Archaeological Evaluation and Topographical Survey of Land at West Bowling Golf Club, Rooley Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire

ARCUS were commissioned by Under Construction Archaeology for ProLogis Developments Ltd. to undertake targeted archaeological investigations and a topographical survey on a site at West Bowling Golf Course, Rooley Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Eight areas were investigated to identify and record archaeological evidence for 18th and 19th century mining. The areas were selected by West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service after a walk-over survey was carried out in September 2007. Areas A, B, D and E focussed on known areas of mining activity; Area C, a trackway; Area F, a length of wall that might have been connected to either 19th cottages or a later works; Area G targeted an feature of unknown origin that might have been connected to mining activity and Area H, a trackway that crossed a low dam which had been recorded since the mid 19th century. Four of the areas (Areas A, B, D and E) concentrated on known spoil heaps from mining activities. A mine shaft was located in Area E, but traces of shafts could not be found in the other three areas. Areas A and E were the most archaeologically significant as tentative structural elements were located. Area A was of mid-18th to early-19th century date and Area E was of early 19th century date. Area B had been damaged during geotechnical investigations and no further work was carried out in that area. Area D had faint traces of tracks and a large depression filled with clinker. Dating evidence for the spoil heaps came largely from the brick and ceramics. No dating evidence was found in Areas B and D. Area C targeted a trackway that was shown on the 1852 Ordnance Survey map. A series of tracks were seen in the section with an older hollow way track running to the north of the present track. No direct dating evidence was found for any of the layers of the track and it was concluded that the tracks had been modified by the golf course in the early 20th century. Area F focussed on the remains of a short length of walling along the western edge of the site. The wall was constructed of a mixture of stone blocks and red brick and was connected to the works that survived until the 1960s. The feature in Area G was an obsolete golfing feature, probably a teeing ground for golf course. Area H concentrated on a track way and possible dam that ran through the lowest part of the site. The track was constructed of layers of chippings laid as metalled surface. In the section a large stone and clay dam running north to south was located. The layers of track that covered the dam contained 19th century pottery with later adaptations and features dug during the life of the golf course. Results were mixed from the site as some areas had remains that definitely related to the 18th and 19th century mining such as the spoil heaps and the mine shafts but the other targeted features were of more modern origin.