Swineshead The Workhouse

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Heart's Cottage, Tarry Hill, Swineshead

Hearts Cottage 1974 Before Latest Renovation

Hearts Cottage 1975 During Latest Renovation

Panoramic views (07.07.2003)

No. 5 Hearts Cottage, looking at front driveway in an easterly direction.

No. 11 Tarry Hill, adjacent to the site. Former gasworks was located at this property.

No. 3 Tarry Hill.

Panoramic view of rear garden. Plans suggest a cylindrical brick built chamber for pumping gas was located in the area now used by the wooden warehouse on the northern side of the brick wall.

Final Report

The findings and opinions are relevant to the dates of the site work and should not be relied upon to represent conditions at substantially later dates. The opinions included herein are based on the information obtained from the investigations undertaken at the site and from our experience. If additional information becomes available which might impact our environmental conclusions, we request the opportunity to review the information, reassess the potential concerns, and modify our opinion, if warranted.

DESK BASED STUDY AND SITE WALKOVER

Site Location & Land Use

The centre of the site lies at approximate National Grid Reference 523580, 340780; at No. 5 Tarry Hill in Swineshead, Lincolnshire. Information provided prior to the site walkover and investigation specified that the site was currently occupied by a vacant residential property and historically formed part of an adjacent gasworks site.

Current Uses of Site & Neighbouring Area

A site visit was carried out on the 7th July 2003 by a representative of PHL, the following observations were recorded during the walkover, these are provided in Appendix II.

Key observations from the walkover

Access to the site and property is gained from Tarry Hill up a sloping tarmacadam driveway leading to the front door and garage. A footpath to the side of the property leads to a grassed lawn at the rear.

All site boundaries comprise brick and stone of different heights. In addition, shrubs and small trees are present around the site, along with planted borders. The topography of the site is relatively flat with a rise in elevation from west to east.

Several service and manhole covers were observed on and in close vicinity to the site. No obvious observations of contamination were noted during the site walkover.

Site History

Historical maps were obtained from the Boston Central Library to assist in the desk study. In addition, the library archives were inspected to gain a more detailed knowledge of the former gasworks located near the site. Interviews were also held with the nearby property owners and environmental health officer of Boston Borough Council.

In brief it was noted that the Swineshead Gas, Coal and Coke Company was established in 1857. In 1875 the business was sold to a Mr Jessop. Further information sourced during the visit to Boston Central Library are included in Appendix III. During a conversation with the residents of No. 11 (adjacent to the site) it was noted that in 1973 the adjacent coal yard was converted to a builders yard. This is now a gravelled parking area. It was indicated that there was a round brick lined pit (possibly with pumping equipment) in the area adjacent to the rear garden of the site, and that this was infilled with municipal waste. It was confirmed that one of the Hearts Cottages (No. 9) was demolished in 1975, along with a lean-to formerly against the side of Hearts Cottage in the boundary of No. 11.

Historical maps and copies of available records are included in Appendix III.

A Summary of relevant information obtained from the historical maps is provided below.

Summary Table of Historical Maps
Date	Scale	Comments
1889	2,500	Tarry Hill and Heart's Cottages are present. Heart's Cottages comprises three terraced cottages, one of which is directly adjacent to the road. Directly adjacent to the north of the site is a gasworks with three distinct buildings and a large round structure. To the east of the site is agricultural land. A pump is noted approximately 75m south east of the site.
1891	10,000	An archaeological feature "The Manwarings", is located approximately 750m to the east of the site. It is thought that this was built in the 1100's and abandoned in the 1400's. There are no noticeable changes on or adjacent to the site.
1905-1906	2,500 - 10,000	The gasworks is noted as being "disused". No other significant changes are noted on or adjacent to the site.
1950 / 51	10,000	Detached properties have been developed to the west between Tarry Hill and North Street. The buildings at the former gasworks site and on the site are unchanged.
1956	10,000	There are no significant changes noted on or adjacent to the site.
1974	2,500	The boundaries of the site and surrounding properties are the same as the present day. The round structure (from the former gasworks) to the north is no longer noted. The main road to the west if now called "Station Road". There is a nursery with three buildings to the south east of the site. A drain leads from the east directly into the former gas works area. It is unknown if this drain was present during the operational period of the gas works.
1976 / 77	10,000	The building in the north eastern corner of the site has been demolished, along with an outbuilding on the adjacent site to the north.
1989 / 90	10,000	There are no significant changes noted on or adjacent to the site.
2000	10,000	The number of nursery glass houses has increased and are now located directly the the east of the site. There are no significant changes noted on the site.

Environmental Setting

Geology and Hydrogeology

Solid and Drift Geology - The BGS sheet no. 128 entitled "Boston", indicates that the geology at the site may include Jurassic formations of the Ancholme Group, specifically, Terrington Beds (silty clay) consisting of younger marine deposits i.e. saltmarsh and tidal.

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