Walverden Water Flood Alleviation Scheme, Nelson, Pendle, Lancashire. Archaeological Watching Brief.

In December 2005, a series of exploratory groundworks were undertaken as part of the Environment Agency’s development proposals for the Walverden Water Flood Alleviation Scheme, Nelson, Lancashire. Following communication between the
Environment Agency and Lancashire County Archaeology Service (LCAS), LCAS requested that, in order to better inform any planning permission sought by the Environment Agency, that a programme of archaeological monitoring and recording
should be undertaken during any groundworks along the route of the Walverden Water and Hendon Brook, which, in several locations, flows through areas of archaeological interest. Following submission of a project design to meet the
requirements of LCAS, Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) were commissioned by the Environment Agency to undertake a watching brief between the 19th and 21st December 2005 on six exploratory geological test pits within three different locations along the Walverden Water and the Hendon Brook. These locations comprised Brook Street (SD 86425 37594), Glenfield Park (SD 87429 38120) and Marsden Park
(87240 38102); boreholes were also sunk along the route of the culvert at Leeds Road, but the limited visibility afforded by these groundworks negated the requirement for archaeological monitoring. The groundworks were enacted by
Norwest Holst, while the overall project was managed by Jacobs Babtie, on behalf of the Environment Agency.
No archaeological horizons were encountered within any of the excavated test pits.
Those excavated through redeposited silt within the probably early nineteenth century