The Environment Partnership (TEP) Ltd were instructed to manage a programme of archaeological watching brief during the redevelopment of land for a youth club. TEP produced a Written Scheme of Investigation for the works and appointed an archaeological contractor.
At the commencement of the project the works were intended to assess the survival of an 18th century iron foundry and workers housing which represented the main known heritage interest of the site. The works were carried out in stages over a period of several months during which time partial remains of the foundry buildings including floor surfaces, walls and three wells were recorded.
The project is however notable for the unexpected discovery of human remains during excavations for an attenuation tank: three burials were discovered, two of which were interred in a double grave, and one was a single burial. Upon the discovery TEP coordinated with the client and key stakeholders to expand the scope of works to allow for the specialist excavation for the remains and arranged for specialist analysis of the skeletons including radiocarbon dating and osteological analysis.
The skeletons were in excellent condition and revealed very unexpected evidence relating to their deaths. The adult male and female skeletons were in a double grave and were dated to broadly the same period of AD1600-54 and the female skeleton had evidence for five injuries caused by a bladed weapon. It was concluded that they may have been victims of a skirmish during the English Civil War. The third skeleton was dated to two centuries prior and suggests some longevity of the site as a place of burial.
Services Included:
- Heritage advice and consultancy
- Written Scheme of Investigation
- Archaeological project management
