preservation in situ of archaeological deposits within ment and to satisfy a programme of works as required the context of the proposed development. Significant by the archaeological planning condition applied to medieval and post-medieval archaeological horizons the planning consent by the planning authority. This 82 Casper Johnson approach also offers the opportunity to preserve Before this work the area had few recorded archaeo- archaeological remains in situ, where for example it logical finds though work at the Lydd 1 plant site to has been agreed that there is flexibility in the layout of the south-west, indicated potential. In particular, the the development, but is more difficult to achieve once evaluation highlighted that occupation activity of all planning permission for a scheme has been granted periods was located on the gravel highs (ridges and and designs are well advanced. isolated ‘islands’), that the medieval ditch systems In East Sussex, outside Rye and New Winchelsea, mirrored present-day boundaries and that the stratig- it is perhaps remarkable to note that there have been raphy (including peat horizons and storm shingle) no developer-funded archaeological trial-trench evalu- was complex, all of which was preserved below later ations on the Marsh since 1990. This would appear sediment. These relatively early post-PPG16 projects in part to be the result of limited planning constraints were important in helping to build an understanding polygons combined with relatively low levels of of the potential archaeological resources on the Marsh development. Within Rye there have been six evalu- and its extensive nature which led to developing the ations during this period, all carried out by ASE, but larger-scale strip approach discussed below. none have led to significant excavations. Evaluation, The early to mid-1990s also saw evaluation trial for example at the former Winter’s Dairy site, above trenching used to investigate the Rhee Wall in advance Street (Johnson 1998) revealed well- of the construction of the Brenzett/Stockbridge preserved remains, including a former street with roundabout. The evaluation comprised a single trench evidence for adjacent medieval structural remains evaluation/excavation in 1993 (Wessex Archaeology buried below deep post-medieval and modern garden 1993) followed by a watching brief by ASE (Grea- soils. A limited watching brief was carried out at the torex 1993). Both pieces of work provided evidence site but no excavation before the site was developed. for the Rhee Wall having been constructed of layers For a review of the contribution of developer-funded of locally derived clay and sand. This road scheme archaeology to the present understanding of Rye the also saw a combination of field walking and evalu- reader is directed to the recent Historic Character ation being used (Greig 1993). The trial trenching Assessment (Harris 2009). In Winchelsea during this included a single trench 240 m in length and 1.6 m period there have been three evaluations, including for wide, along with two 20 m long trenches. The main example a proposed tennis court west of Rectory Lane trench was positioned in the centre of the 10 m wide (Greatorex 2005) in Quarter 21, where only limited working width for the new road. Two areas of finds evidence for medieval remains was revealed. The concentrations coincided with features, though the majority of the twenty two development-led projects relationship between the dating of the finds concen- recorded on the East Sussex HER for Winchelsea trations and the features was not easy to understand. since 1990 have been watching briefs, which have Evidence for occupation of 13th- to 16th-century date contributed useful but essentially keyhole information was found in the form of rubbish pits and although about the history of the town. little evidence for structures was revealed, stone The 1990s saw a number of trial-trench evaluations located during the field walking was thought to derive associated with quarrying around Lydd and at Denge from former buildings. The surveys and evaluations West (Priestley-Bell 1994; Priestley-Bell and Gardiner for road schemes such as the Stockbridge–Brenzett 1994), including work at Dering Farm (Gardiner and Brookland Diversion, demonstrate the value of 1992) and Caldicott Farm (Priestley-Bell 1998) as transects through the landscape, which can reveal well as in advance of infrastructure works. This was the dispersed archaeological features and settlement a period of significant archaeological work, promoted evidence, which allow the evolution of the Marsh and negotiated by KCC with Bretts Aggregates and landscape to be more fully understood. the archaeological contractor, the results of which The early 1990s saw the beginning of a number have now been largely published (cf. Priestley-Bell of evaluation trial-trenching exercises in and around 1995). Barber and Priestley-Bell (2008) provide a Hythe carried out by ASE and CAT (see for example substantial overview, including excellent summaries Hicks 1995). These are discussed below in the sec- of the planning history and full descriptions of the tion which considers excavations. By contrast with evolving programmes of archaeological work. At Der- Hythe there was little significant development in ing Farm South East Archaeological Services (now New Romney before 2000 when Wessex Archaeol- ASE) undertook evaluation trial trenching across the ogy evaluated the proposed Sainsbury’s site discussed site (Gardiner 1992; Barber and Preistley-Bell 2008). above, since which time there has been an increasing 4. Planning-led Archaeology 83 range and scale of projects carried out by ASE, CAT, evaluation by ASE (Griffin 2005). Medieval features Oxford Archaeology and PCA informed by KCC’s included reddened deposits, indications of a kiln/oven evolving research aims for the town as set out in the (with associated flue), pits, postholes, a large ditch and historic town survey for New Romney (Kent County two possible buildings. Occupation was at its greatest Council 2003). between the 13th and 15th century, after which there The scale of evaluations being undertaken in New appeared to have been a decline until the 19th century. Romney varied from project to project. In 2001 CAT Evaluation trenches were stepped to reach maximum undertook evaluation trial trenching at Prospect House, depths of 1.65 m below the present ground surface, Fairfield Road, New Romney (Linklater 2001). This not continuing any deeper due to an understanding work was undertaken prior to construction of single that raft foundations would be used that would not dwelling and revealed sands cut by an early 13th- impact below this depth. Evaluation trial trenching century pit and in turn sealed by deposits, interpreted was also employed as the first stage of a programme as resulting from a late 13th-century storm event, of works planning condition, by Kent County Council possibly of 1287. Traces of buildings of 14th-century (2005) for residential development at the nearby Elms, date were revealed. This site was later subject to a Dymchurch Road, New Romney. The evaluation, watching brief during construction by CAT later that undertaken by CAT (Shand 2005) was followed by same year (see below). Oxford Archaeology was also excavation of two areas by ASE (Stevenson 2006b) in New Romney in 2001 carrying out an evaluation which revealed medieval deposits and features above at the Old School House in Church Lane in advance a sand-dune deposit. of residential development (Oxford Archaeological In the rural context, the West Hythe Waste Water Unit 2001). The work revealed evidence for alluvial Treatment Works (Secondary Treatment Site) provides deposits some possibly relating to the 1287 storm. and example of where an archaeological/cultural A sequence of basal gravel overlain by occupation heritage assessment was followed by archaeological deposits, storm deposits and then finer sediments and evaluation and palaeo-environmental sampling (RPS topsoil was recorded. Consulting 1997) and a watching brief (RPS Consult- In 2002 Pre-Construct Archaeology undertook trial- ing 2000), commissioned by Southern Water. This trench evaluation at a site to the north-east of the main work was important in providing the opportunity to Southlands School site and off Cannon Street (Wragg observe and record evidence for the environmental 2002). The evaluation revealed evidence for a sand conditions which preceded the major shingle barrier or deposit, also thought to have been deposited during spit across the Romney Marsh embayment. Archaeo- the Great Storm of 1287 and revealed in the base of all scape’s boreholes and testpits for the Treatment Works trenches. This deposit followed the generally underly- and associated pipeline work included OSL dating. ing topography of the area, which comprised a bank Their report (quoted from the 2000 report) states: of gravel running parallel to the former coastline. It was found to be over 1.4 m thick and its base was not ‘The OSL results point to the extension of the spit encountered. Above the sand deposit lay occupation into the West Hythe area and the associated creation activity layers up to 1 m thick overlying which in one of sheltered water on its landward side, at some trench was a possible gravel road surface. Medieval point between 500 BC and AD 540, with the greater pits cut into the sand were covered by layers of darker part of the upper sedimentary unit being deposited sand containing medieval finds which in turn were after AD 540. These dates are entirely consistent overlain by garden soil. The 2003 excavation of this with the known exploitation of the ‘Hythe marine site and subsequent watching brief during construction inlet’ in the Roman period and its subsequent sil- was undertaken by ASE (Stevenson 2006a). The exca- tation, which coincided with the diversion of the vation (see below) did not reach the deposits below River Rother at a new outlet near New Romney.’ the probable storm deposits of the late 13th century as these were not to be impacted on by the develop- The work was extremely useful in helping to provide ment, but did confirm the line of the road noted in the additional detail on the relative stratigraphy of the evaluation and the trend, in this part of the town, for shingle spit and associated deposits, which allows diminishing activity from the 15th century onwards. conclusions to be drawn on the likely relative dates More recently, an archaeological evaluation of land of associated features such as those cut into the north of Sainsburys and fronting Fairfield Road New alluvium at the site being of Anglo-Saxon or later Romney, on the Southlands School site was subject to date but with the potential for earlier material to be 84 Casper Johnson identified stratified within the sequence. A watching Late Iron Age and early Romano-British salt working, brief in 2000 confirmed the earlier work but failed together with evidence for Roman domestic rubbish to find any evidence for archaeological features or disposal. Most significantly this approach has revealed significant organic deposits. Considerable charcoal extensive remains of medieval land reclamation and flecking in the upper alluvial deposits was interpreted associated domestic and agricultural activities. The as potentially signifying nearby scrub burning’ (RPS quarry has provided significant archaeological evi- Consulting 2000). dence for the rural hinterland of Lydd and this will Inevitably there will be examples of evaluations need to be compared with evidence from Lydd town, which prove negative. An example is the trial trench- where to date there has been little archaeological ing at High Knock House, Dymchurch (Linklater work compared for example with New Romney. At 2000). The evaluation revealed no archaeological Caldicott Farm (Priestley-Bell 1998) work revealed features or deposits but the report does provide a number of hearths and scatters of worked flint of some details on the underlying geological deposits probable Bronze Age date found on shingle ridges in comprising clays, pebbles and sands. A confidence similar positions to those recorded at Lydd Quarry. rating of 80% that the site did not contain levels Here, although there was no evidence for Roman of archaeological interest was given and no further activity activity a ditch system of mid- to late 11th- archaeological work was undertaken. A key question century to 14th-century date was located. A spread of for decision-making in the future is whether sites like 13th century to 14th century material, indicative of this one still contain evidence of past activity which the site of a former structure lay in the eastern part could contribute to knowledge about the history of of the site close to the Romney Road. For details of Dymchurch, but which is buried at depths that were not the work around Lydd the reader is again referred to reached by the impacts of this particular development. Barber and Priestley-Bell (2008). The reports within the monograph on the archaeological investigations at Lydd Quarry, Derring Farm, Caldicott Farm, Pio- Excavation neer Pit, Allens Bank and Denge West Quarry (north and south) set out clearly the planning background, Following assessment and evaluation a decision methodologies and results of these various projects may be taken that development can go ahead on the and they reflect the developing research agenda and basis that archaeological remains at the site will be methodological variations for excavations and in par- excavated before destruction and the archaeological ticular the evolving strip, map and sample approach recording is then carried out by the archaeological being proposed by KCC. contractor working to a brief or specification prepared In an urban context it is New Romney that has seen by the County Archaeologist. The excavation and the most significant developer-funded excavation. subsequent post-fieldwork analysis and reporting is Following the DBA and evaluation by Wessex Archae- carried out to satisfy a planning condition attached ology, the site for the proposed Sainsbury’s store was to the planning permission for the development and partially excavated in 2001 by PCA (Meddens and the work is paid for by the developer. Wooldridge 2002; Draper and Meddens 2009). The In East Sussex there have been no significant aim had been preservation in situ following the results developer-funded excavations on the Marsh since of the Wessex Archaeology evaluation, but in fact only 1990, whereas in Kent there have been eight. In the parts were preserved in situ with full excavation of the rural context, KCC developed an approach to exca- areas to be impacted by foundations. The results of vation, which has come to be called strip, map and the excavation were separated into eight phases from sample excavation. The approach has been developed natural sand and shingle deposits at the base, through to explore the landscape archaeology of the Marsh, a series of foreshore deposits sealed by a sand deposit providing important insights into the landscape setting up to 500 mm thick which contained pottery dated to for sites, their interrelationships and whether areas after AD 1250 and possibly related to the storm event between foci of activity are total voids. This approach of AD 1252 on which was found evidence of medieval to recording archaeological remains has revealed occupation and a medieval waterfront building with important evidence including early Bronze Age pot- industrial activity in the area behind the waterfront. tery and flints and Roman deposits (Lydd 4 & 11) Later destruction of the phase 6 building and deposi- (Priestley-Bell 2000; 2003). Other areas of the Lydd tion of flood deposits possibly from the Great Storm site (Lydd Stages 12–14) have revealed evidence for of AD 1287 was recognised (Plate 4.2) with late 4. Planning-led Archaeology 85

Plate 4.2. The remains of Building 2 Southlands School, New Romney, looking northwest. To the right of the photo the remains of a beamslot wall footing can be seen in section. The large cut through the building seen in section is the result of storm damage (© Pre-Construct Archaeology). medieval and early post-medieval ephemeral building assessment of the site at the Elms, Dymchurch activity and dump deposits above that. This building Road, New Romney (Stevenson 2006b) sets out the was the subject of a reconstruction illustration (Plate results of the two areas excavated where features, 4.3). As well as presenting the results of important primarily of 13th- and 14th-century date, followed historical research the PCA monograph attests to the by less-significant activity in the later medieval and richness of finds, though due to keyhole excavation post-medieval periods were located and ASE is now this work adds less to our understanding of the layout considering a monograph on three New Romney sites; of the town. Despite that, the work has significantly The Elms (South and East of Sainsburys) (Stevenson increased our understanding of the trade network 2006a; 2006b), the site North of Dymchurch Road, enjoyed by the town, with pottery from Yorkshire, Adjacent to Sainsburys (Stevenson and Hunter 2006) France, Flanders and Germany and it appears to have and the evaluation at Fairfield Road (Griffin 2005). enjoyed a wider diversity of pottery than the rural hin- CAT has also recently produced a draft assessment terland as represented by Lydd Quarry (Luke Barber report (Gollop 2008) for the archaeological excava- pers. comm.). Subsequent excavations at the nearby tion at St Martin’s Field, New Romney, in advance of site called ‘Site north of Dymchurch Road, Adjacent the First Sewerage Scheme, undertaken by 4Delivery to Sainsburys’ (Stevenson 2006a) have also revealed on behalf of Southern Water. Cultural heritage and in evidence for features of 13- to 19th-century date cut particular archaeology, triggered the requirement by into storm-deposited sand. The medieval remains KCC Heritage for Environmental Impact Assessment, comprised rubbish pits with evidence for small-scale which led to a DBA followed by a watching brief on industrial activity (possible ship repair), fishing and test pits (Linklater 2004) and evaluation trial trenching pottery production. A metalled roadway of 13th- to (Boden and Diack 2004). The CAT assessment report 14th-century date behind the activity areas was also sets out the important results of the excavation of the found. Looking to the future, ASE’s post-excavation site at the heart of New Romney, lying to the north of 86 Casper Johnson

Plate 4.3. Reconstruction of a medieval building (Building 2) associated with ship building (Southlands School, New Romney) and New Romney Beach by Jake Lunt (© Pre-Construct Archaeology). the High Street, including the excavation of 48 graves onstrates the value of carrying out wider strip areas of between 13th- and 16th-century date from within in settlements and the value of geoarchaeological and the former cemetery of St Martins, demolished in the palaeoenvironmental studies. The site demonstrates 16th century. Results from associated watching briefs the variation in activity one should expect over a related to the sewerage scheme are being reported small area and provides a warning of the risks from separately and CAT is aiming to produce a significant limited evaluation trial trenching sample fractions and monograph to report all the findings. the need to understand the geomorphology in order Dymchurch has been the focus for a range of to understand the archaeology. Despite this work, it developer-funded projects including excavation at would appear that the relatively small scale of develop- the former County Primary School & National River ment since 1990 has not provided the opportunity to Authority Yard (Pratt 1995) in advance of residential significantly increase our understanding, for example, housing. The site lies on the edge of a slight rise of the Romano-British salt-working remains uncov- with complex geology; ‘ranging from fairly recently ered during the mid-19th century. reclaimed marshland to the west, through low-lying, As noted above, the early 1990s saw the beginning perhaps marshy clay in the south and a slightly raised of a number of evaluation trial-trenching exercises in clay bank in the centre and north-eastern corner to an and around Hythe carried out by ASE and CAT. These old shingle bank in the north-west’. The work revealed were undertaken to test areas related to the archaeolog- evidence for possible pre-Roman drainage of wet ical potential of the area between the former sea cliff areas that had dried out and had soils forming before and the present coastline. The first development-led the digging of a ditch in the Roman period. These evaluation in the area around Hythe was undertaken deposits were covered by what was interpreted as a in 1993 when SEAS undertook an evaluation at Dyke 13th-century flood deposit of clay. This project dem- Side Farm, West Hythe (Gardiner 1993) at the request 4. Planning-led Archaeology 87 of KCC Heritage. The project was in advance of form of archaeological project-type undertaken on residential housing development and requested on the the Marsh since 1990. They varied in type from very basis of past discoveries of Anglo-Saxon date at the small-scale observations on footings for extensions to site by Gordon Ward in the 1940s. The first piece of more extensive projects, almost akin to formal excava- development-led work employed the use of machine- tion. Watching briefs were commonly used in urban dug test pits across the site, with an additional long areas on relatively small-scale projects, for example trench. Beach and dune deposits survived at depth between 2000 and 2006 there were eleven recorded along with evidence for hearths, pits, shell scatters watching briefs in New Romney and six in Hythe. and middle Saxon pottery and briquetage indicative Lydd town had two with five recorded for general of occupation from the 8th into the 11th century. In infrastructure works and the Royal Military Canal the event the approach to the archaeological work was alone was subject to three watching briefs during this constrained by a planning condition for archaeology period. In East Sussex there have been recent examples less stringent than that recommended by KCC Herit- of watching briefs on infrastructure works at Camber age. Following the initial evaluation works, however, and Winchelsea Beach. At Smeatons Harbour (Hawtin a form of targeted excavation was carried out at the 2008) during the Environment Agency’s works to southern end of the Dyke Side Farm development erect groynes and sea defences, the timber and stone area (Plot 1) in 1996 by CAT (Ward 1996). Here remains of the harbour entrance were recorded and excavation was focused on a series of trenches located protected during the machine works. Additionally a for the foundation and service runs and followed on valuable plan of the surviving remains along with from the SEAS evaluation in 1993 (Gardiner 1993). information on their condition was made. Ward’s report is useful as it records many of the key When targeted and with good research agendas, issues facing developer-funded work in the early to watching briefs can be effective and reasonable mid-1990s. In particular the change from an approach but they should be avoided where there is a lack of limited to the direct impacts of the development (such information which could lead either to the risk of as footings) to that which facilitates an understanding significant discoveries being made during develop- of the relationship between areas, which can only be ment or alternatively result in a waste of resources if achieved by a more open-area excavation approach. little archaeology is found. The best records tend to For the excavations of plots 2 and 6, undertaken be made when previous assessment and evaluation by CAT in 1997 (Cross 1997), KCC were able to enable research questions to be refined or new ones specify more open area excavation. Ward’s report is formulated. In 2002 a watching brief was under- helpful in that it includes KCC’s specifications for taken at Plot 4, Dyke Side Farm, West Hythe by Plots 2 and 6 from which one gets a clear idea of CAT (Sparey-Green 2002). The aim of the watching the background to the project and the effort put in to brief was to record archaeological remains related to improving the development-led archaeological proc- the sand bank stretching west from the foot of the ess. The specifications set out the methodology to be escarpment close to the Lympne Saxon Shore Fort adopted, which comprised a first phase of hand-dug and a slight valley in the escarpment at the head evaluation test pits to be followed by a second phase of which evidence for Roman occupation has been of open-area excavations, with a third phase allow- found. The site also lay on a possible alignment to ing for a watching brief. Appendix IV of that report the projected Stone Street and an earlier Roman port. reproduces the management agreement for the remain- There was also the evidence for Anglo-Saxon remains ing plots at Dyke Side Farm, following the difficult in the upper levels of the sand bank, the bank being arrangements for Plot 1. This project demonstrates the considered to be post-Roman in date. Despite the evolving approach to specifying what was expected watching brief being limited to foundation trenches from a developer faced with a programme of works and septic tank excavation it was successful in iden- archaeological planning condition. The results have tifying water-worn Roman tile and other unstratified subsequently been published (Gardiner et al. 2001). material including tile of local Wealden fabric. The nature of the deposits exposed (up to a depth of 2.5 m below the neighbouring road level) confirmed Watching Briefs the theory that the sand bank had formed in the post- Roman period. The work did not unfortunately help Watching briefs, at over 35% of the total projects to establish where the Roman material was coming recorded on the HERs, have been the most common from, which is thought to be either the Saxon shore 88 Casper Johnson fort, an early Roman port closer to the old coastline the physical evolution of the Marsh, as witnessed for perhaps in the West Hythe area, or alternatively from example in the work for the Hythe Waste Water Treat- rubbish disposal locally. It remains uncertain whether ment Works and for all periods of significant human the beach had formed on or behind an early Roman occupation from the Bronze Age, Late Iron Age and harbour work (likely to be below Ordnance Datum). Romano-British, through the early and late medieval The work was also useful in confirming the impact periods to the present day. It is perhaps the life of of sand quarrying on the Anglo-Saxon potential of towns such as New Romney and the exploitation of the upper deposits, with quarrying being plotted the rural areas in the late medieval period, for example using early aerial photography. The work concluded around Lydd, where we have witnessed the greatest that the potential for the survival of these important increase in understanding. This understanding has deposits is now confined to the pasture around Dyke resulted from the work of many archaeologists and Side Farm. By contrast, an archaeological watching involved a range of approaches from detailed keyhole brief in 1995 at land to the rear of 40–44 High Street, excavations to extensive strip, map and sample exca- Hythe by SEAS (Kirk 1995) provides an example vations. At the core of the process the heritage teams of where through the use of raft foundations it was at ESCC and in particular KCC have utilised evolving possible for development to be undertaken in such a planning and other tools to develop constructive and manner that any archaeological deposits, which lay meaningful approaches to the challenges posed by buried more than 1.5 m below ground surface, were development on the historic environment. Compli- left in situ and the watching brief simply confirmed cated by the time-lag between planning applications that this result was achieved. and field work in some cases, but based on the value KCC have specified a number of watching briefs in of research within the developer-funded context, it New Romney since 2000, the majority carried out by can be seen that at its best the development control CAT, some of which have recorded significant medi- process can lead to significant increases in know- eval remains. For example in 2001 CAT undertook ledge both about the past and about the nature of the a watching brief at Church Road (Linklater 2002) in archaeological remains of the Marsh. Equally, it is advance of construction of a single house and found important to recognise that since the early 1990s the evidence for a substantial masonry building having field work and reporting of developer-funded archaeo- fronted Church Road. The building had clay floors logical projects on the Marsh has been carried out by and a central hearth with some evidence for an earlier over sixteen different contracting organisations with timber-framed building and is thought to be medi- well over half of the projects undertaken by ASE and eval in date. There was also some evidence for flood approximately a quarter by CAT. They are followed deposits. More recently ASE have also undertaken by PCA who have carried out three pieces of work as watching briefs in New Romney including for exam- have the RMRT with the remaining eleven organisa- ple at Church Villa, Church Close, just south of the tions having carried out one piece of work each. Such High Street (Riccoboni 2004) where archaeological a range of contractor highlights the need for a strong recording on footings for a refurbishment and excava- research base, centred on the HERs and managed tion of a septic tank, revealed evidence for medieval by heritage teams at the county level. An important remains, including a medieval rubbish pit containing sub-text to the review outlined here is that many of an important assemblage of pottery and animal bone. these projects required considerable negotiation and flexibility of approach and this requires sufficiently qualified and resourced county heritage teams and Conclusions professional contracting units. One weaknesses of the developer-funded work car- It is hoped that this review has demonstrated that ried out since the early 1990s has been an apparent lack the adaption to PPG16 since the early 1990s and the of community involvement and engagement, although significant developer-funding that has resulted has led popular publications such as that on the archaeologi- to considerable gains in knowledge about the history cal work at Lydd Quarry, funded by the Aggregates and archaeology of the Marsh, in both urban and rural Levy Sustainability Fund (Barber 2006) show what contexts. This has come about through the evolving is possible. The recently published PPS5 provides a methodological approaches adopted by heritage pro- clear policy basis for requiring that developers ensure fessionals, developers and planners working together. that archaeological results are published. It has not We have seen contributions to our understanding of been possible to follow up the extent to which mate- 4. Planning-led Archaeology 89 rial recovered from the fieldwork has been displayed other researchers using the HERs and GIS capabilities or archived locally, but nationally and regionally available to develop an iterative research base, linked this remains a problem. With the implementation to evolving research questions and continued increases of PPS5 these will be important considerations for in our understanding of the history and archaeology future work. In the end it must be remembered that of the Marsh which has been the significant legacy a key audience for the work being undertaken are of PPG16 over the last twenty years. those who live and work on the Marsh. The work to synthesise the results of the many projects reviewed Acknowledgements and make that information more widely available has I would very much like to thank Luke Barber, Martyn been underway for some time now. The monograph Waller, Lis Dyson, Duncan Hawkins, Dominic Per- by ASE for the Lydd gravel quarries (Barber and ring, Wendy Rogers and in particular John Williams Priestley-Bell 2008) represents a very significant for their very helpful comments on early drafts of this increase in our understanding of the rural hinterland article. Any inaccuracies or failings that remain are of the Marsh. It demonstrates how the Marsh in this entirely my own responsibility. I would also like to area was reclaimed with fields set out and settlements acknowledge the hard work, dedication and profes- developed in an changing and dynamic coastal envi- sionalism of all the archaeologists who were involved ronment. In the urban context, the recent monograph in the work that has been reviewed here and to the on excavations at the Sainsburys site in New Romney developers who funded that work. I hope that the end (Draper and Meddens 2009) demonstrates the consid- product adequately reflects the experiences of all those erable potential for combining historical research with who have worked through this important period of the archaeological results, in this case from a single archaeological endeavour on the Marsh. excavation. The reconstruction of Building 2 by Jake Lunt amply illustrates the increase in understanding that has resulted from this work (Plate 4.3). In East References Sussex it has been through research, for example on Barber, L. 2006. Medieval Life on Romney Marsh Kent: Archaeo- Rye by Martin and Martin (2009), Draper (2009) and logical Discoveries from around Lydd. Heritage Marketing and Publications, King’s Lynn. the Rye Extensive Urban Survey (Harris 2009), and Barber, L. and Priestley-Bell, G. 2008. Medieval Adaptation, Set- for New Winchelsea (Martin and Rudling 2004) that tlement and Economy of a Coastal Wetland: the Evidence from the results of developer-funded projects have found around Lydd, Romney Marsh, Kent. Oxbow Books, Oxford. a synthesis. The ASE report for Lydd Quarry and the Bates, M. 1995. A Geoarchaeological Evaluation of the Proposed A259 Brooklands Diversion. Geoarchaeological Service Facil- PCA report for New Romney demonstrate the scale ity, Unpublished report. of the work possible as well as bringing to our atten- Boden, D. and Diack, M. 2004. Preliminary Results of the Evalua- tion the scale of the loss of unique components of tion Trenching and Sample Excavation in Advance of the First our heritage. The prospect of monographs from ASE Time Sewerage Scheme. Canterbury Archaeological Trust, and CAT for New Romney is also encouraging. With Unpublished report. Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 1995. Archaeological Watching a range of contractors working on the Marsh though, Brief on the Laying of a New Gas Main along the High Street the logistics of broader synthetic publications with and West Street, New Romney, Kent. Unpublished report. information from all sites included remains uncertain. Communities and Local Government. 2010. Planning Policy The research value of developer-funded work is Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment. TSO, Norwich. increasingly being realised nationally and applies Cross, R. 1997. Report on Archaeological Investigations at Dyke- equally to the Marsh. The work reviewed here side Farm, West Hythe, Kent. Canterbury Archaeological Trust, can be more fully appreciated by reference to the Unpublished report. developing southeast regional research framework Department of Environment. 1990. Planning Policy Guidance (SERF) funded by English Heritage and project- Note 16: Archaeology and Planning. HMSO, London. Department of Environment. 1994. Planning Policy Guidance managed in the south-east by KCC. SERF (see www. Note 15: Planning and the Historic Environment. HMSO, kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/heritage/south_east_ London. research_framework.aspx) provides a chronological Draper, G.M. 2009. Rye. A history of a Sussex Cinque Port to and thematic basis for understanding the scope of past 1660. Phillimore, Chichester. Draper, G.M. and Meddens, F. 2009. The Sea and the Marsh. archaeological work and the areas to be addressed in The Medieval Cinque Port of New Romney revealed through future across the region. As we now begin to adapt to Archaeological Excavations and Historical Research (Pre- PPS5 there will, it is hoped, be opportunities for KCC Construct Archaeology Monograph 10). Pre-Construct and ESCC to work more closely with the RMRT and Archaeology, London. 90 Casper Johnson

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