Archaeological watching brief, Dene Quarry, Cromford, Derbyshire

Tarmac Central Ltd has received planning permission for extensions north and south of Dene Quarry, Cromford, Derbyshire. A condition was placed on the planning permission requiring that a programme of archaeological works was undertaken to mitigate against the impact of the development on the archaeology. Archaeological investigations have already taken place in the form of a desk-based assessment, a walk over survey, an evaluation, and a watching brief on the northern extraction area and part of the southern extraction area. This report contains the findings of an archaeological watching brief during topsoil and subsoil stripping over the remainder of the southern extraction area. Earthworks relating to agriculture and lead mining were removed and subsurface mining features uncovered. The watching brief supported the conclusions of earlier work demonstrating that the agricultural earthworks were of an earlier date than the mining activities and that the latter dated to the 18th and 19th centuries. The subsurface mining remains were probably related to mining of veins attendant to Gang Vein, the richest mineral vein in the district. Features common to the Derbyshire lead mining industry during this period were identified consisting of climbing shafts with stone lining and wooden climbing stakes. The intensity of mining in the area was demonstrated by several different phases of mining being evident; with spoil heaps overlying disused climbing shafts and different episodes of tipping evident within the spoil heaps of mining waste. A future watching brief will record any mining features disturbed during quarrying or blasting operations.