Solway Coast Cluster, Cumbria- Evaluation

United Utilities have put forward proposals to improve the wastewater treatment system along the Solway coast in Cumbria, from Bowness-on-Solway (NY 2257 6281) to Drumburgh (NY 2672 5980). Since the proposed works traverse the line of Hadrian’s Wall, which forms part of the trans-national ‘Frontiers of the Roman Empire’ World Heritage Site, a series of meetings was held between United Utilities and the Hadrian’s Wall Archaeologist, at which an archaeological evaluation strategy was agreed. The strategy, which was designed to limit the impact of the works on this internationally important monument, included the archaeological evaluation of four key points where it was envisaged that the new pipeline would either cross the line of the Wall itself, or would be likely to impact upon archaeological features associated with it.
The four proposed crossing points, all located within or adjacent to the highway of the Bowness to Drumburgh road, were situated at Fishers Cross (Site D; NGR NY 2399 6227), Kirkland House (Site E; NGR NY 2431 6176), Westfield Marsh (Site G; NGR NY 2475 6126), and Glasson Farm (Site I; NGR NY 2575 6034). Three other sites identified as requiring evaluation were located at Shore Gate House, Bowness Village (Site A; NGR NY 2250 6282), Glasson Wastewater Treatment Works (Site J; NGR NY 2589 6023), and Drumburgh (between manholes 3 and 4) (Site L; NGR NY 2674 5985). In the event, and with the agreement of the Hadrian’s Wall Archaeologist, evaluation of Site L did not proceed due to the presence of a sewer pipe that would have rendered the work ineffective. The archaeological works were carried out intermittently by Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) between February 2006 and April 2007.