| Abstract: |
The DBA follows the 2020 updated Chartered Institute for Archaeologists’ (CIfA) Standard and Guidance for Historic Environment Desk-Based Assessment, and Historic England’s
Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance (Historic England, 2008). The CIfA guidance
outlines the necessity of the DBA to enable appropriate mitigation strategies where necessary, in line with the local and national policies in place. The following actions have been undertaken for this assessment:
● An examination of the local, regional and national planning policies in relation to the historic
environment;
● A search of the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) for Listed Buildings, Registered
Parks and Gardens, Scheduled Monuments, World Heritage Sites and Registered
Battlefields within the study area;
● A search of the Herefordshire Historic Environment Record (HER) database for
archaeological sites, archaeological findspots, locally listed buildings, Archaeological Priority
Areas and archaeological event locations within the study area;
● An examination of the relevant published and unpublished archaeological and historic
sources e.g. journals and historic records;
● A search of the Archaeological Data Service (ADS) for the reports of archaeological
excavations within the wider area;
● An examination of topographical and geological evidence;
● A map regression exercise using historic maps to determine previous land use of the
proposed development area; and,
● A site walkover, undertaken on 8th June 2022. This DBA has been produced by MMB on behalf of Severn Trent Water Ltd. in advance of the
construction of a new Sewage Treatment Works (STW) at Brampton Bryan.
Four Scheduled Monuments, one Registered Park and Garden and fifteen Listed Buildings have been identified within a 1km study area of the site. Evidence suggests that there has been activity within the study area dating back to the Neolithic period, although the earliest evidence is manifested in chance finds rather than evidence of occupation.
Crop mark evidence alludes that there has been human settlement within the study area since
the Bronze Age period. The village of Brampton Bryan is thought to have early medieval origins, and while much of the original village was destroyed in the 17th century siege of the Castle by the Royalists, the village continued to operate as a rural, agricultural settlement throughout the post-medieval and modern periods. As such, there is considered to be a medium potential for archaeological remains of prehistoric, Roman, medieval and post-medieval date. There is considered to be a low potential for remains of early medieval and modern date. There is a high potential for palaeoenvironmental remains to be preserved within the deposits of alluvium within the site, should such deposits survive in substantial volume. Across the site, survival of archaeological deposits is generally expected to be good. The ground may have undergone some superficial ground disturbance as a result of ploughing which may have compromised the survival of remains that lay close to the surface. However, deeper archaeological deposits, if present, are likely to survive largely undisturbed.
There are no direct impacts to designated heritage assets anticipated as a result of the scheme.
The majority of the designated heritage assets are considered sufficiently screened from the site for the construction and operation of a new STW to significantly change their setting. The site would, however, be intervisible with Roman camp 1100yds (1010m) E of Brampton Bryan parish church, and so the installation of a new STW at this location would alter this asset’s
rural setting. Buried archaeological remains would be severely truncated, if not removed
entirely, by the groundworks involved with the construction of the new STW. |
