Gunfleet Sands 2 Offshore Windfarm, Essex - Archaeological recording of cores (Stage 2)

Abstract

Following proposals for the construction of an offshore windfarm at Gunfleet Sands, Essex (NGR centred TM 622200) by Gunfleet Sands Ltd, commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to undertake an archaeological assessment of the marine deposits impacted upon by the second phase of development. The assessment has been undertaken in a phased manner, each stage informing the work required for the next. An initial desk-based assessment was undertaken of three logs (OA North 2008) to identify their potential for further work, defined as Stage 2. The work in Stage 2was undertaken in April 2008 and entailed detailed examination of remaining sediments from the three boreholes (BHF3, BHF9 and BHSS) provided by the geotechnical contractor, Structural Soils. The aim was to assess whether any land surfaces or peat deposits were represented that may contain material of archaeological significance, and to determine the palaeoenvironmental potential of the sediments for any further analysis.