Thornton Hough WwTw to Bromborough WwTW Merseyside. Archaeological Evaluation and Watching Brief.

Following the findings of a desk-top assessment and walkover survey (OA North 2004) along the proposed pipeline route between Thornton Hough (SJ 3308 3806) and Little Heys near Bromborough (SJ 3368 3813), United Utilities commissioned Oxford Archaeology North to conduct a programme of archaeological investigation during May and June 2004. The programme comprised the evaluation of four sites which lay within the pipeline route (Sites 55, 56, 57 and 58), followed by a permanent presence watching brief during ground works.
The programme of evaluation concentrated on areas that yielded stray finds during the walkover survey, most of which represented multi-period activity. The individual
evaluation sites spanned a range of periods from possible prehistoric activity in the vicinity of Site 55 (SJ 3311 3809) to Roman activity at Site 58 (SJ 3317 3812). A series
of ditches within the Thornton Common field, close to Site 56, are thought to represent a field system or boundaries that may have medieval origins, and Sites 56 (SJ 3314
3811) and 57 (SJ 3315 3811) are likely to be remnants of post-medieval land-use. None of the sites produced significant dating evidence.
The features encountered during the watching brief further emphasised the evaluation findings in the form of several sub-surface relict remains of field boundaries and ditches
located to the east of Thornton Hough village, and south of Thornton Common Road. Material evidence gathered from topsoil and subsoil deposits hinted of activity in the
area, dating from the Prehistoric period through to the Roman, and later medieval occupation.