New Sedgwick Gunpowder Works, Sedgwick, Cumbria. Archaeological Watching Brief.

In September 2006, OA North was commissioned by Harrison Pitt Architects, acting on behalf of The Caravan Club, to carry out an archaeological watching brief during
development work at Low Park Wood caravan park at Sedgwick, near Kendal, Cumbria (centred at NGR SD 5098 8814). The caravan park occupies the site of the former New Sedgwick Gunpowder Works, which was designated as a Scheduled
Monument (SM 27807) in 2000. The watching brief was required to facilitate the production of a written report to describe and record any archaeology encountered during the work, and to satisfy Scheduled Monument Consent for the development.
The New Sedgwick Gunpowder Works was one of seven powder manufactories that were active in the historic counties of Westmorland and the Furness area of Lancashire (now Cumbria) from the late eighteenth century. It was in production
between 1857 and 1935, and produced gunpowder for the numerous mineral mines and stone quarries which existed in the area.
The proposed scheme of development allowed for the refurbishment of the toilet blocks, the refurbishment of the reception area, the opening of a new interpretation
and information centre, repair work to the access roads, and repairs to several caravan pitches. Of these works, only the proposed repairs to the access roads and caravan pitches were considered to have archaeological implications, and it was these works that were targeted for archaeological monitoring.