Source/Archive record SCH6848 - Land off the Moorings and land off Goldfinch Close and Kestrel Close, Congleton, Cheshire: Heritage Desk Based Assessment

At the request of Seddon Homes Ltd this desk based assessment was undertaken by Anne Thompson. The aim of the assessment is to determine the possible impact of development on land off Goldfinch Close/Kestrel Close and land off The Moorings in Congleton, Cheshire on any potential archaeological/heritage deposits and so enable the identification of an appropriate mitigation strategy for any such potential heritage assets. As agreed with the Cheshire Shared Services Development Control Officer for Archaeology one heritage assessment report has been prepared for the two application sites given that the same area around each of the application sites has been assessed in order to place the sites within their wider heritage context. If presented individually the reports for each of the two sites would be identical. The application sites lie in an area of significant archaeological features and finds representing all archaeological periods from the prehistoric onwards. Any prehistoric evidence recovered from within the assessment area would be of regional and possible national importance, whilst any findings related to the Roman, early medieval, and medieval periods would be of local - regional interest. Findings related to the post medieval period would be of local interest. No archaeological or other site investigation works have been undertaken within the assessment area to assist the determination of the potential for archaeological remains surviving within the application sites. There are undefined/undated ground features within the two fields to the south of Highfield House (within application site off The Moorings) which would require some archaeological investigation to determine their form/origin. There are also hedgerows across most of the assessment area that form part of a field system pre-dating the Enclosure Acts and in relation to which the Development Control Archaeologist would request the archaeological excavation of a sample section across one hedgerow. Otherwise there is generally a low potential for the recovery of hitherto unknown heritage assets from within the assessment area.