Lower House to Adlington Pipeline, Cheshire- Watching Brief

United Utilities proposed to construct two adjoining water transfer pipelines between Lower House and Adlington, Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire (Fig. 1; NGR SJ 865 785 to SJ 900 808) and between Adlington Waste Water Treatment Plant and Adlington Sewage Works, Cheshire (Fig 1; NGR SJ 900 808 to SJ 910 807).
An archaeological desk-based assessment (Oxford Archaeology North 2006) identified a number of sites that were likely to be directly affected by the proposed pipeline, chiefly parish boundaries and former field boundaries. It was therefore recommended by Cheshire County Council Historic Environment Services (CCCHES) that a permanent presence archaeological watching brief be undertaken during the topsoil strip of the pipeline easement and any other associated groundworks in order to record these and any other significant archaeological remains encountered. A project design (Appendix 1), devised to meet the verbal brief of CCCHES, was subsequently submitted and, upon approval of this, OA North was commissioned by United Utilities to undertake the recommended work.
The watching brief programme was undertaken during May and June 2007 with all groundworks carried out during this time being subject to permanent archaeological monitoring in accordance with the approved project design. In total, five areas were observed being machine stripped for the creation of delivery zones along the pipeline route, none of which revealed any archaeological features or deposits. Following the adoption of a directional drilling strategy for the construction of the pipeline, rather than a continuous strip, six pits were excavated under archaeological supervision. No archaeological features or deposits were encountered during these works and verbal communication with CCCHES brought an end to the archaeological watching brief at this point. No further archaeological work is recommended.