Skirting and Whangs Beck Flood Risk Management Scheme, Egremont, Cumbria Archaeological Watching Brief Report

Oxford Archaeology (OA) North were commissioned by Atkins Ltd on behalf of
VBA Joint Venture Ltd for the Environment Agency to undertake a Watching
Brief during ground investigation works on the Skirting and Whangs Beck
Flood Risk Management Scheme, Egremont, Cumbria (NGR NY 00217 11380).
A programme of Ground Investigation (GI) works had been prepared to inform
the detailed design process of the flood defence. The need for an
archaeological watching brief had been identified in consultation with the
Cumbria County Council Historic Environment Officer and the Environment
Agency (EA), and had been identified by the EA Archaeologist for inclusion in
the emerging GI Scope. The nature and scope of archaeological intervention
throughout the GI programme had also been discussed with the Cumbria
County Council (CCC) Historic Environment Officer as archaeological advisor
to the Local Authority.
The watching brief comprised two areas of work, eight test pits were
excavated on the West Lakes Academy/Soldier’s and Airmen’s Scripture
Readers Association (SASRA) Playing Fields off St Bridget’s Lane, and four test
pits were excavated at How Bank Farm situated on the north west edge of the
town.
The test pits on the West Lakes Academy/SASRA area revealed the ground had
been made up by c. one metre when compared to that of the ground at the
eastern end of the site. Although no archaeological features were revealed,
the original soil horizon was revealed. Evidence found in the redeposited
material suggests that the ground was made up during or after the 19th
century.
The test pits on the How Bank Farm area revealed similar results to those at
the West Lakes Academy/SASRA area, whereby the area has been raised
through the deposition of made ground and the build-up of modern debris.