Central Yard, BAE Systems, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Archaeological Watching Brief.

An archaeological watching brief was carried out by Oxford Archaeology North (OA North), commissioned by Jacobs UK Ltd on behalf of BAE Systems, during preparatory ground investigations at Central Yard, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
(NGR SD1945 6860). The monitored groundwork involved the excavation of 6 trial pits and 12 foundation pits, mostly within the still-standing principal Central Yard
structure. The watching brief was required to investigate the potential for preservation of pre-industrial archaeological features and deposits, and was carried out between 2nd October and 7th of November 2007.
No pre-industrial archaeological remains were found during the works and, whilst there was evidence for earlier industrial activity on site, the limited scope of the
investigation meant that it was not possible to tie these remains to any specific phase of activity. The concentration of the geotechnical pitting around existing structures
inevitably meant that considerable subsoil disturbance was observed, exceeding depths of 2m in some places. In a number of instances, demolition debris had been used as a backfill, and for levelling, whilst the origin of a number of thick clay deposits was harder to define; these too may be imported levelling material, but the absence of finds recovered from this material means that they may be natural in origin. No definite natural geological deposits were encountered within the scope of the monitored works, although such deposits were encountered during the
archaeologically unmonitored programme of geotechnical boreholing.