Bolton Fell Moss, Cumbria. Assessment Report

Lancaster University Archaeological Unit undertook a desk-top search and produced
an assessment report on the impact of continued peat harvesting at Bolton Fell, north
Cumbria (c NY 4968). The work was commissioned by William Sinclair Horticulture
in advance of a revised minerals planning application for the moss. It was undertaken
in July 1997.
Through examination of the known archaeological remains of the locality, and extant
palaeoecological work on the peats of Bolton Fell Moss, a number of likely results
have been identified, including the removal of the upper levels of peat, which may
contain stray artefacts and ecofacts of archaeological significance; the removal of an
important late palaeoecological sequence; and the removal of peat which might
incorporate or cover buried archaeological sites.
Several simple proposals have been made to mitigate the impact of peat-harvesting.