EHG5945 - Watching brief - geotechnical test pits, Fairburn Tower

A watching brief was undertaken by Addyman Archaeology in 2018 during the excavation of geotechnical test pits in the grounds to the southwest of Fairburn Tower. These works were undertaken in order to assess the water absorption rate of the underlying drift geology. A photographic record was made of each pit. Each of the three excavated percolation test locations measured approximately 2m in length and 1m in width, dug to a depth of approximately 1m. A smaller percolation test pit was excavated to a final depth of 1.3m in the base of these test location. In each instance, mid-grey sandy- silt topsoil was observed, between 0.15m and 0.25m thick, overlying the natural substrate, a light yellow-grey sand. No archaeological features or deposits were observed. Test pit TP1 was greater in volume, measuring 2.5m by 1m; to a depth of 1.5m (the point at which bedrock was encountered). Again, topsoil to a depth of 0.2m overlay the natural substrate, both of identical character to that observed in the percolation test locations. As before, no archaeological features or deposits were observed. <1>