eccelsall woods management plan.pdf - University of Sheffield

Pennines, and is therefore very rare. A 2m boundary around the feature is also
protected (English Heritage, 1998). Whilst a public footpath runs close to the
feature it has fallen into disuse and has not been actively promoted at the request
of the SYAS.
A stone bridge over the Ryecroft Brook (Wood 3), and a charcoal burner’s memorial
stone dated 1786 (Wood 2) are Grade II Listed Buildings, and as such can be
considered of regional importance.
All three features are in reasonable to good condition, are monitored regularly, and
action taken as necessary. No specific change in current management practices is
required.
Other Sites
There are potentially other sites within the wood of national significance (Bevan,
2001) utilising the criteria for scheduling ancient monuments (Policy Planning
Guidance Note PPG16: Archaeology and Planning DoE 1990):
• A hill-top enclosure on the north-western edge of the bird sanctuary, which is
considered to be Iron Age or Romano-British in origin (ASE, 2002)
• An extensive nearby irregular field system within the bird sanctuary dated to the
same period (ASE, 2002)
Two known mill sites, Ryecroft Mill and dam, and Whirlow Wheel, provide
examples of the local exploitation of water-power and through their
associations with lead smelting and grinding are particularly illustrative of
local industries. The surviving remains of the mills themselves and their
associated water features can be considered to be of regional importance.
In addition, a bank and ditch traced alongside the Limb Brook, if a remnant of the
medieval deer park boundary, could be considered of regional importance.
Other sites identified are mostly Q or whitecoal pits (over 100 in number) and
charcoal hearths (over 200 in number), extractive sites or sites associated
with stone quarrying, coal extraction and linear earthworks which include
trackways, 150 “grips” and possible woodland compartment boundaries. In
general terms, most of these sites can be considered to be of local importance,
although some examples may be of greater significance.
Recommendations for further archaeological survey
Whilst considerable new information on the archaeology has been gathered since
2000, there remain several types of descriptive and investigative work:
• Filling in blank areas within the existing surveys;
• More detailed surveys of features recorded in the existing surveys; and
• In exceptional circumstance, more explorative investigation of selected features.
Sheffield Hallam University, who have a longstanding interest in the site, are
focusing on filling in the blank areas within the existing survey, to be added to the
GIS database periodically.
The following priorities for detailed investigative work remain:
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