Site Event/Activity record ECH7345 - HS2 Phase 2a: Group 024 EEW Site, Sites 330, 331 and 337. Post Excavation Report

High Speed Two (HS2) is a new railway network proposed by the Government to provide a link between London, the West Midlands, the East Midlands and Manchester. Phase 2a of HS2 will involve the construction of a new railway between the West Midlands and Crewe. Archaeological investigation has been undertaken for EEW Group 024 in the district of Cheshire of East, to the south-west of Betley Mere and west of the village of Wrinehill, Staffordshire. Group 024 comprises three separate sites as follows:- Site 330 Located approximately 290m north-west of Wrinehill Hall and south of Checkley Lane. The site is centred at NGR 374886 346168 and encompasses a c.1.8ha area. It is an irregular shape surrounded by field systems. An access track leading from Checkley Lane borders the works area to the north while a narrow strip of woodland along the banks of tributary stream of the River Lea borders the site to the south. Recognised Archaeological Zone (RAZ 29), situated approximately 100m south-east of Site 330, is designated for the potential preservation of post-medieval formal gardens associated with Wrinehill Manor. Site 331 Located approximately 945m east of the village of Checkley, to the south-east of Grange Farm. The site is centred at NGR 374327 346201 and encompasses a c. 1.2ha area. It is an irregular shape comprising a section of field systems flanking a metalled country lane running south from Checkley Lane and through the centre of the site area. The site is bounded by Checkley Lane to the north and the remaining sections of the occupied field systems to the east, west and south. Site 337 Located approximately 500m west of the village of Wrinehill and north of Randilow Farm. The site is centred at NGR 374325 347133 and encompasses a c.10.8ha area. It is an irregular shape flanked by the Great Junction Railway immediately east of the site. The site is bounded by Higher Den House to the north and RandilowFarm to the south. Recognised Archaeological Zone (RAZ) 30 covers the north-west area of Site 337, which is designated for the potential preservation of palaeoenvironmental assets within deposits of peats that infill late glacial kettle-hole features Geophysical/LiDAR survey:- A geophysical survey has been undertaken at part of the HS2 works in an area that partially overlapped with Site 330 and 337. The programme of archaeological works (undertaken by Headland Archaeology) comprised:- Site 330 consisted of 15 test pits. No archaeological features encountered but three soil samples taken (each sample equivalent in volume to a 0.25m² test pit). Site 331 consisted metal detecting an area of 1.2ha. A single find was retrieved as a result of the metal detecting survey: a horseshoe of probable 19th century date from the northern field of site 331. Other anomalies were identified, however, these were modern scraps of metal as a result of waste from nearby farm activity (e.g. Iron nails, scraps of aluminium etc.). Site 337 consisted of 15 trial trenches measuring 30m x 1.8m. The trenches were sterile and did not contain any archaeological features. (1)