HeritageCollective Archaeological Desk Based Assessment Lillybank Farm, London Road, Battle, East Sussex On behalf of Millwood Designer Homes Limited November 2014 Project Ref: 14/1661 Project Number: 14/1661 Authored by: Nick Garland Reviewed by: Karl Hulka Date: November 2014 Document version M:\HC\Projects\Projects 1601- 1700\14.1661 - Lillybank Farm, Battle\Reports\14.1661 Lillybank Farm, Battle - DBA v.1 (2014.11.28).docx HeritageCollective CONTENTS PAGE NO. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION 6 2.0 PLANNING FRAMEWORK 7 3.0 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY 9 4.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 10 5.0 SITE CONDITIONS AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 22 6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 24 SOURCES CONSULTED 26 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: Site location maps APPENDIX 2: East Sussex HER maps and list APPENDIX 3: Historic Maps and Images Appendix 3.1: 1575 Saxton’s Map of Sussex Appendix 3.2: 1610 Speed’s Map of Sussex Appendix 3.3: 1778 Yeakall and Gardner’s Map of Sussex Appendix 3.4: 1806 Ordnance Surveyors drawing Appendix 3.5: 1859 Tithe Map of Battle Appendix 3.6: 1873 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.7: 1898 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.8: 1909 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.9: 1930 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.10: 1946 Aerial photograph (RAF) Appendix 3.11: 1959 Aerial photograph (MAL) Appendix 3.12: 1970 Aerial photograph (MAL) Appendix 3.13: 1994 Aerial photograph (MAL) Appendix 3.14: 2013 Google Earth Image Archaeological Desk Lillybank Farm, London On behalf of Millwood November 2014 © 3 Based Assessment Road, Battle, East Sussex Designer Homes Ltd HeritageCollective EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The site known as Lillybank Farm, London Road, Battle, East Sussex is proposed for redevelopment. The application site has been shown to have a low to moderate potential for earlier prehistoric activity, dating specifically to the Later Mesolithic period and suggesting sporadic occupation in this area. There is also a low to moderate potential for later prehistoric and Roman activity, relating in particular to evidence for iron ore mining / working and a routeway running through this area. There is also a moderate potential for medieval activity, related to the position of the application site on the periphery of the probable battlefield of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. There is also a moderate to high potential for medieval and post-medieval agricultural activities across the study area. This assessment suggests a low potential for all other periods. Existing impacts on any surviving archaeological deposits and features will derive predominantly from the arable use of the land from at least the early 19th century onwards, which is likely to have horizontally truncated below ground strata. This includes the cutting of field boundaries and drainage ditches that border and cross the application site. The subsequent change of use of the land within the application site from arable to pasture will have limited any further truncation of below ground strata in recent years. The densely wooded nature of the area prior to the medieval period is likely to have restricted extensive occupation of the area and subsequent clearance may have adversely affected below ground strata. On the basis of the available evidence it is advised that, due to a potential for medieval and post-medieval remains, an archaeological evaluation of the application site be carried out. In the first instance consultation with the East Sussex County Archaeologist should be undertaken in order to determine the scope of an archaeological evaluation, however, it is normal practice on a potential battlefield site that this should initially comprise a metal detecting survey of the application site to examine if there is any artefactual remains relating to the Battle of Hastings. This should be carried out under archaeological supervision and to an agreed methodology. In addition, a geophysical survey, and depending on the results, a targeted trial trenching exercise should be undertaken to assess the level of potential archaeological Archaeological Desk Lillybank Farm, London On behalf of Millwood November 2014 © 4 Based Assessment Road, Battle, East Sussex Designer Homes Ltd HeritageCollective remains and/or any possible disturbance to the underlying strata. If no significant remains are encountered during the evaluation, any further work should be limited to a watching brief carried out on intrusive groundworks associated with the proposed development. Archaeological Desk Lillybank Farm, London On behalf of Millwood November 2014 © 5 Based Assessment Road, Battle, East Sussex Designer Homes Ltd HeritageCollective 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This archaeological desk-based assessment has been prepared by Nick Garland MA (AIfA), archaeological consultant at Heritage Collective on behalf of Millwood Designer Homes Limited. Documentary research was carried out by the author. 1.2 The subject of this assessment is the site known as Lillybank Farm, London Road, Battle, East Sussex, hereafter the ‘application site’. The site lies to the north of the historic town of Battle, and is centred at National Grid Reference (NGR) TQ (5)74416, (1)17001 (Appendix 1). The application site is located within the High Weald Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) and to the north of the Battle Abbey scheduled monument (1013226), the Battle of Hastings registered battlefield (1000013) and Battle Abbey registered park and garden (1000309). 1.3 Millwood Designer Homes Limited 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 East Sussex Historic Environment Record (HER) together with a range of archives and libraries including East Sussex Records Office (The Keep), National Archives and The British Library. 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 walkover was conducted by the author on the 13th November 2014. 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 IfA. Standard and Guidance for Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment. (2014) Archaeological Desk Lillybank Farm, London On behalf of Millwood November 2014 © 6 Based Assessment Road, Battle, East Sussex Designer Homes Ltd HeritageCollective 2.0 PLANNING FRAMEWORK National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2.1 Legislation regarding archaeology, including scheduled monuments, is contained in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, amended by the National Heritage Act 1983 and 2002. 2.2 The 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. 2.3 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 2.4 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 Lillybank Farm, London On behalf of Millwood November 2014 © 7 Based Assessment Road, Battle, East Sussex Designer Homes Ltd HeritageCollective Local Policies Rother District Local Plan 2006 2.5 The Local Plan was formally adopted by Rother District Council on the 10th July 2006. The council is in the process of preparing the new Local Plan, and while it is being prepared, a number of policies from the existing Local Plan have been saved by the Secretary of State. However, none of the saved policies are directly related to the treatment of archaeological remains and so the principle guidance continues to be those detailed above. Archaeological Desk Lillybank Farm, London On behalf of Millwood November 2014 © 8 Based Assessment Road, Battle, East Sussex Designer Homes Ltd HeritageCollective 3.0 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY Geology 3.1 The British Geological Survey identifies the underlying solid geology as Ashdown Formation, comprising sandstone, siltstone and mudstone; a sedimentary bedrock formed during the Cretaceous