| Title: |
Garden Room and Terrace, Carrycoats Hall, Northumberland: Archaeological Watching Brief |
| Series: |
The Archaeological Practice unpublished report series
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| Downloads: |
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thearcha2-516749_214562.pdf (23 MB)
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| Biblio Note |
This report was uploaded to the OASIS system by the named Publisher. The report has been transferred into the ADS Library for public access and to facilitate future research.
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| Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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| DOI |
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| Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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| Abstract: |
The aims of the archaeological works were to identify and record any archaeological remains as they appeared during the scheme of works without causing significant delays to the groundworks. This included the recording of negative results. The work was undertaken by archaeologically monitoring the area subject to groundworks in the position outlined. The groundworks subject to monitoring were a reduction of ground height to sub-floor level throughout the footprint of the extension and the excavation of footing trenches on the south and west sides of the extension. In practice, this meant monitoring the removal of overburden from the footprint of the building down to bedrock in most places, followed by excavations for the footings. Excavation was carried out by a small 360° excavator with both toothless and toothed ditching buckets. During the ground reduction, it was noted that the overburden, mid grey-brown sandy-silt made-ground [100] in most areas of the extension footprint was extremely shallow, with most areas of the ground reduction hitting a hard, layered limestone bedrock [101] well before depth. Overburden [100] contained frequent rubble or degraded bedrock limestone, and little obvious modern litter or debris. No features beyond drainage runs were able to be discerned and no finds were recovered during these works. An area of significantly deeper overburden was present in the northwest corner of the extension’s footprint. No clear edges could be discerned and the material within this area seemed little different from the overburden anywhere else within the site area. It is speculated that this area of deeper overburden might represent disturbance from the construction of the 18th century range to the immediate north. A service run consisting of a plastic pipe coursed east-west directly along the line of the south footing away from the Tudor main range, while a second service run coursing in more of a west-northwest direction from a drain consisted of glazed ceramic pipe. An unglazed ceramic drainpipe coursed south from the oldest element of Carrycoats Hall, just above the bedrock, and might represent a substantially older service run. It petered out after 2.20 m. The south footing was excavated along the route of the modern service run (above). These excavations encountered slightly deeper overburden before hitting bedrock at c. 0.50 m from the wider excavation level, before depth. The west footing, excavated in a north-south alignment in the area of deeper overburden, encountered bedrock at c.0.40-0.50 m from the surface. No finds or features were encountered in the footing trenches. Overall, no archaeological finds or features were encountered during the works. Very little modern debris was present in the topsoil. Natural horizons were encountered in most areas of excavation, with excavation depth reaching the generic made ground [100] material in all other areas. |
| Author: |
Adam Leigh
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| Publisher: |
Archaeological Practice Ltd
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| Other Person/Org: |
Northumberland HER (OASIS Reviewer)
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| Year of Publication: |
2023
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| Locations: |
| District: |
Northumberland |
| Parish: |
Birtley |
| Country: |
England |
| County: |
Northumberland |
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Grid Reference: 392413, 579960 (Easting, Northing)
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| Subjects / Periods: |
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| Identifiers: |
| OASIS Id: |
thearcha2-516749 |
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| Source: |
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| Relations: |
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| Created Date: |
12 Feb 2024 |
