Burn of Whilk Borrow Pits Archaeological Desk-Based
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Burn of Whilk Borrow Pits Archaeological Desk‐based Assessment AOC Project 22031 February 2012 © AOC Archaeology Group 2011 Burn of Whilk Borrow Pits, Caithness Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment On Behalf of: SKM 160 Dundee Street Edinburgh EH11 1DQ On Behalf of RWE npower Renewables Limited National Grid Reference (NGR): ND 30000 38100 and ND28000 41600 AOC Project No: 22031 Prepared by: Thomas Bradley-Lovekin Paul Humphreys Illustration by: Stefan Sagrott Date of Report: 25 January 2012 This document has been prepared in accordance with AOC standard operating procedures. Author: Thomas Bradley-Lovekin Date: February 2012 Approved by: Victoria Oleksy Date: February 2012 Draft/Final Report Stage: Draft Date: February 2012 Enquiries to: AOC Archaeology Group Edgefield Industrial Estate Edgefield Road Loanhead EH20 9SY Tel. 0131 440 3593 Fax. 0131 440 3422 e‐mail. [email protected] www.aocarchaeology.com © AOC Archaeology Group 2011 Contents Page List of illustrations ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 List of plates...................................................................................................................................................................... 3 List of appendices............................................................................................................................................................. 3 1 Non‐technical Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 4 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Government and local planning policies........................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Planning considerations pertaining to the site.................................................................................................. 9 2.4 Limitations of Scope....................................................................................................................................... 10 3. Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................................................................... 10 4. Methodology.............................................................................................................................................................. 10 4.1 Standards....................................................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Data sources.................................................................................................................................................. 11 4.3 Report structure ............................................................................................................................................. 11 5 Baseline Conditions .................................................................................................................................................... 11 Context ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 5.2 Mesolithic to Iron Age (8000 BC – AD 450) ................................................................................................... 12 5.2 Early Medieval (AD 450-900) ......................................................................................................................... 13 5.4 Norse (AD 900 – 1300) .................................................................................................................................. 13 5.5 Late Medieval (AD 1300 – 1600).................................................................................................................... 14 5.6 Post-Medieval (AD 1600 – 1850) ................................................................................................................... 14 5.7 Modern (post-AD 1850).................................................................................................................................. 15 5.8 Walkover Survey by Paul Humphreys............................................................................................................ 15 5.9 Aerial Photographic Evidence ........................................................................................................................ 17 6 Assessment of Impacts.......................................................................................................................................... 17 6.1 Direct Impacts ................................................................................................................................................ 17 6.2 Indirect Impacts.............................................................................................................................................. 18 7 Mitigation................................................................................................................................................................. 18 7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 18 7.2 Mitigation of Direct Impacts............................................................................................................................ 19 7.3 Mitigation of indirect impacts......................................................................................................................... 19 8 References .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 8.1 Bibliographic references................................................................................................................................. 20 8.2 Cartographic references................................................................................................................................. 21 8.2 Aerial photographs consulted......................................................................................................................... 21 Burn of Whilk Borrow Pits, Caithness, Archaeological Desk-based Assessment List of illustrations Figure 1: Proposed development area and sites of cultural heritage interest Figure 2: Extract from Roy’s Military Survey, 1747-55 Figure 3: Extract from Ordnance Survey map, 1877 (Borrow Pit 1) Figure 4: Extract from Ordnance Survey map, 1877 (Borrow Pit 2) Figure 5: Extract from Ordnance Survey map, 1907 (Borrow Pit 1) Figure 6: Extract from Ordnance Survey Map, 1968-9 (Borrow Pit 1) List of plates Included within the report for the Walkover Survey (Appendix 2) List of appendices Appendix 1 Site Gazetteer Appendix 2 Notes on Archaeological Walkover Survey- Borrow Pit 1, Mid Clyth, Caithness by Paul Humphreys © AOC Archaeology Group ⎪ Page 3 of 34 ⎪ www.aocarchaeology.com Burn of Whilk Borrow Pits, Caithness, Archaeological Desk-based Assessment 1 Non‐technical Summary 1.1 AOC Archaeology Group was commissioned by SKM acting on behalf of RWE Npower Renewables to undertake a Desk-Based Assessment of two proposed borrow pits (Borrow Pit’s 1 and 2) associated with the consented wind farm development at Burn of Whilk, East Clyth, Lybster, Caithness. The sites are within the local authority administrative area of Highland Council, which is advised on archaeological matters by Highland Council Historic Environment Team. The two borrow pits are located separately beyond the boundaries of the consented development. Centred on ND28000 41600 Borrow Pit 2 is located within a large commercial forestry plantation which is likely to have impacted severely on any archaeological remains which may have once been present (Puls 2011). Borrow Pit 1 by contrast is located at ND 30000 38100 south of the consented wind farm approximately 250m west of the coastline and adjacent to the A99. Borrow Pit 1 is includes a former quarry as does Borrow Pit 2. The former quarry at Borrow Pit 2 was previously used by the Forestry Commission for their operations. 1.2.1 Potential impacts on known or unknown buried archaeological remains in the case of this development proposal relate to the possibility of disturbing, removing or destroying in situ remains and artefacts during groundbreaking works on the site associated with mineral extraction and the laying of access tracks and related drainage works. The access track for Borrow Pit 1 will utilise the bed of the former Lybster to Wick railway (whilst Borrow Pit 2 will be accessed via existing forest tracks. Both these measures will limit, or possibly avoid completely any direct impacts beyond the borrow pits themselves. 1.2.2 The earthwork remains of a post-medieval crofting settlement were identified within the northern portion of proposed Borrow Pit 1 during the walkover survey. These remains, which include two building platforms, correlate with buildings shown on the 1877 Ordnance Survey map. Whilst the precise development plans are at present unknown it is clear that the potential for post-medieval remains being encountered during the course of development