NHER 66198 (Monument record) - Potentially prehistoric, medieval, post-medieval and undated remains

May 2018. Desk-based Assessment.
Environmental Impact Assessment of the potential impacts of the proposed Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm on the historic environment. This study incorporated the results of an initial walkover survey and the first phases of geophysical survey.
See relevant chapter of Environmental Statement and associated appendices for further detail (S1).
P. Watkins (HES), 15 April 2025.

November 2021-March 2022. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (Area 38).
This survey identified a number of linear anomalies likely to represent infilled ditches. Two correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S2) but the others may be earlier features. A number of other, more fragmentary linear and curvilinear anomalies may also represent archaeologically-significant remains, although these are all regarded as being of undetermined origin.
Scattered discrete dipolar anomalies and various other areas of magnetic disturbance were probable caused by ferrous material on or near the surface (most likely modern debris).
Other amorphous anomalies are of probable natural origin.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 April 2025.

February-June 2022. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (P2TT45; Trenches 501-519).
The 19 trenches excavated at this location revealed various pits and ditches.
Evidence for prehistoric activity included flint flakes of Mesolithic to Neolithic date and an Early Neolithic leaf-shaped flint arrowhead. The former were residual in later ditches but the latter came from one of a pair of otherwise undated intercutting pits at the northern end of the site. A sample taken from the fill of this pit was found to contain carbonised knotweed seeds and charcoal. Small quantities of Early Iron Age and undiagnostic prehistoric pottery were recovered from a cluster of pits and ditches in the southern half of the site. The majority of these produced no later dating evidence, the one exception being a ditch that also contained a single Roman pottery sherd. A Roman furniture stud recovered from a ditch at the southern end of the site was the only other find of this date recovered. Only a small number of features could be identified as being of probable post-Roman date. These included a pair of intercutting ditches in the central part of the site that both contained small amounts of medieval pottery and ditch some distance to the south that produced fragments of a medieval brick. Two ditches can also be seen to correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S2).
The majority of the features recorded remain undated.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 April 2025.