2016 Portsmouth Harbour Hinterland Project Research Toolkit Contents Introducon 3 Background 3 Aims 3 Assessment Framework 4 Introducon to the Assessment framework 4 Stage 1: Idenfying the asset 4 Stage 2: Researching the asset 5 Stage 3: Assessing significance 6 Considering issues for change 8 General research guidelines 8 Introducon 8 Desk‐based research 8 Documentary sources 9 Cartographic sources 9 Aerial photographs 9 Oral history 10 Site inspecon 10 Key narrave themes and research priories 10 Delivering research and encouraging engagement 12 Promong and managing community research 12 Examples 13 Secondary published sources xx Appendix xx Cover Image © David Hyde hp:// www.spinnakertower.co.uk/Libraries/ Feature_Boxes/David_Hyde_winner.sflb.ashx List of Tables: Table 1: Summary of assessment framework stages Table 2 Summary of themac groups and asset examples www.mola.org.uk Table 3 Significance of Heritage Assets in relaon © MOLA Mormer Wheeler House, 46 Eagle Wharf Road, to the dockyard London N1 7ED tel 0207 410 2200 fax 0207 410 2201 Table 4: Key narrave themes and research prior‐ email:[email protected] Museum of London Archaeology is a company limited by guarantee ies Registered in England and Wales Company registraon number 07751831 Charity registraon number 1143574 Registered office Table 5: Research data sources Mormer Wheeler House, 46 Eagle Wharf Road, London N1 7ED Portsmouth Historic Hinterland 2 Introducon Background yard. This has been divided according to to beer understanding the historic environ‐ themes relang to different acvies as well as ment; The Royal Navy established Portsea Island as chronological phases of development. The its main harbour and base in the 16th century. The idenficaon of heritage features within project has been kindly supported by the ex‐ Subsequently, the surrounding rural hinterland the hinterland associated with the dockyard; perse of Dr Ann Coats, Chair of the Naval was developed with an extensive supporng Dockyards Society and Dr Duncan Redford, The assessment of their significance in rela‐ infrastructure, protected by significant sea and Head of Research at the Naonal Museum of on to parcular sites, areas, structures or land defences. Much of this survives today, the Royal Navy. themes; either as standing structures, historic places or buried archaeological remains, but the signifi‐ Idenficaon of any issues for consideraon cance of these ‘heritage assets’ as parts of the to be raised at an early stage of the develop‐ Aims infrastructure of the docks is not always fully ment process. recognised. This Historic England funded pro‐ This research toolkit has been prepared for ject aims to raise awareness and understand‐ local community groups and heritage profes‐ The toolkit contains several elements. These ing of the historic influence of the Royal Navy sionals to: comprise: on Portsmouth’s hinterland. This will assist undertake further research to develop the local decision‐making, planning, development themac narrave presented in the main Research guidelines. The toolkit is primarily and management of the historic environment. project report; desk‐based and this forms the main element. There are also guidelines and ps for site Idenfy heritage features (buildings, land‐ inspecon; The project has drawn together and reviewed scape features, and monuments etc), record archaeological records, historic documents, key elements and assess their significance. A pro‐forma research sheet for known or photographs, maps and drawings, as well as potenal assets idenfied by the desk‐based Highlight heritage issues that may arise in previous studies of the survey area. The data research and where possible inspecon. The early stages of proposed development and was analysed to idenfy relevant heritage as‐ form is intended to ensure consistency and change. sets not currently recorded by the Historic to facilitate incorporaon into the project Environment Records (HERs) or Naonal Rec‐ Enable users to expand and develop under‐ database ord of the Historic Environment (NRHE). The standing of the broad themes presented in Examples produced by volunteers using the assets have been recorded in a database that is the narrave and the heritage assets associ‐ toolkit. linked to an electronic mapping ‘Geographical ated with them. Informaon System’ (GIS) From this data, maps of the distribuon of types of heritage The toolkit provides guidelines that are intend‐ asset by theme and historical period have been ed to facilitate: produced. These have been used to create a narrave of the development of the Ports‐ Connued research on specific sites, areas, mouth hinterland, which can be aributed to structures, themes introduced in the narra‐ the presence of the Royal Navy base and dock‐ ve of the main report, with an overall view Portsmouth Historic Hinterland 3 Assessment Framework Introducon interpretaon. This assessment framework will: Sympathec change and development can maintain and increase the value of these herit‐ enable local community groups and individu‐ age assets as disncve elements of the land‐ als to idenfy heritage features, assess their scape. Crucially, significant features may only significance and undertake further research be revealed through assessment to inform development proposals, including buildings, enable an inial assessment for each of archaeological remains and areas, which may these stages, which can then be deepened merit more detailed invesgaon or even des‐ later as required ignaon. It can be used for all types of heritage asset, We have developed a Heritage Asset Recording whether they are ‘designated’ or not. This is Sheet so that the historic character and signifi‐ because, whilst designated heritage assets cance of a building or site can be recorded, raise the significance of historic buildings and illustrated and assessed, and then sent to the sites, they only comprise a proporon of the local Historic Environment Record. The stages features that owe their historic character and set out below will help you conduct this assess‐ development to the naval dockyard, and that ment, begin the assessment of a wider area, or contribute to the special character and disnc‐ consider key issues if you are applying for her‐ veness of the Portsmouth hinterland. Many of these features await discovery and fresh itage consent or planning permission. Table 1: Summary of assessment framework stages Stage Tasks 1: Idenfying the asset Establish what the asset comprises of. Consider to what extent the dockyard has influenced the presence and development of the asset. Establish which themac group(s) the asset belongs to (its relaonship with the dockyard). 2: Researching the asset Use documentary sources to further understand the asset’s relaonship to the dockyard, in‐ cluding influences on its development. Examine historic maps to place the asset in its surrounding context and to idenfy any changes that have occurred over me. Where possible, conduct a visual inspecon of the site complete with photographic record. 3: Assessing significance Consider the significance of the asset, including amongst other things its quality of survival, illustraon of the dockyard’s history, potenal to reveal more through further study. Stage 1: Idenfying the Asset Idenficaon cases assets will have gone through periods of Establishing the relaonship with the dock- uses unrelated to the dock yard A heritage asset can be a building/ structure, yard an archaeological earthwork or below‐ground Establishing the themac group(s) the asset remains, or an area containing some or all of Once the asset has been idenfied, you will contributes to these things. need to consider what its historic funcon was. This will allow you to further examine The main project report introduces a number You may wish to come back to this assessment how the asset was influenced by the presence of key themes that heritage assets in the as you learn more about the asset. For exam‐ of the dockyard. In some cases the historic Portsmouth hinterland illustrate and provide ple, you may discover that the land around an funcon of an asset will be evident, such as evidence for. The text for these themes are historic building has potenal to contain ar‐ the purpose built military features in the hin‐ chaeological remains of buried structures of terland; in others its historic funcon in rela‐ based on exisng knowledge and provide a interest in addion to the features that can be on to the dockyard will be more ambiguous starng point for further research, idenfying observed above ground. and will require further examinaon. In some features associated with the and exploring the Portsmouth Historic Hinterland 4 connecons between the different themes Using the toolkit eral guidance on using maps to idenfy chang‐ associated with the naval dockyard. es to an asset and its wider seng is outlined You can now find out more about the historic in ‘mapping and library resources’. The checklist below will help you to categorise context of the asset and its relaonship to the the funcon of the asset within the specific dockyard, using the relevant part of the pro‐ Site survey themes of the project. forma recording sheet appended to the Visual site survey from publicly accessible are‐ Toolkit. The funcons of some sites and structures will as will then help you to idenfy what has sur‐ be idenfied in the descripons for listed Documentary research, using the sources vived from different phases of the asset’s de‐ buildings and other designated heritage assets, listed under each theme and in Table 4 , will be velopment and its wider seng. Historic Environment Record entries, or in an invaluable help in deepening understanding It is recommended that you take photographs documentary sources such as primary archival of an asset’s history and relaonship to the of the site, along with wrien notes to record documents, published books, and historic dockyard and how it was influenced. what you have learnt. Guidance on conducng maps. Comparison of historic and current maps (such a site survey is presented in the appendix.