Dalden Tower, Seaham County Durham: Archaeological Watching Brief

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Atkins Ltd, on behalf of Durham County Council, to undertake an archaeological watching brief during groundworks associated with the erection of new fencing and improvements to both pedestrian and vehicular access within the scheduled monument of Dalden Tower centred on NGR 442021, 548736, at 9 Dene Rd, Dalton-le-Dale, Seaham, SR7 8QW. Scheduled Monument Consent was granted with the requirement for an archaeologist to monitor certain of the works. The monitored works included the excavation of ten hand-dug trial pits, the removal of an existing stone path and the reduction of the area beneath by 175 mm in preparation for a new path, the rebuilding of a stone wall and the digging of five holes for fenceposts. The monitored works focused on the extant perimeter wall of the monument, running adjacent to Dene Road. Trial pits (TP) 1-6 were all situated wholly within the construction cut for the boundary wall. The deposits that were encountered within these trial pits probably represent backfill after the construction of the new roadside wall in the 1980s although an earlier, post-medieval, date cannot be ruled out. Two sherds of post-medieval pottery were recovered (18th-century onwards) from these fills along with red frogged bricks (19th-century onwards). TP 7-9 encountered footpaths associated with the post-1980s development of the site. TP 10-17 encountered no archaeological features. Trial pits (TP) 1-6 were all situated wholly within the construction cut for the boundary wall. The deposits that were encountered within these trial pits probably represent backfill after the construction of the new roadside wall in the 1980s although an earlier, post-medieval, date cannot be ruled out. Two sherds of post-medieval pottery were recovered (18th-century onwards) from these fills along with red frogged bricks (19th-century onwards). TP 7-9 encountered footpaths associated with the post-1980s development of the site. TP 10-17 encountered no archaeological features.