Archaeological Evaluation and Building Recording at Red Hall Farm, Wakefield, West Yorkshire

This document reports upon an archaeological evaluation undertaken by ARCUS at Red Hall Farm, Wakefield, West Yorkshire (site centre NGR SE325225). The work was commissioned by Building Design Partnership, on behalf of Yorkcourt Properties Ltd. Fieldwork was supervised by Anna Badcock, and carried out during January 2000. A Desk-Based Assessment undertaken previously (ARCUS Report 522.1 and Report 522.2, 1999) had identified several features of archaeological interest, both in and around the proposed development area. Some features had been identified from aerial photographs, including possible mining remains, ridge and furrow (outside the development area) and a number of linear features. The evaluation comprised excavation of seven machine-assisted trials trenches, and the recording of two rhubarb sheds. The trial trenches were placed in the north-eastern portion of the development site, to evaluate land comprising Phase 1 of the proposed development. Most of the trenches contained few or no archaeological features, with the exception of (recent) ploughmarks and clay field drains. Trench 1 contained debris relating to a demolished building (probably relating to an early rhubarb shed) and Trench 7 contained a small cut feature containing burnt sandstone and charcoal fragments. Pottery contained within the ploughsoil ranged from late-seventeenth- to twentieth-century in date. The rhubarb sheds were side by side, and were an unusual juxtaposition of a Victorian brick- built structure and a modern (1970s) asbestos/wood structure, the latter being on the site of an earlier building. The Victorian shed had been modified to enable it to be heated and used in conjunction with the newer one. The two sheds had been joined by a small wooden packing shed, which also housed the boiler for the later heating system. Some features of the original heating system were still present in the older shed.