England's Historic Seascapes: Withernsea to Skegness
Museum of London Archaeology, 2010. https://doi.org/10.5284/1000104. How to cite using this DOI
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This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
David
Bowsher
Director of Research
Museum of London Archaeology
Mortimer Wheeler House
46 Eagle Wharf Road
London
N1 7ED
UK
Tel: 020 7410 2285
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 935
- ALSF Project Number: 4730
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1000104
- How to cite using this DOI
Bessemer Gas Field Character Area
Present Day Form
The Bessemer Gas field character area is situated in the southern eastern section of the study area. The geology of the area comprises a complex of Jurassic and Triassic bedrock overlain by glacial till (clay, sand and gravel debris deposited from ice sheets with peat deposits) known as the Elbow Formation. The water depth across the area is around 30m and the maximum tidal range is c 2-3 m. The seabed of the area is characterised by the large sand mega ripples orientated NW - SE across the area and is part of the series of sand banks stretching away to the south from the Leman Ground.
Sea Use: Present
The Bessemer Gas field character area is predominantly associated with gas related industry. The field is one of a suite consisting of the Bessemer, Beaufort, Corvette, Gawain and Thames Complex. The gas fields were discovered between 1973 and 1996 and started production from 1987 onwards. It is one of the southern North Sea's major field complexes with reserves of more than 32 billion cubic metres and permanent installations both on the seabed and free standing rigs. The fields are connected by pipeline to Bacton gas terminal in Norfolk.
The principal fishing activity in the area, as part of the Leman Ground, is beam trawling in the deeps between the mega ripple shoals for white fish such as cod and whiting and flat fish such as sole and plaice. The area is within the sprat and lemon sole nursery zone. Fishing is limited by the number of sea bed obstructions and exclusion zones associated with gas exploitation. Commercial shipping avoids the area for the same reason.
Sea Use: Past
The Bessemer Gas Field character area has been shaped by thousands of years of dynamic sea level changes and erosion and deposition. The relatively shallow nature of the sea bed means that the area was dry land almost certainly in the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic.
Marine traffic would have historically avoided this area but numerous wrecks will be found here possibly dating from the Roman period onwards. Fishing activity would have been carried out in the area from the medieval period onwards. The character area has defined, but unnamed fishing area, within its boundaries on the Close's Fisherman's Chart (UKHO 1953) taken from surveys and reports from 1904 to 1925. On Close's Chart it is probably part of the Leman Ground which is described as a good fishing ground in between the shoals. In the south, June to Sept are good months. Fish: Plaice Soles Cod and Dabs.
Archaeological Potential
The Bessemer Gas Field character area has potential for the presence of drowned land surfaces resulting from the fact that sea level has fluctuated between -120 metres and +10 metres over the past 500,000 years. From the period 500,000 BP to 22,000 BP (before present), human population levels were low, and little more than stray finds may be expected, although these may still be of considerable archaeological importance.
From 22,000 BP to 2100 BP parts of the North Sea were dry land and human population levels were higher, especially in the Mesolithic age. Finds dating to the Mesolithic have been found to a depth of 40m so any area of sea bed above that has potential for habitation. Inundation of the North Sea landscapes occurred between 10,000 and 6,000 BP and the most likely evidence for human occupation would be, therefore, Mesolithic in date.
Earlier Palaeolithic occupation is less likely to be found and later Neolithic occupation is likely to have been limited to the inshore and very highest of the banks and shoals such as the Dogger Bank. The area's position makes it a possible Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic habitation site as it lies on the edge of a possible Palaeochannel to the east which now is the deep water North Sea Transport Route. Consequently, there is some potential for surviving evidence of human activity within the area.
Over the last 6000 years (if not more), humans have used sea faring vessels and this area, because of it's dangerous shoals, is a prime area for wrecks and related material that may lie on the sea floor or be buried beneath the sea floor. UKHO and NMR data show a total of 5 wrecks and obstructions in this area, none named.
Character Perceptions
The area is perceived as an important industrial area as it contains the Bessemer Gas field. It is also a dangerous navigation area for shipping and an offshore fishing ground.
References
Close's Fisherman's Chart (UKHO 1953)
Fisheries Sensitivity Maps in British Waters (MAFF 1989)
Gluyas J G, Hichens H M, 2002 United Kingdom oil and gas fields 705-712, London
Scandoil, North Sea Oil and Gas production Fields (Scandoil Oil and Gas Magazine online)
