| Description | In November 2012, an archaeological evaluation was undertaken by CFA Archaeology on land at the junction of Stumpcross Lane and Pontefract Road, Pontefract in advance of a proposed residential development.
Twelve trenches were excavated, and only those located towards the southern end of the site recorded any archaeological features (the ground of the central and northern areas was characterised by disturbed and made ground). Five possible ditches were identified in Trenches 8, 10, 11 and 12. Tr8 – v shaped ditch, measuring 1.5m wide and 1.0m deep; Tr10 – ditch measuring 0.5m and 0.6m deep, possible a naturally formed gully; Tr11 – terminus of ditch measuring 1m wide and 0.5m deep, a possible continuation of the ditch in Tr8; Tr12 – one ditch measuring 1m wide and 0.55m deep, and another possible terminus of another ditch, or possible pit, which was square edged in plan, measuring 1m wide, 0.68m deep. The only ditch containing any finds was the 1m by 0.55m ditch in Trench 12 the find was a sherd of likely prehistoric or Romano British pottery.
For further details please see the final report (CFA Archaeology, 2012), a copy of which is on file in West Yorkshire HER.
In July 2013 a programme of archaeological observation, investigation and recording (strip, map and record) was undertaken by LS Archaeology during ground works associated with the construction of 48 house at Pontefract Road, Pontefract. This archaeological work was concentrated to the south west end of the development site, and was a continuation from the trial trenching exercise conducted by CFA Archaeology in 2012 (see above).
‘Area A’ measured 710m² and was positioned in order to characterise the nature of the archaeological features exposed by the evaluation trenches 8 and 12 (see description of CFA’s excavations above). Removal of the topsoil revealed the presence of a shallow sub circular pit and a series of linear features; these formed a small enclosure extended out of the Area to the south, with a further linear features entering the Area from the north east, set on the same alignment as the ditch excavated within the earlier Trench 10. No further dating evidence was recovered from any of the trenches.
For further details please see the final report (LS Archaeology, 2013), a copy of which is on file in West Yorkshire HER. |