NHER 66380 (Monument record) - Traces of Roman road and parish boundary ditch

February-March 2017. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on possible route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (GS18). This site was one of 26 identified as a priority for examination due to their archaeological potential.
The most notable responses were a pair of adjacent, parallel east-to-west aligned linear anomalies that coincide with the line of a Roman road, the remains of which are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs of nearby fields (NHER 52027).
An east-north-east to west-south-west aligned linear anomaly to the north follows the line of the Keswick/Swardeston parish boundary. A bank associated with this boundary has previously been noted on an aerial photograph of this field (NHER 52128).
The only other responses of note were a number of linear anomalies in the south-west corner of the field. These were though regarded as being of undetermined origin and are therefore not necessarily associated with archaeologically-significant remains.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 27 January 2023.

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), 27 January 2023.

December 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of part of proposed Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore substation site (Area 1).
This phase of work saw the examination of several narrow strips around the margins of the field that had not been covered by the 2017 survey.
No additional anomalies of potential archaeological significance were identified.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 27 January 2023.

February-June 2022. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (P2TT107; Trenches 859-885 and 943).
The 28 trenches revealed only two ditches and a large probable quarry pit.
One of the ditches was an east-north-east to west-south-west aligned feature that coincided with the Keswick/Swardeston parish boundary. This produced a small but diverse finds assemblage comprising medieval, medieval/post-medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds, medieval to post-medieval ceramic building material, post-medieval vessel glass, clay tobacco pipe fragments and cockle shells. It appears that there were no surviving (or at least readily identifiable) traces of the bank associated with this boundary (NHER 52128).
The second ditch was an undated north-to-south aligned feature in the south-east corner of the field.
The large probable quarry pit lay in the western part of the field and produced a single fragment of medieval/post-medieval tile and a nail of possible modern date.
Although the 2017 geophysical survey had picked up faint traces of the Roman road crossing this site no associated sub-surface remains were identified.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 27 January 2023.