Crump Weir, Little Bollington, Cheshire- Evaluation Report

In October 2008, Royal Haskoning UK Ltd, acting on behalf of the Environment Agency, commissioned Oxford Archaeology North to carry out a programme of archaeological evaluation on land owned by The National Trust adjacent to Crump Weir on the River Bollin at Little Bollington, Cheshire (centred on SJ 7304 8704). The evaluation was required by The National Trust to establish the presence or absence of any buried remains of archaeological interest prior to the proposed construction of a fish passage.

Crump Weir formed part of the water-management system for Little Bollington Mill, which occupies a site on the west bank of the River Bollin, within the county of Cheshire. Little Bollington Mill lies on the east bank of the River Bollin, in the county of Greater Manchester, and is entered on the Greater Manchester Historic Environment Record (HER No 3726).

The archaeological evaluation comprised the excavation of a single trench, measuring 9.6 long and 1.8m wide. No archaeological deposits or features were encountered in the excavated trench, the simple stratigraphic sequence comprising the natural clay geology, mottled sand subsoil, and topsoil. It is concluded that the construction of the proposed fish passage will not have any impact on any sub-surface archaeological resource of the area between the west bank of the River Bollin and Sutt Brook. In accordance with the agreed project design, however, an archaeological watching brief should be maintained during the construction of the fish passage. This should be targeted on the bank of the River Bollin, and is intended to make an adequate archaeological record of any stonework that lines the river channel.