Desk Based Assessment, Geophysical Survey at Land off of Rowes Lane, HX1 Urban Extension - Phase 1, Helston, Cornwall

The desk-based assessment follows the guidance as outlined in: Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (CIfA 2014a) and consulted with various written and online sources and the Cornwall Record Office Catalogues. The gradiometer survey follows the guidance outlined in Geophysical Survey in Archaeological Field Evaluation (English Heritage 2008) and Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Geophysical Survey (CIfA 2014b). 'Archaeological geophysical survey uses non-intrusive and non-destructive techniques to determine the presence or absence of anomalies likely to be caused by archaeological features, structures or deposits, as far as reasonably possible, within a specified area or site on land, in the inter-tidal zone or underwater. Geophysical survey determines the presence of anomalies of archaeological potential through measurement of one or more physical properties of the subsurface.' (Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Geophysical Survey 2014). The results of the survey will, as far possible, inform of the presence or absence, character, extent and, in some cases, apparent relative phasing of buried archaeology, to inform a strategy to mitigate any threat to the archaeological resource. The results of the geophysical survey would suggest that there are a series of post-Medieval boundaries and ditches associated with historic aspects of the site. There is the possibility of undated discrete features occurring near the top of the slope, at the eastern and of the site, although these may be natural anomalies. The boundary to Gwealdue Villas may pertain to the original medieval enclosure and or settlement of the enclosure/farmstead or a later historical boundary change. Ploughing will have severely or partially truncated the buried archaeological resource. The geophysical survey and desk-based assessment indicate there is very limited archaeological potential for the site, and given that this site forms part of a larger development it would be prudent to verify the negative results through a limited programme of archaeological evaluation trenching.