Stanah Embankment Site Investigation, Thornton, Lancashire- Watching Brief

During the development of a Project Appraisal Report on the feasibility of improvement works on the existing flood defence embankment at Stanah, near Thornton, Lancashire (NGR SD 35284 43261 - SD 35468 43120), the Environment Agency (EA) Archaeologist identified the potential presence of peat deposits within the development area and, accordingly, recommended that an archaeological watching brief should be conducted during groundworks at the site. Following submission of a project design in response to a verbal communication with Lancashire County Archaeology Service (LCAS) and, in accordance with the EA Consultants Brief for the work, Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) were commissioned by EA to undertake the work. The monitored groundworks, undertaken on behalf of EA by Allied Excavation Geotechnical, comprised the machine-excavation of two inspections pits and the sinking of three shell and auger boreholes at regular intervals behind the 250m stretch of weakened embankment. In addition, two inspection pits, two 15m-20m deep shell and auger boreholes, and two dynamic probe boreholes were dug through the top of the embankment, but, they were not monitored owing to their proximity to those investigations behind the embankment.
No archaeological deposits, features or finds were observed during the monitoring of the test pits and boreholes. Furthermore, none of the boreholes encountered evidence for buried peat horizons within the proposed development area.