Heritagecollective
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
HeritageCollective Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Cheadle Road, Upper Tean, Staffordshire On behalf of Robert Coats Plant Sales June 2015 Project Ref: 1568A Project Number: 1568A Authored by: Karl Hulka Reviewed by: Jonathan Edis Date: June 2015 Document version M:\HC\Projects\Projects 1501- 1600\1568A - Cheadle Road, Upper Tean\Reports\ 1568A Cheadle Road DBA v.1 (2015.05.24).docx HeritageCollective CONTENTS PAGE NO. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION 5 2.0 PLANNING FRAMEWORK 6 3.0 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY 7 4.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 9 5.0 SITE CONDITIONS AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 18 6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 20 SOURCES CONSULTED 21 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: Site location maps APPENDIX 2: Staffordshire HER map and list APPENDIX 3: Historic maps and images Appendix 3.1: 1775 – Yates’ Map of Staffordshire Appendix 3.2: 1837 – Ordnance Surveyors Drawing (Cheadle) Appendix 3.3: 1842 – Checkley tithe map Appendix 3.4: 1881 – Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.5: 1901 – Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.6: 1923 - Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.7: 1955 - Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.8: 1970/71 - Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.9: 2003 - Google Earth Image Appendix 3.10: 2006 - Google Earth Image APPENDIX 4: Current proposals for the application site Archaeological Desk Cheadle Road, Upper On behalf of Robert Coates June 2015 © 3 Based Assessment Tean, Staffordshire Plant Sales HeritageCollective EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The site known as Cheadle Road, Upper Tean, Staffordshire is proposed for development. The application site has been shown to have a high potential for encountering evidence for late 18th and early 19th century remains associated with the construction of a house and gardens in the north, water channels in the centre and west and an escarpment along the eastern side of the River Tean. There is also a low to moderate potential for encountering former agricultural features dating to the medieval period. This assessment suggests a low potential for remains of other periods to survive on site. Existing impacts on any archaeological deposits and features will predominantly derive from the construction of the house and gardens in the north, the water channels in the centre and west and the escarpment along the river during the late 18th or early 19th centuries. The creation of boundary ditches and subsequent grubbing out of hedgerows is also likely to have removed or disturbed below ground deposits in those areas. On the basis of the available evidence it is advised that, due to a potential for post-medieval remains within the application site, an archaeological evaluation be carried out on areas within the proposed development footprint. In the first instance this should involve a geophysical survey which would inform the need and scope for any further archaeological work. There is no evidence, either from the documentary sources or from the site walkover that any remains of national significance survive on the application site and consequently further archaeological assessment and mitigation can be secured through the imposition of a suitably worded condition on the consented application. Archaeological Desk Cheadle Road, Upper On behalf of Robert Coates June 2015 © 4 Based Assessment Tean, Staffordshire Plant Sales HeritageCollective 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This archaeological desk-based assessment has been prepared by Karl Hulka (ACIfA), director of archaeology at Heritage Collective on behalf of Robert Coates Plant Sales. Documentary research was carried out by the author with additional material provided by Nick Garland (ACIfA), archaeological consultant and Hannah Chevasse, researcher, also of Heritage Collective. 1.2 The subject of this assessment is the site known as Cheadle Road, Upper Tean, Staffordshire, here after referred to as the ‘application site’. The application site is located to the north of the village of Upper Tean and is centred at National Grid Reference (NGR) SK (4)00624, (3)40357. (Appendix 1). The application site does not lie within a conservation area and does not contain any other designated heritage assets. To the north of the application site boundary lies a grade II listed building, The Anchor Inn (1281053). 1.3 Robert Coates Plant Sales has commissioned Heritage Collective to establish the archaeological potential of the site, and to provide guidance on ways to accommodate any relevant constraints identified. This assessment is in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the procedures set out in ‘Standard and Guidance for Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment’1. 1.4 This desk-based assessment comprises an examination of evidence on the Staffordshire Historic Environment Record (HER) together with a range of archives and libraries including the Staffordshire Record Office, The British Library and the National Archives. The report incorporates the results of a comprehensive map regression exercise in order to review the impacts of existing development on potential underlying archaeological deposits. A site visit was undertaken on the 28th April 2015. 1.5 The assessment thus enables all relevant parties to assess the archaeological potential of the site and to consider the need for design, civil engineering and archaeological solutions to the potentials identified. 1 Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. Standard and Guidance for historic desk-based assessment. CIfA (2014). Archaeological Desk Cheadle Road, Upper On behalf of Robert Coates June 2015 © 5 Based Assessment Tean, Staffordshire Plant Sales HeritageCollective 2.0 PLANNING FRAMEWORK National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2.1 Legislation regarding archaeology, including scheduled ancient monuments, is contained in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, amended by the National Heritage Act 1983 and 2002. 2.2 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published in March 2012 provides guidance for planning authorities, property owners, developers and others on the preservation and investigation of archaeological remains. The framework sets out the obligations placed on the local planning authority (Chapter 12) through the development and implementation of a local plan. The framework also sets out the need for the determining authority to ensure that they have sufficient information when making decisions on applications affecting the historic environment. 2.1 In summary, government guidance on archaeology contained within the NPPF provides a structure for making decisions: • where designated heritage assets (world heritage sites, scheduled monuments, listed buildings, protected wreck sites, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields and conservation areas) are affected by development • where the settings of heritage assets are affected by development • where nationally important un-scheduled monuments are affected by development 2.2 In addition the National Planning Policy Framework: • requires the applicant to provide proportionate information on heritage assets affected by the proposals and an assessment of the impact of the proposed development on the significance of the heritage asset • places a duty on the decision making body to determine applications on the basis of sufficient evidence, gathered if necessary from field evaluation. Archaeological Desk Cheadle Road, Upper On behalf of Robert Coates June 2015 © 6 Based Assessment Tean, Staffordshire Plant Sales HeritageCollective 3.0 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY Geology 3.1 The British Geological Survey identifies the underlying solid geology as Hawksmoor Formation comprising sandstone and conglomerate, an interbedded sedimentary bedrock formed approximately 246 to 251 million years ago during the Triassic Period in an environment dominated by rivers.2. 3.2 Through the centre of the site, running north to south, the superficial geology is identified as alluvium comprising clay, silt, sand and gravel formed up to 2 million years ago during the Quaternary Period in an environment dominated by rivers. 3.3 To either side of this, the superficial geology is identified as “River Terrace Deposits 1”, sand and gravel formed up to 3 million years ago during the Quaternary Period in an environment previously dominated by rivers. 3.4 Collectively these geological deposits suggest that the River Tean which currently forms the western side of the application site has shifted in its course westwards from the centre of the application site. 3.5 No site specific geotechnical information is currently available. Site Location and Topography 3.6 The application site is located to the west of Cheadle Road and occupies predominantly pasture land between the road and the River Tean. In general, the land falls from approximately 141m AOD by Cheadle Road to approximately 130m AOD against the river. Breaks of mature deciduous trees running broadly north to south through the centre of the application site mark the location of former water channels associated with an industrial complex to the south of the application site, on of which was known as Mill Lade 3.7 The application site comprises a roughly rectangular shaped plot of land measuring approximately 270m north to south and 140m east to west, enclosing an area of approximately 3.5ha. The application site is currently 2 British Geological Survey online viewer http://www.bgs.ac.uk/data/mapViewers/home.html Archaeological Desk Cheadle Road, Upper On behalf of Robert Coates June 2015 © 7 Based Assessment Tean, Staffordshire Plant Sales HeritageCollective occupied by open pastureland