England's Historic Seascapes: Withernsea to Skegness
Museum of London Archaeology, 2010. https://doi.org/10.5284/1000104. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Historic England unless otherwise stated
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
Race Bank Channel Character Area
Present Day Form
Race Bank Channel offshore character area is situated in the south-west section of the study area. The geology of the area comprises Chalk bedrock overlain by glacial till (clay, sand and gravel debris deposited from ice sheets) know as the Boulders Bank Formation. The water depth across the area varies between 15m and 20m and the maximum tidal range is 2-3 m. The seabed consists of a series of sand and gravel banks and a deeper channel area.
Sea Use: Present
The dominant character is related to navigation because a natural channel runs through the area. Commercial ships regularly pass through here. The principal fishing activity in the area supports some static gear boats fishing for crab and lobster out of North Norfolk with occasional beam trawling and lining for white fish such as cod and whiting and flat fish such as sole and plaice.
Sea Use: Past
The Race Bank Channel 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, Mesolithic. Marine traffic would have historically used this area because it is a channel and 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. It is a named fishing ground on the Close's Fisherman's Chart (UKHO 1953).
Archaeological Potential
The Race Bank Channel 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 areas position makes it a possible Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic habitation site.
Over the last 6000 years (if not more), humans have used sea faring vessels and this area being close to a navigation channel is bound to have many wrecks.
Character Perceptions
The area is perceived as an area that is navigable due to the presence of the channel. It is also a fishing area.
References
Close's Fisherman's Chart (UKHO 1953)
Fisheries Sensitivity Maps in British Waters (MAFF 1989)
Centrica Energy, 2009, Race Bank Offshore Wind farm: Environmental Statement non-technical summary
