Long Preston Deeps, Ribblesdale, North Yorkshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

The Environment Agency commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to undertake a watching brief, and to record bank profiles, during ground works associated with the modification of flood alleviation embankments to the east of the river Ribble at Long Preston Deeps, which lies to the south-west of Settle, North Yorkshire (NGR SD 8110 6090). The pre-existing embankments were constructed prior to 1851, when they were depicted on the first edition Ordnance Survey mapping, and are, therefore, of local significance as elements of the historic landscape. The ground works entailed the mechanical removal of portions of two perpendicular stretches of flood embankment and the watching brief was undertaken on the 16th September 2011.
The banks were constructed by mounding alluvial silts, which subsequently became grassed over. A lack of any finds from the banks means that it was not possible to refine the date of establishment for the banks beyond that provided by the cartographic sources. There were no indications of any structural elements that might have revetted, retained, or strengthened the banks, and portions of the bank had become badly eroded. However, the longevity of the structures for over 160 years demonstrates that the form and character of the banks represented an extremely successful and durable design.