Site Event/Activity record ECH3632 - Vale Royal Golf Course: Report on Geophysical Survey

Geophysical survey undertaken in 1996 on the Vale Royal Estate in advance of a proposed residential development and golf course. The area involved, some 55 ha, extends over five undulatiing arable and pasture fields. These were investigated by fluxgate gradiometers in scanning mode. Following the initial scan, detailed gradiometer survey was undertaken over an area of 3.5ha and resistance survey (1ha) over six areas, targeting potential archaeological features which lay within the area of proposed development. The initial gradiometer scan produced results consistent with the desktop survey and field study (ECH 3634) already undertaken for the area. Fields 1 and 4 were difficult to assess as they were magnetically disturbed due to a dense scatter of ferrous debris. Fields 2 and 3 produced few archaeological type responses but these were thought to also to be ferrous in origin. However, field 5 contained several archaeologically significant anomalies, some possibly relating to monastic occupation. The detailed gradiometer survey confirmed the magnetically disturbed nature of the field adjacent to Vale Royal House and the only idenifiable feature was a drain. Survey in the south-east of field 2 identified remains of possible industrial activity and a group of responses in the east corner of field 2 possibly indicate former settlement. Resistance survey identified possible building remains, garden features and a drain in the southern corner of field 1. A former road or trackway was possibly located in field 2 and, beside this, a structure was identified that coincides witht the potential industrial activity identified by the gradiometer survey. (1)