Aggregate Extraction and the Geoarchaeological Heritage of the Ribble Valley and Kirkham Moraine
Oxford Archaeology North, University of Liverpool, 2007. (updated 2008) https://doi.org/10.5284/1000306. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Oxford Archaeology North, University of Liverpool unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
Jamie
Quartermaine
Oxford Archaeology North
Mill 3
Moor Lane Mills
Moor Lane
Lancaster
LA1 1QD
UK
Tel: 01524 541000
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 737
- ALSF Project Number: 3928
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1000306
- How to cite using this DOI
Overview
Project Background
The project focuses on the Ribble Valley and Kirkham Moraine in Lancashire, England (see location map below). The two studies forming this project were jointly undertaken by Oxford Archaeology North and the University of Liverpool Geography Department, funded by the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund and under the overall management of English Heritage. The University of Liverpool undertook the geological and geomorphological elements of the studies, OA North undertook the archaeological elements, and the palaeobotanical elements were undertaken jointly.
Location of the project study areas
The geomorphological objectives of the project were to collate evidence on all past and present aggregate extraction, and to produce revised estimations and mapping of suitable resources for future extraction. Furthermore, in the Ribble Valley Study, data on present and future geomorphological change such as flooding and erosion were also collated. The archaeological objectives were to collate evidence for all archaeological activity and, by the means of an exhaustive survey of LiDAR, aerial photography, field survey and other methods, find new archaeological sites and assess the potential for hitherto unknown sites within areas of potential extraction. The data were assimilated into a GIS system, which was integral to the project, and the archaeological data and geomorphic data were subject to spatial analysis to provide an assessment of the areas of greatest potential for each element. A final objective was to integrate these two strands and assess the potential impact of aggregate extraction and/or geomorphological change on the archaeological resource.
The University of Liverpool undertook an extensive remapping of the available aggregate reserves and geology within the study areas. This has led to an assessment demonstrating that substantial reserves are available, although some do have extensive overburden deposits, thereby reducing their economic viability.
Mapping geomorphological change within the study area has demonstrated a considerable degree of change within the Upper Ribble Valley both of erosion and deposition, but less within the Calder and Hodder Valleys. Change within the Lower Ribble Valley appears to be mainly restricted to sedimentation. Future geomorphological change, based on a model of increased winter rainfall, is likely to intensify this pattern, with increased erosion in the Upper Ribble Valley and increased sedimentation in the Lower Ribble.
A survey of the archaeological resource using LiDAR and aerial photography was extremely successful, identifying new sites and improving classification of those already identified. Collating the enhanced resource and examining its location in relation to environmental and topographical factors, such as slope and distance to water, suggested considerable potential for buried archaeology within the study areas. When superimposed upon the mapping of geomorphological change and aggregate extraction suitability within the GIS, there appeared to be areas where both known and potential buried archaeology could be under threat.
Finally, recommendations were also made for further work within the region, following on from the discovery by the University of Liverpool of considerable mineral reserves in the Lune, Wyre, Northern Cumbria and Chorley areas, and the potential for the use of hard geological sources for aggregate in the Craven District of North Yorkshire.
The digital archive
The digital archive comprises all files generated in electronic format generated during the course of the ALSF project, and for which permissions have been granted for deposit. The archive has been split into two sections representing the two distinct phases and geographical foci of the project:
A full description of the contents of each phase can be found below.
Phase 1: The Ribble Valley
The archive contains the final project report for Phase 1. Any use or quotation of information from the report should be as follows:
- Oxford Archaeology North 2007: ALSF Aggregate Extraction in the Lower Ribble Valley. Oxford Archaeology North Unpublished Report. Ref. 2006-7/619
Geodatabase:
The project combined geomorphological, palaeoenvironmental and archaeological data in order to produce an integrated model of the potential for archaeology, the present and future threat from fluvial change, and the suitability of the substrata for extraction in the Ribble Valley. The techniques used included traditional desk-based data gathering, archaeological and geological fieldwork, geostatistical and spatial analysis, and geospatial modelling. Initially, separate GIS systems were constructed for the data-gathering tasks that were undertaken by OA North and the University of Liverpool, but both were constructed in ArcGIS 9.2 format to ensure compatibility. In the analytical phase of the project, data was transferred freely between the two organisations in the form of a single geodatabase, compatible with Access 97. For more information regarding the GIS structure and project methodology please see Chapter 3 of the project report.
All of the feature classes in the geodatabase (detailed in the table below) have been exported as ESRI shape files, available as compressed .zip archives on the Ribble geodatabase downloads page. All enhanced HLC records contained within the file Enhanced_HLC are also presented in a PDF gazetteer available to download alongside the shapefiles.
| Feature Class | Description |
|---|---|
| Glacial_landforms | Moraine ridges, drumlins, deltas, kettle basins, sandur flats |
| Glacial_poly | Channels, ridge crests, ice-flow directions, ice divides |
| River_Terrace | River terraces, alluvial fan surfaces |
| Present_geomorph_change | Erosion and deposition |
| Future_geomorph_change | Erosion and deposition |
| Enhanced_HLC | Enhanced HLC dataset |
| Lancashire_Boundary | Boundary of project study area |
| Medieval_potential | Potential for Medieval Archaeology |
| Paleochannels | Paleochannels |
| Prehistoric_potential | Potential for Prehistoric archaeology |
| Resource_glacial | Glacial resource |
| Roman_potential | Potential for Roman archaeology |
| Resource_riverterrace | River terrace resource |
* Please note that the original Ribble Valley Geodatabase created by the project team incorporated British Geological Survey (BGS) borehole records for the study area. This dataset has not been presented as part of the online archive. The BGS holds copies of all deposited borehole records at their national headquarters and summary data, including borehole number, location and depth, are available on their website (www.bgs.ac.uk).
The feature classes are accompanied by a number of related tables (listed below) describing the archaeological data.
| Tabular Datasets | Description |
|---|---|
| tbl_Event_ExternalRefs | External references to archaeological events such as AIP numbers |
| tbl_event_type_date | Type (such as DBA or excavation) and date of archaeological events |
| tbl_Events | Main Archaeological Event Table |
| tbl_HLC_freetext | Free Text accompaniment to Enhanced HLC feature class |
| tbl_Location | Location of archaeological events |
| tbl_mon_char | Character and period of archaeological monuments |
| tbl_Mon_ExternalRefs | External references to archaeological monuments such as NMR numbers |
| tbl_mon_location | Location of archaeological monuments |
| tbl_mon_man | Management status of archaeological monuments |
| tbl_Monuments | Main archaeological monument table |
| tbl_People | People associated with archaeological events |
| tblDocs | Bibliographic references |
| tblKeyWord | Key words for bibliographic references |
| tbllu_ext_inv | Lookup table of external inventories |
| tbllu_int_cross_ref | Lookup table describing nature of links between events and monuments |
| tbllu_topology | Lookup table describing topology types (from MIDAS) |
| tblLUDatePrec | Lookup table describing date precision terms (from MIDAS) |
| tblLUEventType | Lookup table describing types of events (from ALGAO) |
| tblLUGridPrec | Lookup table describing grid reference precision terms (from MIDAS) |
| tblLULandUse | Lookup table describing landuse terms (from FISH) |
| tblLUParish | Lookup table recording parishes |
| tblLUPeriod | Lookup table describing periods (from MIDAS) |
| tblLUProtStatus | Lookup table describing management status (from MIDAS) |
| tblLUPubType | Lookup table describing publication types (from MIDAS) |
Phase 2: The Kirkham Moraine
The archive contains the final project report for Phase 2. Any use or quotation of information from the report should be as follows:
- Oxford Archaeology North 2008: ALSF Aggregate Extraction and the Geoarchaeological Heritage of the Kirkham Moraine. Oxford Archaeology North Unpublished Report. Ref. 2007-8/782
Project Database and GIS:
This project continued to use the methodology established during the Ribble Valley ALSF project, bringing together geomorphological, palaeoenvironmental, and archaeological expertise, to produce an integrated model of the potential for archaeology and the suitability for aggregate extraction across the Kirkham Moraine study area (centred on SD 439 435). The techniques used have included traditional desk-based assessment, archaeological walkover survey, geological and palaeoenvironmental fieldwork, geostatistical and spatial analysis, and geospatial modelling.
As with Phase 1, separate GIS systems were constructed for the data-gathering tasks and later combined into a single geodatabase, compatible with Access 97.
All of the feature classes in the geodatabase (detailed in the table below) have been exported as ESRI shape files, available as compressed .zip archives on the Kirkham geodatabase downloads page. All enhanced HLC records contained within the file Enhanced_HLC are also presented in a PDF gazetteer available to download alongside the shapefiles.
| Feature Class | Description |
|---|---|
| BestProspect_Domestic | An overlay of the top weighted aggregate prospects and the highest potential for finding domestic monuments |
| BestProspect_Medieval | An overlay of the top weighted aggregate prospects and the highest potential for finding Medieval monuments |
| BestProspect_Roman | An overlay of the top weighted aggregate prospects and the highest potential for finding Roman monuments |
| BestProspect_PrehistFlint | An overlay of the top weighted aggregate prospects and the highest potential for finding prehistoric flint |
| Domestic_Potential | Areas of high,medium and low potential for finding new monuments of domestic type |
| Enhanced_HLC | Historic Landscape Characterisation polygons enhanced with information on quantity and density of archaeological monuments, potential for fluvial change, suitability for aggregate extraction within each polygon |
| Events_all_points | Archaeological interventions such as watching briefs, fieldwalking, excavations, desk-based assessments etc |
| Events_Polygons | Archaeological interventions such as watching briefs, fieldwalking, excavations, desk-based assessments etc |
| Glacial_features | Moraine ridges, drumlins, deltas, kettle basins etc |
| Glacial_lines | Channels, ridge crests, ice-flow directions, ice divides |
| Medieval_Potential | Areas of high, medium and low potential for finding new medieval monuments |
| Monuments_all_points | Archaeological features discovered during interventions |
| Prehist_Flint_Potential | Areas of high,medium and low potential for finding new prehistoric flints |
| Resource_Blocks | Weighted suitability of areas for extraction of aggregates |
| Roman_Potential | Areas of high, medium and low potential for finding new Roman monuments |
| Study_Area | Study Area |
* Please note that the original dataset team incorporated British Geological Survey (BGS) borehole records for the Kirkham study area. This dataset has not been presented as part of the online archive. The BGS holds copies of all deposited borehole records at their national headquarters and summary data, including borehole number, location and depth, are available on their website (www.bgs.ac.uk).
Non-digital Archive and Publications
In addition to the reports contained within the digital archive the project also produced the following outputs:
| Website |
|---|
| A website outlining the project and containing further information can be found at http://www.liv.ac.uk/geography/research/ribble2/index.htm |
| Meetings / Technical Forums |
| Presentation to Northwest of England Regional Aggregates Working Party. Summer 2006 |
| English Heritage Work in progress meetings: North of England. 15th and 16th February 2007. December 2003 |
The project web address is included here to provide a comprehensive inventory of the outputs generated by the ALSF grant and to allow users to follow up their interest. It is not the responsibility of the ADS to maintain any project links.The Archaeology Data Service (ADS) do not hold any further information regarding these non-digital outputs, any queries should be directed to the depositor.
