Site Event/Activity record ECH6390 - Crow Wood Playscape, Lyme Park: Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief

Archaeological watching brief undertaken in April 2010 during groundworks for the development of a children's playscape at Crow Wood, Lyme Park. The park was created in the 14th century as a deer park in largely unsettlend land which formed part of the Forest of Macclesfield. During the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries it developed into an ornamental landscape, and although minor changes have been made in terms of new buildings, vistas, woodland plantings and fells, the basic shape and pattern has remained relatively consistent between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The watching brief comprised monitoring the removal of topsoil to created a level soft surface at the eastern side of the play area. The topsoil was a layer of dark brown/black organic matrix extending to a depth of circa 300mm. Beneath this a layer of sand was encountered close to the path and beneath this was a layer of grey clay with pebble inclusions, identified as the natural sub stratum. In the western extent of the play area, 23 foundation holes for the timber play equipment were excavated. All but three of these pits were 1m by 1m in size and varied in depth from 1 to nearly 2m. The uppermost context was again the dark brown/black organic matter or leaf litter approximately 100mm in depth. Beneath this was a natural orange coloured clay horizon with a maximum depth of 300mm. Beneath this the layer of grey clay with pebble inclusions was again encountered which continued beyond the depth of the trenches. However, no features of archaeological interest were encountered. (1)