Series: Archaeo-Environment Ltd unpublished report series

Archaeo-Environment Ltd were commissioned by Sunderland City Council to carry out an archaeological assessment on land to the west of Barnes Park as part of a proposal to relocate a council depot currently within Barnes Park. This relocation is as a result of the proposed restoration of Barnes Park. Although no sites significant enough to prevent the development from taking place were identified, a number of issues relating largly to the previous agricultural use of the land were noted. These required either consideration in the final design, or further archaeological work.

Archaeo-Environment Ltd. were commissioned by Bolam Parish Meeting to appraise and report on the archaeological resource and historic landscape of the village and its environs, as part of a proposal to have the village designated a conservation area. Bolam and its immediate environs include a scheduled ancient monument, two listed buildings, and a number of well preserved earthworks and landscape features exemplifying the medieval and later agricultural landscape. It has also been the subject of a number of published medieval village and settlement studies. In summary the case for conservation area status seems well founded. The village has changed very little in form from the 1st edition Ordnance Survey mapping of 1860, which in itself is clearly an excellent example of a

A Conservation Statement to assist the County Council in finding a new use for the site without losing its unique qualities. Chester Farm is a unique cultural asset of both regional and national importance. It encapsulates over 2000 years of Northamptonshire's past in its 34 hectares of farm and former parkland. Northamptonshire County Council, as owner, has undertaken the challenge of finding a way forward for the site, which is no longer viable as a farm in its own right. The key aim is to provide a sustainable future for the site which conserves its historic character and improves public accessibility and enjoyment for all. It is vital that any decision regarding the future use and development of Chester Farm should be based on a sound understanding of the site and what it is that makes it significant. This Conservation Statement describes the site's various archaeological, historic and natural environment features and periods of development from prehistoric to modern times. It summarises where we need to know more in order to enhance understanding and care of the site. It describes the value attached to the site by members of the public and other stakeholders. The regulatory and planning context is explained. The Statement of Significance forms a key section, providing an assessment of what it is that makes the site so important. Following this, the potential threats to and vulnerabilities of Chester Farm are highlighted together with some draft outline policies to help inform the way forward

Crowtrees Colliery, Quarrington Hill, County Durham Archaeological Building Recording report Prepared for The Crowtrees Heritage Group

Heritage Statement covers a small group of former workshops associated with Lartington Hall in Lartington, County Durham, although the proposed development site sits within the parish of Cotherstone. The buildings are locally referred to as the Old Joiner’s Shop or the Old Carpenter’s Shop. The Statement of Significance element of this report is designed to help inform the design of the conversion of the buildings into residential use by assessing their significance and setting so that those elements of greatest significance are protected from harm. This significance is understood by exploring the history of the buildings and their setting and how they developed over time. A separate Heritage Impact Assessment at the end of the report assesses the resulting proposed development against this significance. The workshops sit within a highly designated landscape. Lartington Hall is a listed building (grade II*) and any outbuildings pre-dating July 1948 with an association with the Hall can also be considered to be curtilage listed.1 The private mausoleum associated with the Estate is located about 60m to the S of the workshops and is listed grade II. The site also sits with Lartington’s Conservation Area and the Hall’s designed landscape which is a grade II registered park and garden. Lartington Hall was a country seat from at least the 17th century, although a principal house as home to the Lord of the Manor and servants existed since the late 12th or early 13th century. The Hall and its estate were supported by various outbuildings with specific functions, plus the accommodation for servants located partially in the village and partially in the Hall itself. The location and function of these outbuildings altered over time, but this group of workshops date to the second half of the 19th century. They were located close enough to the Hall to allow convenient access for Estate staff while being distant enough to shield the Hall residents and villagers from noise. Their location in a natural wooded dip by the Scur Beck also provided some visual shielding. They were within a wooded area which had previously been set out as pleasure walks in the 18th century and these walks continue in use today. Late nineteenth century maps show that the buildings consisted of two parallel linear buildings joined at each end with gated walls forming an enclosed courtyard. The northern range survives, but the southern range has been demolished leaving only its west gable end which has a lean-to modern brick building attached on its west side. Recent uses for the buildings were a joiner’s or carpenter’s workshop and most recently, general storage, pheasant rearing, a sheltered area for beaters to have lunch and storage for game carts. They were probably built originally as a centre for various maintenance activities for the estate such as joinery and metalworking or smithing. There are no surviving internal fittings to suggest any other uses, although an area of concrete hard standing in the SW corner of the main building may have been the location for some heavy machinery or a forge. The building has window openings of varying sizes. An attic vent on the E elevation would ensure that the building was well ventilated but dry and a doorway, now gone, offered an alternative pedestrian route into the building, although this might have been a modified window opening. The N elevation has no windows and faces a wooded bank. The W gable originally had no windows, but in 2021 two new openings and an attic vent were inserted.

Watching brief and building recording during conservation works

The intention of this report is to support the Limestone Landscapes Partnership in delivering its key vision

An archaeological watching brief was conducted by Archaeo-Environment Ltd during excavations of a trench for the foundations of a new garage to the rear of Melkridge House, Gilesgate, Durham. Gilegate is of considerable historic significance as a medieval suburb of Durham City, probably originating in 1112 when the Hospital of St Giles was founded. The hospital church of St Giles still survives, and became the parish church for the two row settlement that developed in the area. Although the surroundings have been substantially developed since the mid 19th century, form of Gilegate and associated burgage plots are sill well defined. Melkridge House is a double fronted property built around 1840, and faces onto the north side of Gilegate. It has a rear wing and a number of smaller more recent extensions, while a separate garden occupies the bugage plot. The watching brief provided no evidence of in-situ archaeological deposits of any significance, only revealing various layers of garden soil. It is recommended that further excavation within the immediate area of the garden of Melkridge House would be of limited value due to post medieval disturbance most likely associated with the construction of the house around 1840.

Archaeo-Environment Ltd. were commissioned by Mr Cooke of SC Electrics to undertake an archaeological watching brief during the excavation of ternches to install a new permanent electrical supply for markets traders at the Market Place, Richmond. The Market Place was historically the outer bailey of Richmond Castle (built in 1071) and its large cobbled area is now encircled by a collection of fine mostly Georgian buildings with the 12th century Holy Trinity Church in the centre. The development works consisted of removal of the cobbled Market Place surface and excavation of a small trench running adjacent to the base of the Butler Cross. In summary the watching brief provided no evidence on in-situ archaeological deposits of any significance, only sub base and construction debris associated with the recent re-cobbling.

Sheraton is a village of some antiquity now dramatically divided by the A19. In 2008 Northumbria Water Limited (on the advice of Durham County Council Archaeology Section) contracted Archaeo-Environment to monitor the excavation of pits and trenches during renewal of a water pipeline. The watching brief provided little evidence of in-situ archaeological deposits of pre 20th century date, with all other deposits removed when the previous water main had been constructed. A number of sherds of re-deposited medieval pottery were recovered during the fieldwork, while one test pit revealed a replica Samurai sword that had 9with other waste) been used to backfill a hollow in the 1980's. Based on the evidence the works appear to have had a negligible impact on the archaeological resource of Sheraton.