Source/Archive record SCH5446 - Wilmslow to Alderley Edge Pipeline, Cheshire East: Archaeological Watching Brief -Supplementary Report

Following proposals by United Utilities for the construction of a new water main from Wilmslow High Lifting Pumping Station to Alderley Edge Service Reservoir, Cheshire (SJ 84974 81534 to SJ 85792 77757), the Cheshire County Council Historic Environment Officer recommended a programme of archaeological desk-based research, walkover and topographic surveys. Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) was subsequently commissioned by United Utilities to undertake this work. As a result of recommendations presented in the subsequent report (OA North 2009), a permanent presence watching brief was undertaken during all topsoil stripping activities associated with the construction of the pipeline. The watching brief was undertaken in four phases, with groundworks in sixteen fields being observed between January and June 2010. The initial phase undertaken in January monitored the easement to the north of Alderley Edge. The second phase was undertaken to the south of Mottram Road in February. The third phase took place in April, and comprised the monitoring of topsoil stripping in fields to the east of Hough. The final phase, undertaken during May and June, observed groundworks to the east of Hawthorn Farm and to the south-east of Wilmslow and the A34 highway. The archaeological features observed during the watching brief generally related to agricultural practice and, in particular, relict field boundaries and drainage systems. Ponds and the remains of ridge and furrow were also observed. The gradual disappearance of field boundaries in the study area is increasingly changing the landscape to a 21st century fieldscape across its entirety. The topsoil stripping exposed a number of small peat basins with the largest and most interesting being located in Field 19. The results of a programme of palaeoenvironmental assessment of the peat cores taken from Field 19 will follow as a separate report.