wind turbine at swansea bay wastewater treatment works

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


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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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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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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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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• 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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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


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

http://www.archwilio.co.uk/

http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html


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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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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

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Milton Keynes 01908 564660

w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk

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9292

9393

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6767 6868 6969 7070 7171

FABIAN WAY (A483)

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FABIAN WAY (A483)

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The site, showing area of observed

groundworks

FIGURE NO.

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site boundary

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Site location on the 1919 edition OS map



582822/04/20161:10,000

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Andover 01264 347630


Exeter 01392 826185



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0 500m

site boundary

observed groundworks

Area of groundworks looking north, showing depth of made ground deposits

CotswoldArchaeology

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582828/04/2016N/A

SORPRY

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wind turbine at swansea bay wastewater treatment works

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