Project Design for Archaeological Investigation at Bolsover, Derbyshire

Groundwork Creswell are undertaking improvements to the Castle Lane Access of Bolsover Back Hills. This will involve work around a Conduit House a Scheduled Ancient Monument (Derbyshire 96a) and listed building (Grade II*).. This monument is one of a series of conduit houses that provided a water supply to Bolsover Castle from 1662. Following consultations with English Heritage an archaeological evaluation by trial trenching was undertaken in the immediate vicinity of the conduit house. This report describes the results of the archaeological evaluation. The aims of the evaluation were to check for the presence of archaeological remains in the vicinity of the conduit house, particularly features that may have been associated with it. Two trenches measuring 3m by Im were excavated to the north and south of the conduit house. No archaeological remains were discovered that related to the use of the conduit house. One major feature was identified, this was a putative ditch cut into the bedrock.The feature ran along the slope of the hill and contained medieval pottery and smithing slag. As this feature was only exposed in the end of one trench its full extent could not be established. One possibility is that this putative ditch could have formed part of the town defences of Bolsover. Although significant the ditch discovered will not be adversely impacted by the proposed improvements to the footpaths to the conduit house on Bolsover Back Hills.