Buxton Pipeline Derbyshire Archaeological Assessment Prepared for: Alps Group Prepared by: Archaeology & Planning Solutions 28th March 2011 Buxton Pipeline, Derbyshire Archaeological Assessment Contents Non Technical Summary ....................................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2 2 Methodology .................................................................................................................................. 3 3 Planning Legislation and Guidance ........................................................................................... 4 4 Known Heritage Assets .................................................................................................................. 6 5 Historic Mapping, Aerial Photography and Site Walkover ......................................................8 6 Conclusions.................................................................................................................................11 7 References..................................................................................................................................15 Appendix 1: The Known Relevant Archaeological Resource (from the Derbyshire HER) ........ 16 Appendix 2: Consulted Historic Maps ............................................................................................... 18 Appendix 3: Consulted NMR Aerial Photographs ...........................................................................18 Figures 1-6 APS 11/256 This report is for the sole use of the client. No part of the report may be reproduced without the permission of APS Buxton Pipeline, Derbyshire Archaeological Assessment Non Technical Summary An archaeological desk-based assessment, in support of a planning application to lay a pipeline from The Crescent in the centre of Buxton to a proposed new bottling plant at Waterswallows Lane, has established that the pipeline crosses a landscape which has the potential to contain significant archaeological remains. North of The Crescent, the pipeline crosses an area designated by High Peak Borough Council as an Area of Archaeological Interest. Archaeological mitigation here will be necessary and it is suggested that an archaeological watching brief be maintained during the excavation of the pipeline trench. In addition, the route crosses the line of the Buxton to Glossop Roman road which is of high archaeological value. Archaeological mitigation will again be necessary and it is suggested that, where the pipeline crosses the Roman road, a small open area archaeological excavation be carried out prior to the excavation of the 5m wide working area and trench. If roadside structures are discovered it may be necessary to enlarge the excavation area to ensure that they are recorded prior to destruction. However, if the road (and any roadside structures) are found to be present it may be possible to run the pipeline underneath significant archaeological structures thus preserving the archaeology in-situ. Elsewhere along the route, excluding areas outside of public highway and within an extensively quarried area adjacent to Waterswallows Road, an archaeological watching brief during excavation of the 5m wide working area and the pipeline trench could again be an appropriate way of recording any buried remains of Prehistoric and Roman date which, if present, could be of local to regional significance. Early consultation with the Development Control Archaeologist of Derbyshire County Council is recommended in order to agree an appropriate archaeological strategy. 1 Buxton Pipeline, Derbyshire Archaeological Assessment 1 Introduction 1.1 This report presents the results of an assessment of the potential archaeological resource along the route of a proposed pipeline which runs from The Crescent in Buxton (SK 0574 7350) to a proposed new bottling plant in Waterswallows Lane (SK 0804 7509; (Figure 1). 1.2 Starting from the west the pipeline emerges from The Crescent and proceeds within highway (Station Road, Charles Street, Lightwood Road and Hogshaw Villas Road) from where, after crossing the Hogshaw Brook, it turns northwards within a tarmaced trackway at the foot of the valley containing the Nun Brook (at around 305m AOD). After crossing the Nun Brook the route climbs the steep eastern valley slope within a narrow footpath and pasture field until it emerges just south of Nunsfield Farm at around 345m AOD. From here the route lies again within a trackway and a grassed area before turning east along another trackway which leads from Nunsfield Farm to the A6. From the A6 the route turns north-eastwards to run within the grassland of the golf course parallel with the road. It then turns south-eastwards (at around 345m AOD) under the A6 to run within a track leading to Barms Farm and then downslope within the grassland of the golf course before turning north-east to run parallel with Waterswallows Road. The pipeline then enters the Waterswallows Road highway (at around 325m AOD) north of the golf course until it reaches the location of the proposed bottling plant. 1.3 The geology of the western part of the pipeline route is recorded as the Bowland Shale Formation, crossing the Eyam Limestone Formation on the eastern slope of the valley containing the Nun Brook, and then the Bee Low Limestone Formation across Fairfield Common and Waterswallows Road (www.bgs.ac.uk). Indeed, the pipeline route lies towards the western boundary of a limestone plateau, known as the White Peak, which is characterised by long rolling ridges rising from shallow upland basins cut by deep dry valleys (Barnatt & Smith 2004, 3-4). 2 Buxton Pipeline, Derbyshire Archaeological Assessment 2 Methodology 2.1 This report has been produced in accordance with guidelines in the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment issued and subsequently revised by the Institute for Archaeologists (2001). It is also in accordance with a specification approved by the Development Control Archaeologist of Derbyshire County Council. The report included consultation of readily available archaeological and historical information from documentary, cartographic and aerial photographic sources. The major repositories of information comprised: Derbyshire Historic Environment Record (HER). This database was consulted for records of known archaeological sites and findspots within 250m of the proposed pipeline route. Details of relevant sites and artefact findspots within this area are listed in Appendix 1; historic maps and documents held by Derbyshire Record Office. The consulted maps are listed in Appendix 2; aerial photographs held by the National Monuments Record (NMR). These are listed in Appendix 3; and records made during a site walkover of those parts of the route outside of public highway on 18th March 2011. 2.2 Section 3 of this report summarises relevant planning legislation and guidance. Section 4 summarises known relevant heritage assets close to the pipeline route, information which is also listed in Appendix 1. In this regard, known relevant archaeological and heritage features close to the pipeline route are marked on Figure 1. Section 5 summarises the results of cartographic analysis, an aerial photographic assessment and a site walkover and Section 6 summarises the conclusions of this report. Historic maps are shown in Figures 2-4 and selected site photographs in Figures 5-6. 3 Buxton Pipeline, Derbyshire Archaeological Assessment 3 Planning Legislation and Guidance 3.1 A key piece of legislation relating to archaeology is the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act (1979). However, this Act is most relevant to Scheduled Monuments of which there are none within or immediately adjacent to the pipeline route. 3.2 The most relevant national planning guidance concerning archaeology and other heritage assets is PPS5 Planning for the Historic Environment (2010). This contains Policies HE1-12 and advises on appropriate planning procedures. It covers designated heritage assets (World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings, Protected Wreck Sites, Conservation Areas, Registered Parks & Gardens and Registered Battlefields) and non- designated heritage assets which are of heritage interest and therefore a material planning consideration. Policy HE6 states that local planning authorities should require an applicant to provide a description of the heritage assets affected by proposed development and the contribution of their setting to that significance and, if necessary, desk-based research should be accompanied by a field evaluation. 3.3 Archaeology is also protected by High Peak Borough Council Saved Local Plan Policy 25 which is as follows: Saved Policy 25. BC10 – Archaeological and other Heritage Features Planning Permission will not be granted for development which is likely to result in harm to a Scheduled Ancient Monument or other nationally important site, its setting or amenity value. Elsewhere, Planning Permission will be granted for development, provided that there will not be a significant adverse effect upon other known archaeological or heritage features, including Buxton's area of archaeological interest as defined on the proposals map. Where proposals will affect a feature or an area of archaeological interest, they will, where appropriate, include an archaeological evaluation