Penrith Flood Alleviation Scheme, Penrith, Cumbria. Archaeological Watching Brief.

The Environment Agency propose to construct a flood defence system along the route of the Thacka Beck, Penrith, Cumbria. Halcrow were commissioned by the Environment Agency to undertake a programme of exploratory test pits at three
locations in and around the town; Watson Terrace (NY 51289 30486), Corney Place (NY 51484 30391) and land near Gilwilly Industrial Estate (centred on NY 50605 30785). The groundworks were to comprise the excavation of two service inspection pits (SIPs) across the road on Watson Terrace, and one SIP across the road at Corney Place. These SIPs were to be up to 1.5m deep, c 0.5m wide and about 6m long. In
addition, six machine-excavated test pits, roughly 2m square by 2m deep, were to be dug in fields in the Townhead/Gilwilly area of north-west Penrith, in the proposed area of a strategic storage pond.
Because groundworks were located within areas of archaeological potential (the Thacka Beck has been identfied as a medieval leat while the gate piers at Corney Place are Grade II listed), Cumbria County Council Historic Environment Service (CCCHES) issued a verbal brief that a programme of archaeological monitoring should be undertaken during inspection-pitting. Following submission of a project
design (Appendix 1) to meet the requirements of the CCCHES verbal brief, Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) were contracted by the Environment Agency, to conduct a watching brief during groundworks organised by Halcrow and undertaken
by Norwest Holst. The archaeological monitoring was undertaken over five days between 3rd and 17th November 2005.