Desk based assessment

[Louloubelle]

Can anyone help give me an idea what constitutes a really good desk based assessment? I have to write one as my last assignment for college, and haven't a clue where to start. Thanks

[Tile man]

The IFA standard and Guidance on desk based assessemenst can be found here
http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/icontent/inPages/docs/codes/dba2.pdf

[Curator Kid]

You could also pay a visit to your nearest SMR. No doubt the archaeologists there will be able to show you an example of a good one, and probably an example of a bad one as well.

[BAJR Host]

plenty of them here.... (good ones... cough er... thats what I mean !!!)

Another day another WSI…

[1man1desk]

Bear in mind a key distinction - a Desk Based Assessment should not only present data but should also assess the impact of a development proposal and propose mitigation. A Desk Based Survey would provide archaeological data only.

Where to start: always the SMR and web-based sources (try MAGIC). In Scotland, the NMRS and its online versions (CANMORE, CANMAP, PASTMAP); in England the NMR.

Look for published local/county histories, and check for published literature on the SMR entries - but don't get too bogged down in detailed site-specific literature unless one site is particularly key to your project.

Check published data on place-names.

Check historic maps (e.g. old editions of the OS 6" and 25", pre-OS local mapping such as tithe, enclosure, estate maps, military maps, etc). Get photocopies if at all possible - if not trace them. Get them from County Record Offices in England or the National Library and National Archives in Scotland.

Other historic documentary sources can also be very useful - but try to get them in a transcript if you can.

Aerial photographs are often key sources, as are 'grey literature' reports (usually available at the SMR).

Try to do a walkover survey if you can.

Lots of other sources - but that lot should give you a good start.

If you are doing an Assessment, then think carefully about your methodology for assessing impact. You have three main questions, that have to be ordered in this order:

1. How important is each individual site ('sensitivity of the receptor')?
2. How big is the impact ('magnitude'; a quantitative measure)?
3. Taking both of those into account, how significant is the impact (a qualitative measure)?


1man1desk

to let, fully furnished

[drpeterwardle]

I seem to be working in a different system to everybody else again.

An assessment is defined in para 20 PPG 16 - it need not involve field work but can and often does such as geophysics. The desk based bit is therefore a misnomer.

It is essientially an evaluation of the known infomation about a piece of land. The idea is to provide Developers with early warning of the sensitivity of a site.

PPG 16 also list suitable sources of infomation.

Defining the importance of a site is a key element and this is best done using the criteria outlined in PPG 16 and the monument class descriptions found on EH web site. The key issues are:

is a site of national importance present?
is there good reason to believe an archaeological site is present?

that is the two triggers for planning decisions - potentially refusal of a planning application in the case of the first

the imposition of a planning condition in the case of the second.

It may not be possible to comment on the impact of a development although this is clealry desirable depending on the situation because the essiential detail may not be known at the pre-application stage.

The starting point is the SMR search (avoid using on line versions not all data is available.

Followed by a search of the NMR

Then a trawl of historic maps

From these other sources of infomation will be readily apparrent.

Peter