BIG60MILLION LAND AT NANHORON ESTATE, BOTWNNOG, GWYNEDD ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT June 2016 Wardell Armstrong Archaeology Cocklakes Yard, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 0BQ, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1228 564820 Fax: +44(0)1228 560025 www.wa-archaeology.com DATE ISSUED: June 2016 JOB NUMBER: CP11752 SITE CODE: NEG-A PLANNING APPLICATION REF: C15/0793/32/LL REPORT VERSION NUMBER: 001 Version 0.1 Land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd Archaeological Evaluation PREPARED BY: EDITED BY: APPROVED BY: Mike McElligott Martin Railton Richard Newman Project Officer Senior Project Manager Post-Excavation Manager This report has been prepared by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, within the terms of the Contract with the Client. The report is confidential to the Client and Wardell Armstrong Archaeology accepts no responsibility of whatever nature to third parties to whom this report may be made known. No part of this document may be reproduced without the prior written approval of Wardell Armstrong Archaeology. DESK BASED ASSESSMENTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION Wardell Armstrong Archaeology is the trading name of Wardell Armstrong LLP, Registered in England No. OC307138. GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY Registered office: Sir Henry Doulton House, Forge Lane, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5BD, United Kingdom TOPOGRAPHIC AND LANDSCAPE SURVEY HISTORIC BUILDING RECORDING UK Offices: Stoke-on-Trent, Cardiff, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester, London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Sheffield, Taunton, Truro, West Bromwich. International Offices: Almaty, Moscow EIA AND HERITAGE CONSULTANCY Big60Million Land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd Archaeological Evaluation Report CONTENTS CONTENTS..................................................................................................................................1 SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..............................................................................................................4 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................5 1.1 Project Circumstances and Planning Background.......................................................5 1.2 Project Documentation ..............................................................................................5 2. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................6 2.1 Standards and guidance..............................................................................................6 2.3 The Field Evaluation ....................................................................................................6 3. BACKGROUND....................................................................................................................8 3.1 Location and Geological Context ................................................................................8 3.2 Previous Archaeological Work ....................................................................................8 3.3 Historical and Archaeological Background..................................................................8 4. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION RESULTS ......................................................................10 4.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................10 4.2 Results .......................................................................................................................10 5. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSES ...........................................................................................13 5.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................13 5.2 Archaeobotanical Assessment ..................................................................................14 5.3 Discussion of the Remains.........................................................................................14 5.4 Conclusions and Recommendations .........................................................................15 6. CONCLUSIONS..................................................................................................................17 6.1 Interpretation............................................................................................................17 6.2 Significance................................................................................................................17 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................17 APPENDIX 1: TRENCH DESCRIPTIONS ......................................................................................19 APPENDIX 2: PLATES ................................................................................................................22 APPENDIX 3: FIGURES ..............................................................................................................29 CP11752 Page 1 June 2016 Big60Million Land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd Archaeological Evaluation Report PLATES (APPENDIX 2) Plate 1; Trench 1, looking northeast (1m scale) Plate 2; Ditch [103], looking north (0.4m scale) Plate 3; Pit [105], looking south (0.4m scale) Plate 4; Curvilinear ditch [107], looking northeast (1m scale) Plate 5; Curvilinear ditch [107], looking southwest (1m scale) Plate 6; Curvilinear ditch [107], looking southeast (1m scale) Plate 7; Trench 2, looking south-southwest (1m scale) Plate 8; Gully [203], looking west (1m scale) Plate 9; Trench 3, looking north-northeast (1m scale) Plate 10; Trench 4, looking west (1m scale) Plate 11; Trench 4, showing (402), looking north (1m scale) Plate 12; Trench 5, looking west-southwest (1m scale) Plate 13; Ditch [502], looking northwest (0.4m scale) Plate 14; Trench 6, looking northeast (1m scale) FIGURES (APPENDIX 3) Figure 1: Site Location Figure 2: Trench Location Plan showing results of the geophysical survey Figure 3: Trench 1; plan and section Figure 4: Trench 2; plan and sections Figure 5: Trench 5; plan and section CP11752 Page 2 June 2016 Big60Million Land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd Archaeological Evaluation Report SUMMARY Wardell Armstrong Archaeology (WAA) was commissioned by Big60Million, to undertake an archaeological evaluation by trial trenching on land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd, LL53 8DP (NGR: SH 2694 3062). The evaluation was required prior to the determination of the planning permission. The evaluation was undertaken in accordance with a written scheme of investigation (WSI), which was produced in response to advice given by Jenny Emmett, Planning Archaeologist, Gwynedd Archaeological Trust acting as the archaeological planning advisor on behalf of Gwynedd Council. Archaeological remains were concentrated in the northwest part of the site and comprised a curvilinear feature of possible prehistoric date, a linear feature and a pit. Further activity was represented by ditches, which may have been former field boundaries. These could be post- medieval and could match the boundaries on the First edition Ordnance Survey County Series map of 1889. CP11752 Page 3 June 2016 Big60Million Land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd Archaeological Evaluation Report ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Wardell Armstrong Archaeology (WAA) thanks Big60Million for commissioning the project, and for all their assistance throughout the work. WAA also thank Jenny Emmett, Planning Archaeologist, Gwynedd Archaeological Trust for her assistance. Wardell Armstrong Archaeology also thanks Wyn Thomas of Thomas Plant Hire, for his help during this project. The evaluation was supervised by Mike McElligott who also wrote the report, assisted on site by Mark Lawson. Figures were produced by Helen Phillips. Palaeoenvironmental assessment was undertaken by Don O’Meara. The project was managed by Martin Railton and the report edited by Richard Newman. CP11752 Page 4 June 2016 Big60Million Land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd Archaeological Evaluation Report 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Circumstances and Planning Background 1.1.1 In May 2016 Wardell Armstrong Archaeology (WAA) undertook an archaeological evaluation on land at Nanhoron Estate, Botwnnog, Gwynedd (NGR: SH 2694 3062). The work was commissioned by Big60Million who intends to the construct a proposed new solar development for which a planning consent has been applied for to Gwynedd Council (planning reference: C15/0793/32/LL). 1.1.2 The Local Planning Authority required a programme of archaeological trenching to be undertaken prior to the determination of the planning permission for the proposed development to determine the likely impact on potential archaeological remains. 1.1.3 There are no recorded cultural heritage sites within the proposed development area in the Historic Environment Record (HER). However, it was recognised that there is the potential for as-yet unrecorded archaeological remains to survive at the site. A previous geophysical survey at the site. 1.1.4 A geophysical survey was conducted at the site by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology in September 2015. A number of the former field boundaries were detected, which correspond to those depicted on Ordnance Survey maps. Possible land drains and plough furrows were also detected.