P LAND OFF FOSSE WAY AND MAIN STREET SYSTON LEICESTERSHIRE: C ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK BASED ASSESSMENT A PCA Report Number: R12659 October 2016 PRE-CONSTRUCT ARCHAEOLOGY LTD Land off Fosse Way, Syston, Leicestershire: An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Local Planning Authority: Charnwood Borough Council Planning Application: Pre-planning Central National Grid Reference: SK 620 120 Written and Researched by Donald Sutherland Project Manager: Kevin Trott Commissioning Client: Marrons Planning on behalf of Pukka Pies Ltd. Contractor: Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd Midlands Office 17 – 19 Kettering Road Little Bowden Market Harborough Leicestershire LE16 8AN Tel: 01858 468333 / 07730 762587 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.pre-construct.com © Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd October 2016 The material contained herein is and remains the sole property of Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd and is not for publication to third parties without prior consent. Whilst every effort has been made to provide detailed and accurate information, Pre- Construct Archaeology Ltd cannot be held responsible for errors or inaccuracies herein contained. PCA Report Number: R12659 An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Land off Fosse Way, Syston, Leicestershire: © Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited, October 2016 CONTENTS 1 Non-Technical Summary ............................................................................................................ 3 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 3 The Site and Proposed Scheme ................................................................................................. 7 4 Planning Background ............................................................................................................... 13 5 Archaeological and Historical Background ................................................................................ 16 6 Potential Archaeological Resource and Significance ................................................................. 35 7 Impact on the Buried Archaeological Deposits .......................................................................... 37 8 Conclusions, Significance and Recommendations .................................................................... 39 9 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. 41 10 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 42 APPENDICES Appendix 1: LRHER SEARCH RESULTS WITHIN A 1KM CENTRED ON SK 620 120 .................... 44 Appendix 2: Site Photographs .......................................................................................................... 61 FIGURES Figure 1: Site Location ....................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 2: Detailed Site Location ....................................................................................................... 10 Figure 3: Photo Location Plan .......................................................................................................... 11 Figure 4: Proposed Development ..................................................................................................... 12 Figure 4: Proposed Development ..................................................................................................... 25 Figure 5: LRHER Locations ............................................................................................................. 26 Figure 6: Ridge and Furrow Map...................................................................................................... 27 Figure 7: 1962 Aerial Photograph .................................................................................................... 28 Figure 8: 1778 Enclosure Map ......................................................................................................... 29 Figure 9: 1884-5 OS Map ................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 10: 1930 OS Map.................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 11: 1952 OS Map.................................................................................................................. 32 Figure 12: 1976 OS Map.................................................................................................................. 33 ©PCA: R12659 Page 2 An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Land off Fosse Way, Syston, Leicestershire: © Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited, October 2016 1 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY 1.1 Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited has been commissioned by Marrons Planning on behalf of Pukka Pies Ltd. to undertake an archaeological desk-based assessment in advance of the proposed development on land off Fosse Way, Syston, Leicestershire. The development site lies c.170m to the north-northwest of the historic core of the settlement which is a designated Conservation Area. 1.2 This report provides an assessment of the archaeological potential of the site based on the known archaeological record supplied by the Leicestershire and Rutland Historic Environment Record (LRHER) within the vicinity and wider environs of the site. This assessment will also consider how historical and existing land use within the study site and its environs may have impacted upon that potential, and how any intended future development may further impact on any archaeological remains. 1.3 Consideration is given to the significance of the archaeological potential in respect of guidelines outlined by Historic England within the criteria of National, Regional and Local significance. In addition, the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Historic Landscape Characterisation Project was consulted as a reference to aid identification and understanding of potential regional and locally significant historic landscape profiles surviving within, and in the vicinity of, the study site. 1.4 Twelve elements of Prehistoric activity were identified within the 1km search radius conducted for this report which related to a variety of activities including burials. 1.5 Six elements of Roman activity were identified in the 1km vicinity of the development site which includes two Roman roads and a number of findspots. 1.6 The discovery of five elements of Anglo-Saxon archaeology in the 1km search radius supports the probable Anglo-Saxon origins of Syston. 1.7 Only three instances of medieval archaeology were identified in the HER search, which is perhaps surprising due to the presence of Syston in the Domesday Book and the fact that the development site lies just outside the historic core of the village. The instances include a Grade I Listed church and a number of finds identified in systematic field-walking surveys. 1.8 A considerable amount of post-medieval activity was identified in the 1km vicinity of the site including a large number of Grade II Listed buildings. This is perhaps unsurprising due to the site’s location in relation to the town 1.9 However, due to the fact that a large portion of the development site has undergone considerable disturbance during sand and gravel extraction operations in the 1980s, archaeology is only likely to survive in certain portions of the site. 1.10 As a consequence of the findings of this desk-based assessment and the potential for there being extant archaeological remains on the site, the local planning authority may require that a ©PCA: R12659 Page 3 An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Land off Fosse Way, Syston, Leicestershire: © Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited, October 2016 programme of archaeological fieldwork is carried out prior to the development in order to assess the surviving archaeological resource. For example, an archaeological observation of areas likely to impacted upon by the development, which are not likely to have been affected by gravel extraction, may be stipulated, in order to determine whether archaeological deposits survive in situ. 1.11 The necessity for any further archaeological work will be decided by Leicestershire County Council and their archaeological advisors. Early consultation should be undertaken with to identify the scope and extent of any such work. ©PCA: R12659 Page 4 An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Land off Fosse Way, Syston, Leicestershire: © Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited, October 2016 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Outline 2.1.1 This Historic Environment Desk-Based Assessment for land off Fosse Way, Leicestershire (Figures 1 & 2) has been prepared in order to provide supporting documentation for planning application. At the time of writing this report the proposed development consisted of a commercial building measuring 4,750m2 and an area for car parking, service yard and storage around the building measuring 8,200m2. The development also included the diversion of an existing water course. The building envelope of approximately 4,750m2 will be built upon a raised level platform created at the site from cut and fill activities. However, any actions involving invasive groundworks are likely to impact on any surviving, underlying archaeological remains. 2.1.2 An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment is undertaken in order that the local authority may formulate an appropriate