Watching Brief at Land at Rocher Moss, Manchester Road, Diggle

The archaeological watching brief monitored groundworks associated with the construction of a permanent access track between the A62 and the dam of Swellands reservoir (Plates 1-4). The area was split into five points, A, B, C, D and E, with point A being located at the north-western end of the access track and point E at the most easterly extent (Fig. 2). Archaeological monitoring and supervision was conducted by an appropriately qualified and experienced archaeologist who was present during all ground works. The archaeologist viewed the area as it was being dug and any sections through the peat layers after excavation was completed. All work was undertaken in accordance with accepted professional standards and guidelines (Historic England 2008; CIfA 2020), in accordance with the ASWYAS site recording manual (ASWYAS 2020) and in compliance with the WSI (Appendix 1). The areas of ground disturbance were recorded on a suitable development plan and the stratigraphic sequence and depth of excavations were recorded. A full written, drawn and photographic record was made of all archaeological work undertaken. An inventory of the primary archive is presented in Appendix 2, with a concordance of contexts provided in Appendix 3. ASWYAS currently hold the site archive in a stable and secure location. The underlying geological natural, where exposed (between points A and B), comprised mid-yellow-brown sandstone 103 (Fig. 3, Plate 5). This was typically sealed by a layer of subsoil 102, comprising firm dark red-brown sand (Fig. 3, S.2), although a thin layer of peat, 104, was observed in section near point B (Fig. 3, S.3). Overlying the subsoil was a dark black-brown peaty topsoil (101). It was not possible to investigate the buried peaty layer (104) for evidence of prehistoric activity (e.g. by sieving for microliths) as this deposit was only observed in section. Between points B and E, the underlying geological natural was not reached as only shallow excavation (max depth 0.30m) was required prior to the installation of a bog mat track. A previous trackway was observed and recorded between Points A and B (Fig. 3, S.1; Plate 6), aligned southeast-northwest. The cut of the track (001) comprised an irregular shaped profile with steep sloping sides and an almost flat base, and contained four fills. The primary fill (002) of the track comprised mid-grey coarse sand with some sandstone inclusions and represents the bedding material used to construct the surface of the track. Following the disuse of the track, it began to silt up, initially with a loose mid-grey sand (003). The track may then have been partially cleared of 003 to maintain its use, before further infilling by a black friable peaty silt (004) and a water-lain deposit (005) which presumably formed when water pooled in a natural dip in 004. The latest fill (006) of friable black silty peat represents the final silting up of the track. No finds were recovered from any of the deposits. Evidence of quarrying was observed in the section at the western end of the track (Plate 7). A steep almost vertical sided cut was observed, containing a dark brown-yellow silty clay with frequent small sandstone fragments. No finds associated with this activity were recovered. No further evidence of human activity was observed during the archaeological watching brief.