Royal Hotel, Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria Archaeological Evaluation Report

Oxford Archaeology (OA) North were commissioned by Graham S Wilson Ltd to undertake a trial trench evaluation of a proposed residential development at the Royal Hotel, and adjoining associated land, at Main Street, Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria (NGR SD 53031 76393). The work was undertaken as a condition of Planning Permission (planning ref. SL/17/0992). Although the Local Planning Authority had not set a brief for the work, discussions with Jeremy Parsons, Cumbria County Council (CCC) Historic Environment Officer, established the scope of work required and a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) was produced by OA North detailing the Local Authority’s requirements for work necessary to inform the discharge of the planning condition. The evaluation was undertaken in full accordance with the WSI and aimed to identify whether there were any archaeological features which would be impacted upon by the development. The fieldwork was undertaken on 12th March 2019.
Two archaeological trial trenches were excavated in the locations of two proposed housing plots. Trench 1 within the northern plot measured 7m long by 2m wide and Trench 2 within the southern plot measured 10m long by 2m wide. No archaeology was identified in the trenches, suggesting that there was a low level of activity within the back plots. The paucity of structural remains is consistent with the absence of structures shown on the historic maps of the site. As such, no further archaeological work is recommended