Attention is focused in this chapter upon a range of general measures that it is recommended be implemented to provide a secure foundation for future research. These echo and expand many of the proposals developed for the East Midlands Historic Environment Research Framework,1 but with an emphasis upon recommendations of particular relevance to the Derwent Valley.
2.1 Developing the information base
Planning briefs in advance of development: ensure that contracting organisations working within the World Heritage Site provide appropriate reference to the Agenda Topics and Strategic Objectives defined in this document in schemes of investigation relating to developments impacting upon the Valley. This will assist targeting of resources on questions of particular concern to the regional research community (eg Strategic Objective 2C) and will facilitate monitoring via the development process of progress on the Research Strategy.
Standards and guidelines: ensure that investigations of the built environment and archaeological resource take account of the best practice recommendations of appropriate subject and period groups.
Site location and survey: maximise the potential of the air photographic record by continued mapping of cropmarks, earthworks, etc and investigate further the effectiveness of remote sensing techniques in different landform zones. The use of innovative terrestrial geophysics, airborne lidar, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging and ground-based scanning techniques for the location of archaeological sites should be encouraged, with particular emphasis upon areas with few known archaeological sites (for example, floodplain zones where archaeological features may be buried beneath alluvium and in woodlands not yet systematically searched for earthwork remains: Strategic Objective 2A).
Derbyshire Landscape Character Assessments2 and Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC)3: update as research refines our understanding of landscape developments and historic landscape character and focus resources upon creation of online HLC resource.
Built environment assessments: undertake assessment and surveys of built environment resources that are currently poorly understood (eg Strategic Objective 9C) and ensure full integration in historic environment research of archaeological and built environment data.
Building recording: encourage more rigorous requirements for building recording through the planning process and the application where appropriate of laser technology and photogrammetry to the high-definition surveying of historic buildings (eg Fig. 2.1). It is recommended that an archive of digital survey records that may be used for research and management purposes be compiled and maintained as a long-term resource (see also Strategic Objective 9D).
Building materials analysis: encourage the use of scientific techniques of materials analysis (eg analyses of mortar, stone and architectural paint used in mill buildings) and appropriate scientific dating techniques.
Industrial remains: undertake an audit and condition assessment of industrial archaeological remains, including the physical remnants of early transport routes (eg packhorse tracks), as a foundation for further synthetic study of industry and trade and as an aid to resource management.
Monument classifications: ensure that field investigations focus upon the development and refinement of regional monument typologies (eg industrial archaeological remains in woodlands).
Fig.2.1 Laser-scan rendering by the Heritage Lottery-funded Young Roots project4 of Leawood Pumphouse on the Cromford Canal (source: Derbyshire County Council). Built in 1849, the pumphouse building accommodated a steam pumping engine that drew water from the Derwent to increase the supply of water to the Cromford Canal
2.2 Enhancing the archive resource
Create integrated digital platform: compile an internet-based platform that would provide a searchable database of key written, photographic, pictorial, cartographic and oral sources relating to the Derwent Valley (see Strategic Objective 1A for details).
Enhance accessibility of historic maps: create online catalogues of Derwent Valley historic maps and provide access to digital copies where possible.
Derwent Valley bibliography: compile a comprehensive regional bibliography, building upon and enhancing that provided in Chapter 6, and maintain as an easily accessible and updatable online resource.
Journals of Derwent Valley interest: contents lists and publications in journals of regional interest should be made available online wherever possible (following the example of the Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, which in 2016 became freely available via the Archaeology Data Service).
Digital reports: provide online copies ofreports focusing upon subjects of Derwent Valley interest (eg via the Historic England and DVMWHS websites, the Archaeological Data Service [ADS]5 and the Derbyshire Historic Environment Record). In the case of archaeological research, details of developer-funded and other projects should be submitted to the ADS in the form of OASIS6 records, ensuring national dissemination of information about recent work.
Backlog investigations of archaeological sites and buildings: unlock this information through further analysis and conventional paper or digital publication, with reports and comprehensive archives made available online wherever possible.7
Derbyshire Historic Environment Record (HER):8 ensure resources are maintained for long-term maintenance and enhancement of the HER, increase public access by further development of online resources, and ensure that the results of academic studies and research are added to maximise its value as a research source.
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping: encourage the preparation and web publication of period and thematic maps derived from HER and other sources (as exemplified by the work of the Derwent Catchment Partnership).9
Artefact studies: building upon the Derbyshire County Council Enlightenment! programme,10 encourage the focused collection of paintings, artefacts and other material relating to the history of the World Heritage Site.
Portable Antiquities Scheme: encourage the use of PAS data as a foundation for thematic studies of Derwent Valley artefact distribution patterns (from the prehistoric to Modern periods). 11
Fig.2.2 View of the Milford mill complex, developed by Jedediah Strutt from the 1780s but demolished in the 1960s. The upstream weir was built between 1787 and 1792, while the weir in the foreground (with central fish ladder) was constructed before 1840. These and many other historic photographs of the Derwent Valley may be viewed on the picturethepast website (source: RAP Co Ltd, c.1910; image courtesy of www.picturethepast.org.uk: DCHQOO1437)
2.3 Improving communications
Voluntary bodies: local societies and volunteers should be kept aware of research work and should be closely involved in research programmes (eg via the newly updated DVMWHS website).
Exhibitions: museum exhibitions of recent research in the Valley should be encouraged (following, for example, the model of the recent Enlightenment!12 project).
Closer liaison between stakeholder groups: encourage more dialogue between curators, staff in universities, schools and other academic institutions, contractors, consultants and the voluntary sector, and forge closer links between different academic disciplines.
Engage more widely with diverse cultural groups: build upon the results of the Global Connections in Cotton project13 and other initiatives aimed at extending awareness of the World Heritage Site amongst under-represented social groups.
Enhance the research role of the Derbyshire Historic Environment Record: ensure staff are involved fully in the development of research projects and encourage work that will enhance HER data.
Ensure best practice environmental sampling, processing, analysis and dating methodologies are adhered to during site investigations.15
To maximise its potential, ensure full integration of environmental research with other site work.
Develop a strategy to ensure the incorporation of palaeoenvironmental data in the Derbyshire HER.
Ensure that palaeoenvironmental data obtained during investigations in the Derwent Valley are incorporated in the web-based East Midlands environmental database.16
Encourage studies with potential for generating data that would contribute to studies of historic climatic change and the potential impact of climate change upon the historic environment resource (eg by flood modelling: Fig. 2.3).17
Develop period-specific sampling strategies with particular relevance to the Derwent Valley, permitting targeted investigations of organically rich deposits (eg analyses of organically rich channel fills to examine correlations between fluvial processes and the Medieval Warm Period or Little Ice Age: Strategic Objective 10D; Figs1.11, 1.16 and 2.4).18
Encourage the collection of environmental data that have potential for elucidating the environmental impacts of past industrial activities (eg to determine the accumulation in alluvial sediments of toxic contaminants derived from the mining of lead and other metals: Strategic Objective 10E).19
15Campbell, G et al 2011 ‘Environmental Archaeology: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Methods, from Sampling and Recovery to Post-excavation, 2 edn. Portsmouth: English Heritage
17,18 Howard, A J et al 2016 ‘Assessing riverine threats to heritage assets posed by future climate change through a geomorphological approach and predictive modelling in the Derwent Valley Mills WHS, UK’. Journal of Cultural Heritage 19, 387–94
19 Kossoff, D et al 2016 ‘Industrial mining heritage and the legacy of environmental pollution in the Derbyshire Derwent catchment’. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 6,190–9
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