| Title: |
Methley Quarry Extension, Methley, West Yorkshire. Archaeological Assessment and Mitigation Strategy |
| Number of Pages: |
26 |
| Biblio Note |
Please note that this is a bibliographic record only, as originally entered into the BIAB database.
The ADS have no files for download, and unfortunately cannot advise further on where to access hard copy or digital versions.
|
| Publication Type: |
Report
|
| Abstract: |
An archaeological desk based assessment was undertaken in advance of proposed sand and gravel extraction and the construction of a new processing plant. The desk-based assessment and earlier geophysical evaluation demonstrated that the study area lay within a landscape of proven archaeological potential. The proposal area itself lay within an extensive area of enclosures and progressive large-scale land divisions that demonstrably dated from the Late Iron Age and Roman periods. Excavation work to date on this landscape suggested that the Iron Age and Roman archaeology was characterised by large enclosed areas, within which were small discrete areas of former settlement, agricultural or industrial activity. The vast majority of the surviving archaeological deposits would probably occur as ditch or pit/post hole fills, quite often severely truncated due to the land having been turned over to long-term cultivation. In the northern part of the area, along the lower terrace, it was likely that archaeological deposits could have been sealed beneath a thick layer of alluvium. Stray finds from the Methley area suggested that activity in the vicinity may well have dated back to early prehistoric times, though no settlement sites were known. Settlements for this period would quite possibly have been unenclosed, and as such could remain invisible to non-invasive remote sensing techniques such as air reconnaissance and geophysical survey. As such the only potential method of locating them and recovering cultural material, prior to plough soil stripping, would be via systematic field walking. Elements of site 25 were reminiscent of sequences of small conjoined enclosures, sometimes colloquially referred to as 'ladder settlements'. However, a similar supposition about anomalies at the St Aidan's Remainder site to the west of Methley had subsequently proved to be part of a land drainage regime. The geophysical surveys suggested that, in terms of the enclosed landscape, there was greater archaeological potential in the eastern half of the proposal area, particularly in the vicinity of sites 38, 40 and 42. However, the geophysical anomalies may actually have been the result of more recent attempts to drain the landscape. Overall, despite some areas of uncertainty, the proposal area was seen as lying within an area of archaeological sensitivity. [Au(adp)] |
| Author: |
K Keith
|
| Publisher: |
Archaeological Services WYAS
|
| Year of Publication: |
2001
|
| Locations: |
| Location - Auto Detected: |
St Aidans Remainder |
|
| Subjects / Periods: |
| Late Iron Age (Auto Detected Temporal) |
| Early Prehistoric (Auto Detected Temporal) |
|
IRON AGE
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
|
ROMAN
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
|
| Note: |
Date Of Issue From:
2001
Date Of Coverage From:
01
Date Of Coverage To:
01
Editorial Expansion:
Site name: METHLEY QUARRY EXTENSION, METHLEY
Study area: 12.5ha
Investigation type: Desk-based
District: Leeds
Monument: [finds]. Neolithic, RIDGE AND FURROW. Medieval (1066-1540), COAL WORKINGS. Post-medieval (1540-1901), DITCH. Roman (AD43-410), DITCH. Undated, ENCLOSURE. Iron Age, SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY. Modern (1901-present), ENCLOSURE. Undated, HEARTH. Undated, PIT. Neoli
Ngr: SE39402760
Parish:
Postcode: LS269JA
|
| Source: |
BIAB
(Archaeological Investigations Project (AIP))
|
| Created Date: |
19 Jan 2009 |
