Site Event/Activity record ECH6442 - Archaeological Watching Brief at Crown Farm Quarry, Oakmere

Field-walking and Watching brief on areas D, W and E of quary extension was undertaken concurrently to the watching brief phase immediately prior to topsoil removal, from 14th April – 13th July 2016. This was due to the nature of the programme of groundworks. In Area D, several earthwork features were identified. Linear boundaries and building platforms relating to the former ‘Golf Links Farm’ were noted. A selection of early to mid-20th century artefactual material was initially recovered comprising mostly glass and ceramic objects, however, these were deemed archaeologically insignificant and have not been retained beyond a photographic record. Pits of unknown date and function were also noted in Area D prior to the groundworks (see Plate 1), with the possibility that they were associated with the extraction of marl. These are also depicted on Ordnance Survey maps of the site. No finds were made during the field-walking in Areas W and E. A combined fieldwalk and archaeological watching brief monitored all topsoil and subsoil groundworks associated with three extension areas at Crown Farm quarry, with the works taking place from the 14th April to 13th July 2016, and the 3rd April to 28th June 2017. The aim was to identify and record any features of archaeological interest exposed during the groundworks, and in particular the potential remains of a Roman road which is projected to run through the extension areas. No features or finds of archaeological interest were noted during the watching brief, apart from those which related to post medieval agricultural activity. The preservation of archaeology in the areas monitored was limited. This was probably due to agricultural use of all the fields as plough-scarring had been noted in previous archaeological watching briefs (Wardell Armstrong 2012 and 2015b). The combination of this agricultural activity and the relatively thin topsoil (being approximately 0.30m maximum across the monitored area), indicates that there was a low survival rate of below and above ground archaeology. No evidence of the Roman road along the projected line. (1) A second report was produced in October 2018 for the programme of work at Crown Farm Quarry as detailed above, this later report outlines the work undertaken on site, the subsequent programme of post fieldwork analysis, including an environmental assessment, and the results of the watching brief. (2)