Historic Environment Supplementary Planning Document - Consultation Draft (February 2026)

7.0 Archaeology

Introduction

7.1 Archaeological remains survive across the District. They comprise buried remains, scheduled monuments, the historic landscape including historic boundaries, field patterns and settlement patterns. This wealth of archaeological interest represents many periods (ranging from Ice Age sites to a late 19th century colliery). Until recently, there has been little systematic study of many of these areas.

7.2 Scheduled monuments have legal protection and have historically received more notice than other sites of archaeological importance. There are 13 scheduled monuments (see appendices), with two distinctive clusters – one around Bolsover, and a cluster within the limestone gorges.

7.3 Policies SC18 and SC19 of the Local Plan seek to protect scheduled monuments and archaeological sites and their setting.

Historic Environment Record (HER)

7.4 Derbyshire Historic Environment Record (HER) maps both designated and undesignated heritage and archaeological sites across the county. These can be searched via the Derbyshire HER website, where a map search is available her.derbyshire.gov.uk

Areas of Archaeological Importance

7.5 The town of Bolsover has been identified as an Area of Archaeological Interest.

7.6 Various remains have been uncovered. An excavation of the site of the former Council Offices in the town centre, revealed backland industrial activity associated with Roman occupation over a long period of time. On the same site and at the site of the Castle Visitor Centre pre-construction, Mesolithic and Bronze Age evidence has been found. A thorough archaeological assessment of Bolsover was undertaken by Arcus (University of Sheffield) in 1995 – “A Review of the area of archaeological interest at Old Bolsover”.

7.7 In view of the continuity of occupation for such a long period and the survival of the planned medieval street pattern, the town has a rich and complex history that warrants the special planning control over archaeology. As a result all applications for planning permission which fall within the Bolsover Area of Archaeological Interest must be accompanied by a field evaluation.

7.8 Creswell Crags and the limestone gorges form part of the southern Magnesian Limestone area that run along the eastern boundary of the district are of national archaeological importance for their Ice Age remains.

7.9 These gorges and valleys are cultural landscapes where the geology, archaeology, topography and ecology are intertwined. They comprise a remarkable concentration of Ice Age archaeological and geological sites. The best known of these gorges is Creswell Crags, but a study (March 2004) revealed considerable more _7.13 potential for Ice Age human activity and animal remains across all of the gorges and valleys within the district. The study identified the number of known or potential cave or rock shelter sites to have increased from 50 to 163. These are located within – Pleasley Vale, Ash Tree Gorge, Markland Grips, Holinhill Grips, Elmton and Whaley Valleys and Langwith Valley.

7.10 The existing scheduled monuments are the largest concentration of protected Ice Age remains in the UK. The boundaries of the protected monuments are tightly defined. Their setting is protected under the legislation.

7.11 The schedule does not reflect all the surviving evidence and the potential for early human activity. There have ^7.14 been a number of developments in gorges such as Pleasley Vale over the last 200 years which have damaged the archaeology. This is due to the fact that it is not just the caves, crags and rock shelters that are important but the lower slopes and floor of each gorge. These have high archaeological potential because they contains layers of deposited sediments, where drift geology may have buried archaeological remains.

7.12 The Creswell Crags Conservation Plan (2001) and the Creswell Crags Limestone Heritage Area Management Action Plan (March 2004) are important policy documents that the Council will take into account when considering any proposals for development within these areas. A Conservation Statement and Management Action Proposals have been produced for each vale.

7.13 The following policies from the Conservation Plan have particular relevance to applications for new development;

A.1.6 Preserve and enhance the integrity of the Creswell Crags landscape including the removal of intrusive 20th century infrastructure that detracts from the appearance of the site.

A.4.2 Carry out a study to consider definition of a protected area around Creswell Crags to safeguard and enhance the high quality landscape setting and to protect the setting from degradation through inappropriate and piecemeal development.

7.14 The threats to these gorges are in the form of development such as: ƒimprovements to road networks

• drainage works
• engineering operations
• construction in association with agricultural buildings or industrial buildings
• recreational development (including sports fields and cycleways)
• large scale landscaping
• public utilities operations such as pipe or cable laying.

7.15 Their setting may be affected by landfill sites, mineral extraction, industrial development and other large-scale operations.

7.16 The Council will seek to protect and enhance the setting of the limestone gorges and the historic views both into and from within the gorges If any development is proposed which affects these gorges or their setting, the Development Control Archaeologist at Derbyshire County Council and the Creswell Heritage Trust will be directly consulted.

7.17 In all cases where development is proposed within the limestone gorges, an archaeological appraisal will be required before an application is determined.

Medieval Settlements

7.18 In addition to the two Areas of Archaeological Importance, the medieval settlements of the district are areas of special archaeological interest. Maps of these areas are included in the Appendices to this document.

7.19 Barlborough has been surveyed under an Historic England programme called “Extensive Urban Areas Surveys” which demonstrated the significance of the pattern of its historic development and surviving townscape.

7.20 Documentary records and experience of recent archaeological evaluation in settlements such as Clowne has shown that a large number of the small towns and settlements in the district have medieval origins and significant potential for surviving medieval archaeology. There is heritage significance in the topography and the characteristics of the medieval settlement patterns that still survive.

7.21 The boundaries of the core medieval settlements have been identified (see plans in appendix) based on early map evidence prior to 19th century coal mining development. Together with the Sites and Monuments Record these boundaries provide a means of identifying archaeological potential.

7.22 Inside the core medieval settlements any development that is likely to disturb the ground will be referred to the Development Control Archaeologist at Derbyshire County Council so that proposals can be evaluated for their impact on archaeology.

7.23 The following settlements are identified as having significant potential for medieval archaeology;