| Catalogue Finding Number | WYHER/7403 |
| Office record is held at | Historical Environment Record, West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service |
| Held Outside WYAS | THE RECORD DESCRIBED IS HELD AND ADMINISTERED BY THE WEST YORKSHIRE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT RECORD PLEASE CONTACT THEM ON 0113 535 0157 IF YOU WISH TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO VIEW THIS RECORD |
| Title | Watching Brief at the former Arriva bus depot, Northgate, Pontefract |
| Description | A watching brief was carried out by WYAS on the 15th and 16th April 2003 to monitor bore holing and the excavation of a series of trial pits at the site of the former Arriva bus depot, Pontefract. The aim of the survey was to determine the geology of the site and the potential for the contamination of the ground from diesel or oil spills. The archaeological monitoring of this work was to ascertain the archaeological potential of the site from trench side observations of deposits and the assessment of any artefacts disturbed by the work.
The cores from six boreholes between 0.1m and 0.25m in diameter were taken and a further nine trial pits were opened. The trial pits were an average of 0.9m wide and 3m long. These were excavated to a depth ranging from 2m to 3.5m. All of the trenches were opened with a JCB fitted with a toothed ditching bucket. All exposed sections were inspected for archaeological remains but visibility was restricted because it was not possible to clean sections by hand.
The watching brief showed that there was some limited evidence of archaeological deposits that had been cut or truncated by later activity. Only two cut features were identified, these were found in trial pits 2 and 4.
Trial Pit 2 was located c.10m away from the eastern boundary of the site, it measured 3.9m long, 0.9m wide and was excavated to a depth of 3.8m. A large feature was identified, cutting the natural clay. It measured over 3.5m in length and 1.4m deep.
Trial Pit 4 was located against the southern boundary of the site. It was 3m long, 0.9m wide and excavated to a depth of 3.2m. A possible U shaped pit was identified cutting into the natural clay, dimensions for this feature are not given.
No artefacts were recovered from the features identified, but the fills contained brick fragments suggesting that that they were no earlier than 18th century and may be related to clay and brick working activities associated with the 18th century brick kiln that existed immediately to the west of the site. |
| Date | 21st century |
| Extent | contact the West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service for information on what is available |
| Level | Item |