Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation Scheme Archaeological Watching Brief Report for Ground Investigations at Old Gate, the wavy steps, Bridge Gate & St Pol Square car park

The archaeological monitoring adhered to the detailed methodology set out in the Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation (ENVIMNE790483-BMM-00-HBC-RP-HEC1104₇-A4-P04-C1104-EA4-LOD4-AWS) produced by the BMMJV archaeologist in September 2021. The WSI was approved by the EA and WYAAS in advance of the work, (see Appendix A). The Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) Code of Conduct: professional ethics in archaeology (CIfA 2021) was followed at all times. All work was undertaken in line with Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief (CIfA 2020a) and the Minimum Technical Requirements: 801₁4SD01 Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Standards (EA 2015a). The archaeological monitoring was undertaken by qualified archaeologists from Mott MacDonald. All archaeological staff involved in the monitoring are accredited members of CIfA and Mott MacDonald is a Registered Organisation (RO) of CIfA. Between September 2021 and September 2023, a total of 18 GI trial holes located at Old Gate, the wavy steps, Bridge Gate and St Pol Square car park in Hebden Bridge, were subject to archaeological monitoring as part of the Schemes early works programme. The trial holes subject to monitoring were selected by WYAAS as being located in areas of potential archaeological interest. All of the trial holes subject to archaeological monitoring revealed evidence of modern ground disturbance up to a depth of 1. 2m below the present ground level. This disturbance likely dated to the 20th and 21st centuries and was the result of ground works associated with the laying down and/or repair of a number of utility services, the clearance of former 18th and 19th century buildings and public realm/car park works. It was observed during the archaeological monitoring that these ground works had truncated below ground archaeological remains recorded within the trial holes at Old Gate, the wavy steps and St Pol Square car park. Despite the levels of previous disturbance, pockets of surviving archaeological remains were recorded at Old Gate, the wavy steps and St Pol Square car park. These included: � At Old Gate a number of structural remains dating to the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries were recorded including a stone culvert, stone and brick walls, flagstone floor surfaces forming part of the former Buttress Brink building demolished in the late 20th century and the remains of a stone rubble core wall, interpreted as the partial remains of the former single storey structure which abutted the western end of the Old Packhorse Bridge, (see Sections 4. 2 and 4. 3). � At the wavy steps the remains of stone flagged floor surfaces, a gritstone block wall and a number of ceramic artefacts were recorded, which were interpreted as the remains of a former 18th/19th century building which had once fronted Bridge Gate until its demolition in the late 20th century, (see Sections 5. 2 and 5. 3) ; and � At St Pol Square car park the remains of two gritstone block walls were recorded and interpreted to be the remains of the former 18th/19th century buildings which occupied the site until there clearance in the late 20th century. In addition, other possible archaeological features observed included a historical soil horizon and a possible historical ground surface. Unlike the trial holes monitored at Old Gate, the wavy steps, no archaeological remains were recorded within the trial holes along Bridge Gate. This was owing to the substantial level of modern ground disturbance observed during the monitoring, which is likely to have removed any archaeological remains which may have been present. With the exception of the trial holes at the wavy steps which were excavated by hand, no archaeological artefacts were recorded during the monitoring.