HBC Field, Ditton, Cheshire - Watcing Brief

In 2005 Halton Borough Council (Planning Reference 05/0948/FUL) submitted
proposals for the construction of a Strategic Rail Freight Park at Ditton, Widnes,
Cheshire. As the proposed development is situated adjacent to Lovel’s Hall, a
medieval moated manor and a Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM 13435), Cheshire
Shared Services (CSS) Archaeology and Planning Advisory Service requested that a
programme of archaeological watching brief be undertaken during initial ground
works associated with the development. In response, AMEC Environment and
Infrastructure UK Ltd produced a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI; Appendix 1)
and Oxford Archaeology (OA) North was commissioned to undertake the
archaeological works, which took place between August and December 2012. The
watching brief comprised the monitoring of three main elements: the trenching for
drainage and manholes associated with the new access road; the topsoil strip of Areas
A and B for the new access road and associated landscaping; and the excavation of
eight test pits.
To the north of the railway two drainage trenches were opened on either side of the
new access road, and several manholes were excavated along the side of the
westernmost. The trenches and manholes comprised a silty topsoil (1000), and darker
sandy-clay natural geology (1002). To the south two further drains were excavated.
One along the western edge of the new access road, which comprised topsoil (1000),
subsoil (1001), and natural geology (1002), and the second, following an existing
north-east/south-west aligned track, consisted of crushed brick and gravel hardcore.
No features or finds of archaeological interest were identified.