Frodsham Rail Connection, Frodsham, Cheshire. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Walkover and Topographic Surveys, and Watching Brief.

In 2007 Network Rail made an application to National Grid for an electrical connection from Frodsham Substation (NGR SJ 253 794) to the West Coast Main Line(WCML), close to Weaver Junction (NGR SJ 564 792). This involved the installation of a 25kV underground cable running in an easterly direction from Frodsham Substation to a substation and trackside feeder station in the vicinity of Weaver
Junction. TEP, acting on behalf of National Grid, commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to undertake a desk-based assessment and walkover survey of the
proposed cable route in order to better understand the impact of the development on the archaeological resource.
The desk-based assessment comprised a search of both published and unpublished records held by the Cheshire Historic Environment Record (CHER), the Cheshire County Record Office, and the archives and library held at OA North. The walkover survey was conducted within a 200m wide corridor along the route of the proposed cable, in order to relate the landscape and surroundings to the results of the desk-based assessment.
The desk-based research and walkover survey were undertaken in June and July 2007 and established the presence of 46 sites of cultural heritage interest within a study area
extending 500m either side of the proposed cable route. Of these sites, 21 were recorded on the CHER, of which ten have statutory designations. These included the nationally significant Frodsham anti-aircraft battery (Site 17), which is a scheduled ancient monument and the Grade I listed Sutton Hall (Site 15). Eight Grade II listed buildings of regional significance were also present, comprising the Frodsham Viaduct, a Boatman’s Shelter, two buildings at Marshgate Farm, Frodsham Bridge, Sutton Mills, Mill House and the Severn Vyrnwy Aqueduct (Sites 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 16
and 31, respectively). Two of these structures, the Frodsham Viaduct and the Severn Vyrnwy Aqueduct, unavoidably lay within the path of the cable route, although the deep drilling methodology for inserting the cable at these points greatly reduced the risk of adverse impact. The remainder of the sites with statutory designations lay outside the zone of impact.