Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works ...
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works
Crymlyn Barrows Swansea
Archaeological Watching Brief
for Skanska Construction UK
on behalf of
Dwr Cymru-Welsh Water
CA Project: 5828 CA Report: 16199
May 2016
Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works
Crymlyn Barrows Swansea
Archaeological Watching Brief
CA Project: 5828 CA Report: 16199
This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third
party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.
© Cotswold Archaeology
Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked
by Status Reasons for
revision Approved
by A 18/05/2016 Sikko van der
Brug, Chris Leonard
and Jay Wood
Richard Young
Internal review
Cliff Bateman
B 11/07/16 Sikko van der Brug,
Chris Leonard and Jay
Wood
Richard Young
Final Client comment Cliff Bateman
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
CONTENTS
SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 2
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 3
2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................ 3
3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................... 4
4. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 4
5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3) ......................................................................................... 5
6. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 5
7. CA PROJECT TEAM .......................................................................................... 5
8. REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 6
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS .................................................................... 7
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000)
Fig. 2 The site, showing area of observed groundworks (1:500)
Fig. 3 Site location on the 1919 edition Ordnance Survey map (1:10,000)
Fig. 4 Area of groundworks looking north, showing depth of made ground deposits
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
SUMMARY
Project Name: Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works
Location: Crymlyn Barrows, Swansea
NGR: SS 6901 9298
Type: Watching Brief
Date: 7 March–5 April 2016
Planning Reference: 2013/1033
Location of Archive: To be deposited with National Museum Wales
Site Code: WTS16
An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA) during
groundworks associated with the development of a single wind turbine and associated
infrastructure at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Crymlyn Barrows, Swansea.
No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks, and
no artefactual material pre-dating the modern period was recovered. Substantial made
ground deposits were identified, probably related to excavation and landscaping during the
construction of the Kings and Queens Docks in the early 20th century, and the subsequent
backfilling of the north-eastern end of Queens Dock in the mid-20th century.
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Between March and April 2016 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an
archaeological watching brief for Skanska Construction UK, on behalf of Dwr Cymru-
Welsh Water, at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Crymlyn Barrows,
Swansea (centred on NGR: SS 6901 9298; Fig. 1).
1.2 The watching brief was undertaken at the request of the Glamorgan Gwent
Archaeological Trust (GGAT), advisor to City and County of Swansea Council
(CCSC), to fulfil a condition attached to planning consent for the erection of a single
wind turbine and associated infrastructure (CCSC, planning ref. 2013/1033,
condition 24).
1.3 The archaeological work was carried out in accordance with a detailed Written
Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2016) and approved by GGAT. It
also followed the Standard and guidance: Archaeological watching brief (CIfA 2014).
The site 1.4 The proposed development is located within the Swansea Wastewater Treatment
Works, Fabian Way, Swansea, which is located in the eastern operational area of
Swansea Docks. Fabian Way (A483 dual carriage way) runs along the northern
boundary of the site and to the south a thin strip of vacant industrial land separates
the site from Swansea Bay. The treatment works is a collection of buildings and
open spaces, with the position of the proposed turbine located in the western portion
of the site. The site lies between 7m AOD in the south to 14m AOD in the north-
eastern corner, with the turbine site lying at c. 11m AOD.
1.5 The underlying bedrock geology of the area is mapped as South Wales Middle Coal
Measures Formation- Mudstone, Siltstone and Sandstone of the Carboniferous
Period. Superficial deposits are mapped as Quarternary Period Sands (BGS 2016).
The natural substrate was not observed during the watching brief.
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
2.1 The site has been subject of an Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (GGAT
2011, GGAT HER E003425). The following is a summary of this assessment and
other pertinent evidence.
2.2 Evidence for prehistoric and Roman activity has been previously identified on
beaches to the south-east of the development area (Evans 2003). The marine clays
and peat have the potential to preserve organic remains associated with coastal
activity (Culver 1976) such as prehistoric trackways similar to those recorded at
Swansea Bay (Sherman 2011) and relict land surfaces.
2.3 A leat known as Clawdd y Saeson or Englishman’s Ditch (GGAT HER 01135.0w), of
probable post-medieval date, may run into the development area. It starts as a
drainage channel in the Crymlyn Bog to the north of the site and runs southwards
towards the current site. Its exact function is not known.
2.4 Cartographic evidence shows that the site was located directly on the shorefront
until the end of the 19th century. In the early 20th century the western part of the
site, and the area to the south and west, were heavily landscaped during the
construction of the Kings and Queens Docks. A number of structures, railway
sidings and tanks of early 20th-century date are recorded within the site (GGAT
2011, GGAT HER E003425). These were demolished in the mid-20th century. The
extant water treatment plant was initially constructed in the mid-20th century, with
successive enlargements and renovations over the subsequent years. Recent
geotechnical investigations have indicated that there is between 0.9m and 8.5m of
made ground on the site, the result of dumping and landscaping activities from the
1940s to the present day (Skanska 2016).
3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
3.1 The objectives of the archaeological works were:
• to monitor groundworks, and to identify, investigate and record all significant buried
archaeological deposits revealed on the site during the course of the development
groundworks;
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
• at the conclusion of the project, to produce an integrated archive for the project work
and a report setting out the results of the project and the archaeological conclusions
that can be drawn from the recorded data.
4. METHODOLOGY
4.1 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2016). An
archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks, comprising a topsoil strip of
the entire site area and the excavation of the access road, a crane-platform and a
piling mat area (Fig. 2).
4.2 Written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA
Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual.
4.3 The archive from the watching brief is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble
and will be deposited with National Museum Wales.
5. RESULTS (FIGS 2–4)
5.1 The natural substrate was not revealed. Made ground was identified in all areas and
comprised mixed deposits of sand, clay and fragmented coal. This deposit was more
than 6m thick in places (Fig.4) and was overlain across the site by a 0.2m thick layer
of topsoil.
5.2 No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during
groundworks and, despite visual scanning of spoil, no artefactual material pre-dating
the modern period was recovered. This material was not retained due to its age and
its location within a dumped deposit of unknown derivation.
6. DISCUSSION
6.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological
background above), the watching brief identified no archaeological remains within
the area of observed groundworks. During the watching brief considerable deposits
of made ground, over 6m thick in places, were recorded, confirming the results of
the previous ground investigation (Skanska 2016). This indicates that the site has
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
previously been the subject of substantial landscaping and remodelling, which is
likely to have either removed any pre-existing archaeological remains on the site, or
at best buried it beyond the depth of the current works.
6.2 Historic mapping indicates that in the early years of the 20th century the south west
corner of the site was affected by excavation associated with the construction of the
Kings and Queens Docks (Fig. 3). The area appears to have been backfilled in the
mid-20th century, probably around the time of the construction of the water
treatment plant.
7. CA PROJECT TEAM
Fieldwork was undertaken by Sikko van der Brug. The report was written by Sikko
van der Brug, Chris Leonard and Jay Wood. The illustrations were prepared by Sam
O’Leary. The archive has been compiled and prepared for deposition by Jessica
Cook. The project was managed for CA by Richard Young.
8. REFERENCES
Archwilio 2016 The Historic Environment records of the Welsh Archaeological Trusts
http://www.archwilio.co.uk/ Accessed 17 May 2016
BGS (British Geological Survey) 2016 Geology of Britain Viewer
http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html Accessed 3 March 2016
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2016 Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment
Works, Crymlyn Barrows, Swansea. Written Scheme of Investigation for an
Archaeological Watching Brief
Culver, S. J. 1976, ‘The development of the Swansea Bay Area during the past 20,000
years’, Gower XXVII, 59-62
Evans, E. M. 2003 Swansea LANDMAP: Historic landscape technical report, GGAT Report
2003/094
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
GGAT (Gwent Glamorgan Archaeological Trust) 2011 Swansea Waterfront Treatment
Works, Crymlyn Barrows, Swansea: Archaeological desk-based assessment, GGAT
Report 2011/075
Sherman, A. 2011 Recently discovered trackways in Swansea Bay, GGAT Report 2011/032
Skanska 2016 Swansea Bay WwTW-Wind Turbine Generator: Geo-environmental Report
6397_S_201-ARP-XX-XX-RP-CX-10018
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Swansea: Archaeological Watching Brief
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS
Tr. Context No.
Type Context Interpretation
Description L (m)
W (m)
D (m)
1 100 Layer Topsoil Mid brown-grey clay 30 10 0.2 1 101 Layer Made ground Light brown-grey sand with patches of red-brown
clay, contains modern building refuse 30 10 >6
2 200 Layer Made ground Same as 101 4 3 3 2 201 Struct
Sewage pipes Two steel pipes >4 0.3 3 300 Layer Made ground Same as 101 5 4 3 3 301 Struct
Sewage pipes Two steel pipes >5 0.3 4 400 Layer Made ground Same as 101 4 2 3 5 500 Layer Topsoil Same as 100 33 33 0.2 5 501 Layer Made ground Same as 101 33 33 3
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Reproduced from the 2004 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109
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Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Crymlyn Barrows, Swansea
Site location plan
PROJECT NO.DATESCALE@A4
DRAWN BYCHECKED BYAPPROVED BY
582822/04/20161:25,000
SORPRY
Andover 01264 347630
Cirencester 01285 771022
Exeter 01392 826185
Milton Keynes 01908 564660
w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
SS
9191
9292
9393
9494
9595
6767 6868 6969 7070 7171
FABIAN WAY (A483)
686
687
688
689
929
930
SS
8m
FABIAN WAY (A483)
Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital mapping with the permission ofOrdnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office© Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109.
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PROJECT NO.
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22/04/2016
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PROJECT TITLE
Wind Turbine at Swansea BayWastewater Treatment Works, CrymlynBarrows, SwanseaFIGURE TITLE
The site, showing area of observed
groundworks
FIGURE NO.
2
site boundary
observed groundworks
Andover
Cirencester
Exeter
Milton Keynes
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01264 34763001285 77102201392 82618501908 564660
50m0
CotswoldArchaeology
PROJECT TITLE
FIGURE TITLE
FIGURE NO.
3
Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Crymlyn Barrows, Swansea
Site location on the 1919 edition OS map
PROJECT NO.DATESCALE@A4
DRAWN BYCHECKED BYAPPROVED BY
582822/04/20161:10,000
SORPRY
Andover 01264 347630
Cirencester 01285 771022
Exeter 01392 826185
Milton Keynes 01908 564660
w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
0 500m
site boundary
observed groundworks
Area of groundworks looking north, showing depth of made ground deposits
CotswoldArchaeology
FIGURE TITLE
PROJECT TITLE
FIGURE NO.
4
Photograph
Wind Turbine at Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works, Crymlyn Barrows, Swansea
PROJECT NO.DATESCALE@A4
DRAWN BYCHECKED BYAPPROVED BY
582828/04/2016N/A
SORPRY
Andover 01264 347630
Cirencester 01285 771022
Exeter 01392 826185
Milton Keynes 01908 564660
w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk
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