ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT UFFINGTON ROAD, STAMFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE 26339 Uffington Road, Stamford 1.1 April 2020 rpsgroup.com UFFINGTON ROAD, STAMFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT Quality Management Version Status Authored by Reviewed by Approved by Review date 1 DRAFT AB/MF SM SM 16.04.20 1.1 FINAL AB/MF SM SM 16.04.20 Approval for issue Simon Mortimer 16 April 2020 File/Model Location S:\documents\Archaeology Jobs\26001 - 27000\26339 - Uffington Road, Document location: Stamford\Reports\DBA © Copyright RPS Group Plc. All rights reserved. The report has been prepared for the exclusive use of our client and unless otherwise agreed in writing by RPS Group Plc, any of its subsidiaries, or a related entity (collectively 'RPS'), no other party may use, make use of, or rely on the contents of this report. The report has been compiled using the resources agreed with the client and in accordance with the scope of work agreed with the client. 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No part of this report may be copied or reproduced, by any means, without the prior written consent of RPS. Prepared by: Prepared for: RPS Lambert Smith Hampton Aline Behrendt Dudley J Cross Archaeological Consultant Building Consultancy Lead – South Myk Flitcroft BA MSc MCIfA Director – Archaeology & Heritage Sherwood House, Sherwood Avenue Pyramus House, Roman Way Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1QQ Grange Park, Northampton NN4 5EA T +44 1636 642 707 E [email protected] 26339 | Uffington Road, Stamford | 1.1 | April 2020 rpsgroup.com UFFINGTON ROAD, STAMFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This archaeological desk-based assessment of land off Uffington Road, Stamford has been prepared by RPS on behalf of Lambert Smith Hampton. The site is located on the eastern edge of the town of Stamford and comprises approximately 4.87 hectares of industrial estate. The site is proposed for mixed-use re- development. This assessment has been prepared with regard to Government’s National Planning Policy Framework, to identify and provide a description of the significance of heritage assets within the site and the likely effects of the planned development. This study concentrates on identifying any archaeological interest in the site and assessing the potential impact of development on the archaeological significance of any identified assets. The assessment is based on an examination of evidence in the Lincolnshire Historic Environment Record (HER), Historic England’s National Heritage List for England, historic maps, and online resources. The assessment has confirmed that there are no scheduled monuments or other designated heritage assets within the site. Development within the site will not affect the significance of any designated heritage asset in the surrounding area. The data provided by the HER contains a circular polygon within the south-west part of the site, which indicates the approximate location and potential extent of an early Saxon cemetery. The cemetery is inferred from the discovery of a Saxon burial during the construction of the railway on the western boundary of the site in the 1860s. As is common with records of Victorian discoveries, it is difficult to locate accurately and difficult to assess its significance. Saxon burials are more commonly found within cemeteries, but those cemeteries vary significantly in size. It has been assumed in preparing this assessment that the cemetery originally extended within the site, broadly as mapped. Making an assessment of the significance of the conjectured remains is complicated by the fact that their state of preservation is unclear. The extent of the modern development suggests that at best there are likely to be only islands of survival, but the original recorded depth of the burial at 4ft does suggest that burials could survive outside of deep intrusions. This assessment has also considered the potential for other, as-yet undiscovered, archaeological assets within the site. Historic maps demonstrate that the site was undeveloped open ground to the east of Stamford’s built area in the early 19th century, and this is likely to reflect the land use from at least the Medieval period onwards. The site remained undeveloped until the 1970s, when the existing industrial estate was built. Based on the HER dataset for the surrounding search area, the historic maps, and the existing development on the site, the site is considered to have a low potential for significant additional archaeological assets. The heritage interest in the site can be safe-guarded through an appropriately worded condition attached to any planning permission granted. In practice demolition should be permitted to slab level, to be followed by archaeological monitoring of removal of hard-surfacing to reveal the archaeological horizon. Targeted archaeological investigation comprising test- pits and trenches are then likely to be required to establish the presence/absence of further burials or other significant remains. Provision should be made for further archaeological mitigation measures to follow this work and for subsequent off-site analysis, recording and reporting leading to publication as appropriate. 26339 | Uffington Road, Stamford | 1.1 | April 2020 rpsgroup.com Page i UFFINGTON ROAD, STAMFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... I 1 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF STUDY ...................................................................................... 1 2 PLANNING BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK.................................... 2 National Planning Policy ..................................................................................................................... 2 Local Planning Policy ......................................................................................................................... 3 3 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 5 Geology .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Topography ........................................................................................................................................ 5 4 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND WITH ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE .................................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Designated Heritage Assets ............................................................................................................... 6 Non-Designated Heritage Assets and other archaeological monuments .......................................... 7 Previous Archaeological Work ........................................................................................................... 7 Mesolithic – Bronze Age ..................................................................................................................... 8 Iron Age - Roman ............................................................................................................................... 9 Anglo-Saxon/Early Medieval ............................................................................................................ 10 Medieval ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Post Medieval & Modern (including map regression exercise) ........................................................ 10 Assessment of Significance (Non-Designated Assets) .................................................................... 12 5 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT & REVIEW OF POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSETS ................................................................................................. 13 Proposed Development .................................................................................................................... 13 Review of Potential Development Impacts on Non-Designated Assets ........................................... 13 6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................. 14 Figures Figure 1: Site Location ...............................................................................................................................