Lochinvar Flood Alleviation Scheme, Longtown, Cumbria: Archaeological Watching Brief

The Environment Agency has proposed the construction of a new embankment and lagoon as part of flood alleviation works to the east of Longtown, Cumbria (NY 38912 68774). The scheme was considered to lie within an area of archaeological potential.
In January 2008 Jacobs UK commissioned Oxford Archaeology (North) to undertake an archaeological watching brief on behalf of their client, the Environment Agency, during the preliminary phase of earthworks. These comprised eight geotechnical trial pits, consisting of four boreholes and four hand-dug test pits, dug down to a maximum depth of 1.2m below the existing ground surface No features, structures or deposits of archaeological significance were found, but a small assemblage of artefacts were recovered from the topsoil. These included a small group of potsherds and a prehistoric flint flake. These were unstratified so did not contribute to any significant further understanding of the area.