Assessing the Contribution of Commercial Archaeology to the Study of Roman South and West Yorkshire, 1990–2004

Abstract

South and West Yorkshire form one of four pilot areas selected (in a project funded by English Heritage) for a detailed assessment of the research potential of ‘grey literature’ — unpublished archaeological reports deposited in local authority Historic Environment Records — and the more general impact of commercial archaeology in the study of the Roman period. The following account covers the period 1990–2004 and seeks to identify topics and themes where commercial archaeology has generated new data, as well as those areas where less progress has been made. It concludes that commercial archaeology has provided an uneven but invaluable sample, mainly in a north-south running band in the eastern extremities of the counties where quarrying and road schemes have been most concentrated. By far the most new information relates to rural settlement, revealing different regional patterns of continuity and discontinuity.

Keywords:

• Archaeology
• Planning
• Commercial
• Iron Age
• Roman
• Rural
• Settlement
• Yorkshire

The Roman Grey Literature Project is co-directed by Michael Fulford of the University of Reading and Neil Holbrook of Cotswold Archaeology with funding from English Heritage. I am grateful to Barney Sloane, Pete Wilson and Tom Cromwell of English Heritage for their assistance and support. Data collection was undertaken by Ben Croxford, formerly of Cotswold Archaeology, and the success of the project was in large measure due to his diligence and expertise in Romano-British archaeology. Project management was provided by Richard Morton and the illustrations were prepared by Peter Moore and Rachael Kershaw. I am grateful to Timothy Darvill, Bronwen Russell and Ehren Milner for facilitating the supply of data from the AIP, and Lindsay Jones and Katy Whitaker of English Heritage for that from the AMIE database. I benefited extensively from the interest and knowledge of Dinah Saich and Andy Lines (South Yorkshire Archaeology Service) and Ian Sanderson (West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service) whose support made the project possible. Patrick Ottaway, Ian Roberts, Mark Whyman and Pete Wilson also kindly shared their knowledge of the region with me, and I have benefited enormously from reading the work of Adrian Chadwick. An earlier draft of this paper was commented upon by Michael Fulford, Patrick Ottaway, Ian Roberts and Ian Sanderson. Their comments have been of much assistance, but naturally it should not necessarily be assumed that they share the opinions expressed and responsibility for any errors or omissions rests solely with the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nick Hodgson

Nick Hodgson, Research interests: Northern British Iron Age, Roman army and frontiers, Roman provincial archaeology. Currently writing up for publication five Iron Age and Roman-period rural settlements on the south-east Northumberland coastal plain discovered and excavated in advance of commercial development in 2002–2008.

Some publications: (with G C Stobbs and M van der Veen) ‘An Iron–Age Settlement and Remains of earlier prehistoric date beneath South Shields Roman Fort, Tyne and Wear’, The Archaeological Journal 158 (2001), 62–160 (with P Bidwell) The Roman Army in Northern England, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2009 Hadrian’s Wall 1999–2009: a summary of excavation and research prepared for the Thirteenth Pilgrimage of Hadrian’s Wall, 8–14 August 2009, Kendal, 2009. E-mail address: [email protected]