torcoed/torcoed fawr quarry crwbin carmarthenshire€¦ · watching brief was undertaken during...

TORCOED/TORCOED FAWR QUARRY

CRWBIN CARMARTHENSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

DECEMBER 2007

For

TARMAC LIMITED

CA PROJECT: 2455 CA REPORT: 07173

TORCOED/TORCOED FAWR QUARRY CRWBIN

CARMARTHENSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

CA PROJECT: 2455 CA REPORT: 07173

prepared by Alistair Barber, Senior Project Officer

date 4 December 2007

checked by Cliff Bateman, Project Manager


approved by Mark Collard, Head of Contracts

signed


issue 01

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely

at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

© Cotswold Archaeology Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ

Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: [email protected]

© Cotswold Archaeology

1

Torcoed/Torcoed Fawr Quarry, Carmarthenshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

CONTENTS

SUMMARY........................................................................................................................2

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 3

The site ................................................................................................................ 3

Archaeological background.................................................................................. 4

Methodology ........................................................................................................ 4

2. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3) .......................................................................................... 5

3. DISCUSSION....................................................................................................... 5

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 6

5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 6

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 7

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000)

Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:2500)

Fig. 3 Plans, section and photograph

Fig. 4 Extant Tan-y-banc building on south-eastern edge of site,

view looking east


2


SUMMARY

Project Name: Torcoed/Torcoed Fawr Quarry

Location: Crwbin, Carmarthenshire

NGR: SN 4836 1349

Type: Watching Brief

Date: 16-27 November 2007

Planning Reference: W/13607

Location of Archive: To be deposited with Royal Commission for

Historical Monuments (Wales)

Site Code: TQL07

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during

groundworks immediately south of the existing workings at Torcoed/Torcoed Fawr Quarry,

Carmarthenshire, associated with the expansion of the quarries following consolidation of

historic planning permissions to allow the quarries to be worked as a single unit.

An undated gully and pit, and a former enclosure boundary were observed during

groundworks.


3


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In November 2007 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological

watching brief for Tarmac Ltd, on land at Torcoed/Torcoed Fawr Quarry, Crwbin,

Carmarthenshire (centred on NGR: SN 4836 1349; Fig. 1). The watching brief was

undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to planning consent for the consolidation of

historic planning permissions at the two quarries to allow them to be worked as a single

unit (Carmarthenshire County Council planning ref: W/13607). In particular, the

watching brief was undertaken during initial groundworks with an area of proposed

quarry expansion immediately to the south of the existing works. The objective of the

watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the works.

1.2 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of

Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2007) and approved by Charles Hill, Planning

Archaeologist, Cambria Archaeology Heritage Management, the archaeological

advisors to Carmarthenshire County Council. The fieldwork also followed the

Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute

of Field Archaeologists (2001) and the Management of Archaeological Projects

(English Heritage 1991). It was monitored by Charles Hill.

The site

1.3 The proposed extraction site is approximately 3.2ha and formerly comprised upland

pasture. The site lies approximately 9km south-east of Carmarthen and is bordered

immediately to its north by the existing Torcoed/Torcoed Fawr Quarry and to the

south and west by Mynydd Llangyndeyrn and adjacent farmland (Fig. 2). It lies at

approximately 240m AOD with ground level rising to approximately 260m at Mynydd

Llangyndeyrn to the south, and dropping away north of the quarries to 50m in the

Gwendraeth Fach valley.

1.4 The underlying solid geology of the area is mapped as Main Limestone deposits of

the Carboniferous Limestone Series (BGS 1967). The geological substrate

encountered across the site comprised limestone overlain by natural clays.


4


Archaeological background

1.5 An Environmental Statement (ES) was previously compiled for the application area

by White Young Green, within which the cultural heritage of the proposed extraction

site and its environs was assessed (WA 2006).

1.6 While it is not intended to repeat the information previously gathered for the ES in its

entirety, this preliminary work indicated that the site lies in an area of archaeological

potential. Within the general environs of the application area, Neolithic and Bronze

Age funerary monuments are attested on Mynydd Llangynderyn. However, there is a

conspicuous absence of later prehistoric, Roman and early medieval evidence from

the immediate area, although it may be anticipated that such evidence may have

been destroyed by historic quarrying. In addition, the lack of archaeological fieldwork

may also have contributed to this seeming imbalance in the archaeological record.

The area is dominated by the limestone industry, which has formed a significant part

of the local economy since the 18th century and would previously have existed on a

smaller scale to supply local settlements. Historic maps indicate that both small

quarry pits and lime kilns were superseded by larger-scale 19th and 20th century

workings, though some earlier elements survive (ibid).

1.7 Cartographic evidence from the late 19th century onwards indicates that the area

subject to the current watching brief has remained unchanged as a narrow, enclosed

area of moorland between Tan-y-banc and Tygwyn farmsteads. This cartographic

evidence also depicts a small enclosure immediately north-west of Tan-y-banc.

Methodology

1.8 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2007). An

archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks, comprising the removal of

topsoil and overburden throughout the site (Fig. 2). Contingency arrangements were

established for a Rapid Response Excavation should significant archaeological

deposits be encountered but in the event it was unnecessary to implement this

arrangement.

1.9 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic

records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork

Recording Manual (2007).


5


1.10 The archive from the evaluation is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble

prior to its deposition with the Royal Commission for Historical Monuments (Wales).

2. RESULTS (FIGS 2-4)

2.1 Natural limestone 007 was typically revealed at a depth of 0.6m below present

ground level, however, throughout the central portion of the site this bedrock

protruded above the modern ground surface as a series of prominent limestone

outcrops (see Fig. 2 for locations and extent). With the exception of these outcrops,

the limestone bedrock was overlain by natural clay deposits.

2.2 A broadly E/W aligned v-shaped gully, 005, was noted cutting natural clay 003. Its

grey-brown silt-clay fill 006 yielded no datable material. A shallow oval ?pit base,

009, containing uncompacted charcoal fill 008 was also recorded cutting the natural

clay.

2.3 These features were overlain by subsoil 002, averaging 0.4m in thickness but

discernibly thinner at higher levels where the natural bedrock lay close to the

surface. This was in turn sealed by modern topsoil.

2.4 A derelict drystone wall survived leading from Tan-y-banc on a north-westerly

alignment, before following the lower contours of the adjacent limestone outcrop. Its

southern return was suggested by a shallow earthwork, presumably its foundation

trench, leading to the southern boundary of the site. These features correlate

closely with the location of a small enclosure depicted to the north-west of Tan-y-

banc on 19th-and 20th-century cartographic records.

2.5 Despite visual scanning of stripped topsoil and subsoil deposits, no artefactual

material pre-dating the modern period was encountered.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological

background above), the watching brief identified only limited archaeological remains


6


within the area of observed groundworks. The undated gully and charcoal-filled ?pit

base are indicative of former activity within the site although its full nature and date

remain uncertain. Given the close proximity of both these features to Tan-y-banc,

they may be associated with occupation at this property, gully 005 in particular lying

within the enclosure depicted on cartographic records. The extant Tan-y-banc

building on the southern edge of the site has been photographed in its current

condition, but it is understood that it will not be disturbed by the proposed extraction

works.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Mike Ings. The report was written by Alistair Barber

and the illustrations were prepared by Jemma Elliott. The archive has been compiled

by Alistair Barber, and prepared for deposition by Kathryn Price. The project was

managed for CA by Cliff Bateman

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1967 Geological Survey of Great Britain (England and

Wales) Drift Geology, Carmarthen sheet 229, 1:63360

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2007 Torcoed/Torcoed Fawr Quarries, Carmarthenshire:

Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

Wardell Armstrong (WA) 2006 ‘Cultural Heritage’ in White, Young, Green Torcoed/Torcoed

Fawr Quarries: Consolidation Application. Environmental Impact Assessment.

Volume 1, Environmental Statement


7


APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

No. Type Description Length

(m) Width (m)

Depth (m)

Spot-date

001 Layer Topsoil: grey-brown silt-clay 0.22m Modern

002 Layer Subsoil: orange-brown silt-clay 0.4m Undated

003 Layer Natural substrate: pink-brown clay at interface with natural limestone bedrock

n/k

004 Layer Natural substrate: yellow-brown clay n/k

005 Cut ?Gully: aligned. Gently-sloping sides and concave base.

0.49m

0.26m Undated

006 Fill Fill of ?gully 005: grey-brown silt-clay 0.49m

0.26m Undated

007 Layer Natural limestone bedrock n/k

008 Fill Black charcoal deposit 0.49m 0.4m 0.04m Undated

009 Cut ?pit: very shallow, gently-sloping sides and slightly concave base

0.49m 0.4m 0.04m Undated

010 Layer Natural substrate: mid-dark grey clay n/k

011 Earthwork Former enclosure boundary Modern/Post med

Camarthenshire

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

N

PROJECT TITLE

SCALEDRAWN BY PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO.

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

0 2.5km

Reproduced from the 1998 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permissionof Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 c

Torcoed/Torcoed Fawr QuarryCamarthenshire

Site location plan

1:25,000@A4 2455JE 1

site

application area boundary

485

480

135

SN

Pit009

Gully005

Tygwyn

Wall011

Tan-y-banc

area of observed groundworks

application area boundary

archaeological feature

limestone outcrop

natural clay

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

N



0 250m


Site location plan showing location of archaeological features

1:2500@A3 2455JE 2

008

009

E W mAOD

238

005

006

001

002

006

005

230E W

mAOD

Gully 005, plan (1:50), section (1:20) and photograph

Pit 009, plan and section (1:20)

gully 005

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

N

PROJECT TITLE

SCALE@A4DRAWN BY PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO.


N

0 1m0 2.5m

0 1m


Plans, sections and photograph

1:20&1:50 2455JE 3

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE


COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY4 Extant Tan-y-banc building on southeastern edge of site, view looking east

Photograph

4

n/a 4


2455JE

torcoed/torcoed fawr quarry crwbin carmarthenshire€¦ · watching brief was undertaken during...

Documents