Terrestrial Mineral Resource, Cumbria. Assessment report.

An assessment of the terrestrial mineral resources in Cumbria (excluding the two National Parks and Areas of Outstanding National Beauty) has been undertaken on
behalf of English Heritage (now Historic England; Project 6490), in partnership with Cumbria County Council. This was designed to assess the character, significance and
range of sites of archaeological significance within areas that may potentially be affected by future aggregate extraction. A project design was submitted in 2012 by
Oxford Archaeology North (OA North), to undertake a programme that identified areas of potential future aggregate extraction and then obtain a more detailed information base for the heritage resource within these areas. OA North was commissioned to undertake the project, with work commencing in April 2012.
The first stage of the programme assessed the commercial potential for soft and hard aggregate resources across the county and defined areas with the greatest potential for
future extraction. Eleven areas were selected for further study in the second stage, all centred on existing quarries, as it was demonstrated that it was highly unlikely that
completely new quarries would gain planning consent. These areas were subject to more intensive investigation, examining the current state of knowledge relating to heritage assets, and establishing the potential for further heritage resources within these areas.
This was achieved by examining existing datasets, aerial photography and Lidar data, analysis of historical mapping, and a review of previous archaeological investigations.
In the third stage of the project, a process of analysis was undertaken to examine the heritage potential within the areas at greatest threat from future extraction. The fourth
stage entailed the compilation of this report.