Archaeology & Cultural Heritage

Whilst the site is located close to the Wensley Conservation Area, the Grade II Wensley Hall and two Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAM), the archaeological studies undertaken as part of the application have concluded that the proposed development will have a negligible impact on the setting of these heritage features.

The archaeological studies have noted the potential for archaeological remains relating to historical lead mining. This involved undertaking detailed archaeological surveys of above and below ground archaeological remains. The remains identified were on the whole related to lead extraction and processing from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with limited evidence for earlier pre-mining activity.

It is anticipated that extraction will provide the opportunity for investigating and recording the deeper workings that are currently inaccessible. This has the potential to enhance the understanding of the development of lead mining not only locally, but also in a broader regional context.