West Wansdyke, Bath and North-East Somerset Conservation Management Plan English Heritage Report prepared by: ECUS Ltd. Festival House Jessop Avenue Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL50 3SH February 2015 West Wansdyke – Conservation Management Plan ECUS Ltd Report to: English Heritage Report Title: West Wansdyke – Conservation Management Plan Revision: Final Issue Date: March 2015 Report Ref: 4569_WestWansdyke_CMP_v2.1 Originated By: James Thomson Heritage Consultant Date: 18.12.14 Reviewed By: Paul White Heritage Team Leader Date: 19.12.14 Approved By: Paul White Heritage Team Leader Date: 27.02.15 Prepared by: ECUS Ltd. Festival House Jessop Avenue Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL50 3SH The report and the site assessments carried out by ECUS on behalf of the client in accordance with the agreed terms of contract and/or written agreement form the agreed Services. The Services were performed by ECUS with the skill and care ordinarily exercised by a reasonable Environmental Consultant at the time the Services were performed. Further, and in particular, the Services were performed by ECUS taking into account the limits of the scope of works required by the client, the time scale involved and the resources, including financial and manpower resources, agreed between ECUS and the client. Other than that expressly contained in the paragraph above, ECUS provides no other representation or warranty whether express or implied, in relation to the services. This report is produced exclusively for the purposes of the client. ECUS is not aware of any interest of or reliance by any party other than the client in or on the services. Unless expressly provided in writing, ECUS does not authorise, consent or condone any party other than the client relying upon the services provided. Any reliance on the services or any part of the services by any party other than the client is made wholly at that party’s own and sole risk and ECUS disclaims any liability to such parties. This report is based on site conditions, regulatory or other legal provisions, technology or economic conditions at the time of the Service provision. These conditions can change with time and reliance on the findings of the Services under changing conditions should be reviewed. ECUS accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of third party data used in this report. ii West Wansdyke – Conservation Management Plan Executive Summary This Conservation Management Plan (referred to as the Plan or CMP) for the West Wansdyke was commissioned by English Heritage (EH) in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset (BNES) Council in February 2013. Ecus Ltd was appointed to prepare the CMP in order to inform the future management of the monument. The purpose of the Plan is to build on the 1994-6 Management Plan. The Plan is to address management issues and to identify opportunities for enhancing the condition and reducing the vulnerability of the specific sections but also for the entirety of the monument. The monument called Wansdyke is the name given to two separate systems of dyke comprising East Wansdyke in Wiltshire, and West Wansdyke in Bath and North East Somerset. The current known extent of West Wansdyke begins at the Iron Age hillfort of Maes Knoll on the eastern edge of Dundry Ridge (ST 602661) at its northwestern point to Midford Road, South Stoke and Horsecombe Valley (SR 748618). The total linear distance along its route, including gaps, is 16.3 km. From Maes Knoll the course of the dyke passes through the parishes of Norton Malreward, Publow, Compton Dando, Marksbury, Newton St Loe, Englishcombe, Odd Down area in the City of Bath and South Stoke. The archaeological remains of West Wansdyke survive to a varying degree along its course, as either discontinuous sections of earthworks preserved with a substantial bank and ditch on its northern side, or as cropmark evidence and sub-surface buried deposits. The better preserved sections of earthwork are statutory protected as Scheduled Monuments. There are 17 separate designated sections of West Wansdyke (including Maes Knoll hillfort) which are aggregated into 11 different Scheduled Monuments along its course. The scheduled lengths of the monument account for approximately 6 km (or 37%) of its linear length (including Maes Knoll ramparts). To assist in the proposed management of the monument, the separate sections were aggregated together to form monument zones. These zones were based upon the survival of the monument, current landuse, topographical position, configuration of the monument (i.e. presence of known terminus which reflects a deliberate break in the monument). This produced 17 monument zone and forms the basis of the management gazetteer. As the zones reflect the varying survival of the monument, the zones vary in length along the monument but have been related back to the management field parcel number used in the 1994-6 Management Plan. A review of the condition of the entire monument has revealed 13 areas are considered to be of an overall satisfactory condition. Of these areas, seven are scheduled and are usually not in cultivation but within grass land cover. Two of the scheduled monuments (BA 167- Peppershells and BA 94- East of Compton Dando) are considered to be of improving condition. The section to the east of Compton Dando has been taken out of cultivation as part of a countryside stewardship scheme. This has improved the condition and stability of the monument. The condition of BA 167 has improved since the last EH monitoring visit in 2005 where scrap metal was noted to be dumped on the monument, which has been now removed and evidence of recent scrub clearance at its northern end. There are eight areas that are considered to be of ‘Major Concern’. None of the areas are scheduled but relate to sections of West Wansdyke where the condition is poor due to historical management and, and subject to gradual decline through ongoing processes such as cultivation. This condition assessment category reflects where there has been an obvious decline in the monument between this Plan and the previous 1995 study. Examples include where earthworks are recorded on OS maps or by Erskine in the 1995 monument gazetteer but these earthworks appear to have been levelled through cultivation (e.g. Zone 2- Fields 7 and 8, Zone 10). It is considered the current management regime will substantially remove any evidential value to sub-surface deposits or shallow earthworks that might be present. iii West Wansdyke – Conservation Management Plan There are four areas that are considered to be of a ‘Critical’ condition; three of which are scheduled. This includes BA 168 (Zone 2), BA 72 (Zone 9- Stantonbury) and BA 93 (Zone 17- Odd Down). Due to the linear character of the monument and the diverse landscape, land use and ownership that is encountered along its route it is considered that any future management should be informed by an overarching aspirational vision to guide its conservation. The Vision is to ensure: The sustainable management of West Wansdyke, in its varied forms, to ensure its ongoing legibility by enhancing its condition and interpretation whilst respecting its historic form and setting From this Vision a series of Policies have been prepared to address specific management issues and to support the sustainable management and conservation of the monument within the landscape. The process of conservation involves a series of decisions to inform actions that can be required as long term or ‘day to day’. Within the Plan, the policies are grouped under various key headings arising out of the issues and opportunities raised. The categories are: Research and Understanding The overarching policy is: All processes and aims of conservation including investigation, repair, management and promoting interpretation will be based on the best current understanding of the history, character and condition of the monument Management and Condition The overarching policy is: All management of the monument should be taken in the context of a full understanding of the legal constraints and responsibilities and seek to enhance or preserve the condition of the monument. Access and Interpretation The overarching policy is: Access and Interpretation will be improved to encourage movement along the monument and interaction with the monument and build opportunities for experiencing and understanding West Wansdyke. For each overarching policy specific policies have been identified which have been prioritised as series of specific tasks which can be implemented during the lifetime of the Plan. iv West Wansdyke – Conservation Management Plan Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the Plan..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Production of the Plan ...................................................................................................... 1 1.3 The Monument ................................................................................................................. 1 1.4 General Purpose and Scope of the Plan ........................................................................... 3 1.5 Structure of the Plan ......................................................................................................... 3 1.6 Methodology ....................................................................................................................