Environmental Statement volume 4 - Chiltern Evergreen3

3.6 ARCHAEOLOGY AND CULTURAL HERITAGEThe project may give rise to the following effects during construction:3.6.1 Direct impacts could occur where excavation disturbs previously undisturbedground, where there is the potential for undisturbed archaeological deposits. Thismay occur when laying new tracks, clearing areas for works compounds, orexcavating areas for new structures such as bridges.3.6.2 The addition of new bridges and route furniture, as necessary, along the route maycreate impacts on the setting of Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings andConservation Areas. These designated features are shown in Figure 3.4 .3.6.3 An initial archaeological appraisal has been carried out investigating the knownarchaeology and cultural heritage of the route and surrounding areas, specifically:• designated data, which includes Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments,Registered Parks and Gardens and Conservation Areas, were collected for a1 km corridor around the current route of the Oxford to Bicester railway line;and• non-designated archaeological sites recorded in the National MonumentsRecord (NMR; held by English Heritage) and the Oxfordshire Sites andMonuments Record (SMR; held by Oxfordshire County Council) were collectedfor a 100 m corridor (with the exception of within Oxford City, where only sitesalong the route are included).The findings of the initial archaeological appraisal are set out below.Listed Buildings3.6.4 There are 592 Listed Buildings within the 1km study area. The majority (514) ofthese are located within Conservation Areas, and are not individually mapped.The main clusters of Listed Buildings are within Oxford, Islip and Bicester,although a number of isolated farmhouses along the route are also Listed Buildings.The nearest Listed Building to the railway line is Station House in Bicester (OA 40),which is only c 15m north west of the level crossing.Scheduled Monuments3.6.5 There are nine Scheduled Monuments within the study area, two of which arelocated close to the route of the railway line. These are the Swing Bridge (OA 5)north of Oxford Station, and Alchester Roman town (OA 8) south of Bicester,although the route of the railway line through Alchester is not itself Scheduled.Registered Parks and Gardens3.6.6 There are seven Registered Parks and Gardens within the 1km study area. Allseven are located within Oxford City Council Conservation Areas, the nearest tothe route being St Sepulchre's Cemetery c 120m to the east of the route.ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT31CHILTERN RAILWAYS LTD