Sands Road, Swalwell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
NZ 2020 6225; Emma Allen; evaluation and building recording; February 2005; SWA 05.
An archaeological evaluation and building recording exercise was undertaken at Sands Road, Swalwell, Gateshead. The project was commissioned by Lidl UK GmbH, in advance of the construction of a new retail outlet at the site, following closure and demolition of an existing cement works.
A previous archaeological desk-based assessment of the site concluded that the site lies within an area of archaeological interest. In particular, it highlighted the industrial significance of the site, which was formerly occupied by Ambrose Crowley's Ironworks. These works became one of the largest and most important ironworks in Britain in the 18th century. In the late 19th century, the works operated as an engineering company and by c. 1890 the site was occupied by the Northumberland Paper Mills. An artificial watercourse, known as the Derwent Gut, which served the ironworks, joined the River Derwent north of the village of Swalwell. The watercourse still runs through the site, now largely culverted.
The archaeological evaluation comprised the investigation of three trenches. Trench 1 was located in the north-western portion of the site and was sited to investigate a building known to be present in 1802, as well as the Derwent Gut. The earliest deposits comprised a sequence of alluvial layers, probably derived from the silting-up of a former corn mill race, shown on a 1718 map of Crowley's Ironworks. The alluvium was overlain by 'made ground', which had been truncated by a substantial feature that produced 19th century pottery and was possibly related to the demolition of a structure. A sandstone surface with slag adhered to it was also recorded and this probably represented the internal floor of a building, such as a workshop, possibly associated with structures shown in the vicinity on an 1802 map of the ironworks. The stone surface was truncated by a trench-built wall
foundation, probably part of a substantial building, part of the Northumberland Paper Mills shown on the Ordnance Survey 2nd edition map from 1897.
Trench 2 was located in the north-eastern portion of the site and was sited to investigate the paper mill buildings, as shown on late 19th century mapping. The earliest deposits were of alluvial origin, probably derived from the silting-up of the former corn mill race. These were overlain by a substantial layers of industrial debris, principally iron slag, cinder and clinker, all assumed to be derived from the activity of the ironworks. The uppermost deposit was concrete slab, which formed the existing ground level.
Trench 3 was located close to the southern boundary of the site, positioned to investigate a building shown on the 1718 map. The earliest deposit recorded was alluvial in origin, possibly derived from the silting-up of a watercourse shown on that map as a 'slitting mill pool'. Two substantial stone-built walls, along with the remains of a further wall, formed the limits of the trench on three sides. These were possibly the remains of a 'Grand Warehouse' shown on the 1718 map. A series of deposits internal to the structure contained large quantities of coal and clinker, suggesting debris derived from the ironworks. Following disuse of the building, a brick bed had been constructed, and an iron rail laid upon it; a sandstone surface was recorded to the south of the brick bed. These later features are likely to relate to late 19th century or later activity.
The building recording exercise identified structural elements of at least one building that probably pre-dated construction of the Northumberland Paper Mills. These elements comprised sections of sandstone wall, incorporated into the buildings of the paper mill in the late 19th century, and possibly derived from buildings within the former ironworks, therefore being early-mid 19th century or earlier date. Surviving elements of the main building of the paper mills complex were also recorded, now incorporated into the existing buildings at the site. A brick chimney at the eastern edge of the site was also built as part of the paper mill complex - this is to be consolidated and retained as part of the proposed development.
The findings of the evaluation led to a phase of further work, comprising a large-scale open area excavation in the summer of 2005. The results of this work are detailed in a separate article on our website.Sands Road, Swalwell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
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