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10.1 – Archaeology Desk Based Assessment Hamptons Property LLP Holditch House, Holditch Road – Environmental Statement 110430-1 (00) An archaeological desk-based assessment for land at Holditch House, London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (SJ 835 485) Leon Hunt ULAS Report No 2012-001 ©2012 An archaeological desk-based assessment for land at Holditch House, London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (SJ 835 485) Leon Hunt for: Hamptons Property LLP Checked by Signed: . Date: 18 January 2012 Name: .R.J. Buckley... University of Leicester Archaeological Services University Rd., Leicester, LE1 7RH Tel: (0116) 2522848 Fax: (0116) 2522614 ULAS Report Number 2012-001 ©2012 CONTENTS Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3 Aims and Methods ......................................................................................................... 4 Methodology .................................................................................................................. 4 Site Location, Geology and Topography ....................................................................... 5 Historical and Archaeological Background ................................................................... 6 Historical Background ................................................................................................... 6 Archaeological Background........................................................................................... 6 Roman .................................................................................................................... 7 Anglo-Saxon-Medieval .......................................................................................... 8 Post-medieval ......................................................................................................... 8 Historic Landscape Characterisation ............................................................................. 9 Cartographic Evidence ................................................................................................. 10 Site Visit....................................................................................................................... 14 Appraisal of the Development Impact ......................................................................... 15 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 15 Sources ......................................................................................................................... 15 Appendix: Historic Environment Record for Staffordshire ......................................... 22 FIGURES Figure 1: Location of assessment area ........................................................................... 4 Figure 2: Plan of assessment area. Provided by developer ............................................ 5 Figure 3: Plan of sites listed on Historic Environment Record for Staffordshire. Provided by Staffordshire County Council. Scale Unknown ........................................ 7 Figure 4: Plan of Historic Landscape Characterisation for the area. Provided by Staffordshire County Council. Scale Unknown ............................................................. 9 Figure 5: Detail of 1839 Tithe map of Wolstanton parish, .......................................... 10 Figure 6: Detail of 1886 Ordnance Survey map of the area, with assessment area highlighted. Scale 25 inch to 1 mile............................................................................. 11 Figure 7: Detail of 1900 Ordnance Survey map of the area, with assessment area highlighted. Scale 25 inch to 1 mile............................................................................. 11 Figure 8: Detail of 1924 OS map of the area, with assessment area highlighted. Scale 25 inch to 1 mile .......................................................................................................... 12 Figure 9: Detail of 1959 OS map of the area, with assessment area highlighted. ....... 13 Figure 10: Detail of 1995 OS map of the site, with assessment area highlighted. ...... 13 Figure 11: Plan of proposed development. Provided by developer ............................. 14 ©ULAS 2012 Report No. 2012-001 i PLATES Plate 1: South-eastern edge of proposed development area. Looking north-east to neighbouring site .......................................................................................................... 17 Plate 2: South-eastern part of site, looking south-east ................................................. 17 Plate 3: The entrance into the main site, looking north-west ....................................... 18 Plate 4: The access road leading round to the disused entrance gates, ........................ 18 Plate 5: The main site from the north, looking south ................................................... 19 Plate 6: The slope along the southern edge of the site, looking south-east ................. 19 Plate 7: The slope to the south, looking south-west..................................................... 20 Plate 8: Central area of the site, looking west .............................................................. 20 Plate 9: The centre of the site, looking north ............................................................... 21 Plate 10: The pond and wooded area at the northern edge, looking north................... 21 ©ULAS 2012 Report No. 2012-001 ii An archaeological desk-based assessment for land at Holditch House, London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (SJ 835 485) An archaeological desk-based assessment for land at Holditch House, London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (SJ 835 485) Leon Hunt Summary An archaeological desk-based assessment has been prepared for land at Holditch House, London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (SJ 835 485). The work was prepared by University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) and was commissioned by Hamptons Property LLP in advance of a proposed new waste and metals recycling facility at the site, which is currently covered in waste ground, areas of tarmac, an area of rough grassland and a pond. The site lies within an area rich in Roman archaeology and lies close to the known site of Holditch Roman settlement and the site of Chesterton Roman fort. The Roman road from Littlechester to Chesterton runs just to the north- east of the site and there are other known sites of interest in the vicinity of the assessment area, including a Roman coin hoard and a Roman marching camp. Most of the site has been developed previously. Early maps indicated that a gas works was situated on the site until relatively recently. Therefore, the preservation of underlying archaeological remains may be poor, except in areas of virgin ground. The Roman road (HER Ref No. PRN05168) and the Roman settlement (PRN01769) lie relatively close to the site boundaries and are therefore the most significant, but the area that appears little developed is the southern part of the site. Therefore, despite the proximity of significant Roman remains the assessment area has only moderate potential for archaeological remains from the Roman period to be discovered during any ground-works on the site and low potential for any prehistoric, medieval or post-medieval remains. Introduction In accordance with Planning Policy Statement 5 (Planning for the Historic Environment) this document is an archaeological desk-based assessment for land at Holditch House, London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (NGR: SJ 835 485). The assessment was commissioned by Hamptons Property LLP from University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) in advance of the proposed development of the site for a new waste and metals recycling facility. The site lies within an area rich in Roman archaeology. The Historic Environment Record for Staffordshire (HER) indicates that assessment area lies close to the known site of Holditch Roman settlement and the site of Chesterton Roman fort. The Roman road from Littlechester to Chesterton runs just to the north-east of the site and there are other known sites of interest in the vicinity of the assessment area, including a Roman coin hoard and a temporary camp. ©ULAS 2012 Report No. 2012-001 3 An archaeological desk-based assessment for land at Holditch House, London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (SJ 835 485) Aims and Methods The aim of this desk-based assessment is to present information on the extent, character, date, integrity and state of preservation of archaeological deposits present within the development area. The assessment takes into account all previous land uses and attempts to establish what impact future development will have on the archaeological remains. The desk-based assessment should, once the above information has been gathered, assist in providing an informed planning decision as to whether further stages of work are necessary. All work follows the Institute for Archaeologist’s (IfA) Code of Conduct and adheres to their Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-based Assessments. Figure 1: Location of assessment area Reproduced from Landranger® 1:50 000 scale, sheet 118 (Stoke-on-Trent) by permission of Ordnance Survey® on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. ©