Junction of Hindpool Road and Cornmill Crossing, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment

Following a planning application for the construction of a warehouse and retail unit with associated car parking and landscaping a programme of archaeological investigation was requested by the Cumbria County Council Historic Environment Service. This was to comprise a desk-based assessment and site visit, which was intended to identify the presence of any sites of archaeological interest within the proposed development area, assess their significance and the impact that the development might have on them and recommend further work.

The desk-based assessment revealed that the proposed development area is situated within the centre of the industrial docklands of Barrow-in-Furness. A total of 18 sites of archaeological interest were identified within the study area, of which five were situated within the proposed development area. These comprised a steam corn mill, a foundry, a rope walk, a shipyard and a gasworks, all of which developed during the mid to late 19th century. A more detailed history of each of these sites was also produced, using contemporary sources where possible, and a general history of the study area covering all periods was also compiled.

The results of the desk-based assessment were used to establish the significance of the sites situated within the proposed development area, and the potential for other, as yet unidentified, sites being present. The degree of impact of the proposed development and the amount of disturbance that was likely to have already affected it was also taken into consideration. Recommendations for further work, based on these elements included archaeological building recording of surviving elements of the iron foundry, and evaluation trenches targeted on the sites within the proposed development area, particularly the corn mill and patent slip.

The full report is available on the Archaeology Data Service website: https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-700-1/dissemination/pdf/greenlan1-37612_1.pdf