The Environment Agency had submitted a proposal to the Peak District National Park Authority(PDNPA) to undertake de-silting at the B6521 road bridge in Grindleford, Derbyshire. There was a possibility the de-silting works would disturb associated archaeological features and environmental information preserved in riverine deposits and adjacent banks. In order that any remains which could have been affected were recorded and/or retrieved a requirement for archaeological works was issued by the PDNPA. ARCUS was commissioned by the Environment Agency to undertake the archaeological works. Modifications to the methodology of these works by the Environment Agency resulted in the topsoil on the adjacent banks being left intact and thereby severely limiting the potential for observing archaeologically significant deposits and recovering palaeoenvironmental samples. Material was therefore recovered entirely from riverbed deposits excavated to a relatively shallow depth. No artefacts or deposits of archaeological significance were observed during the course of the de-silting works.
Sean Bell (Wed,) studied this question.