News Letter

Coastal Zone Assessment

The coastlines of Wales and Ireland form an extensive stretch of landscape, and coastal zone assessments provide a rapid, though detailed, method of gathering information on the historic environment, on the geology and geomorphology of the coast and on erosion at a given point in time.

CHERISH Coastal Zone Assessment of the north Dublin coastline starts to the south of Drumanagh promontory fort at Rogerstown estuary and extends north as far as Loughshinny
CHERISH Coastal Zone Assessment of the north Dublin coastline starts to the south of Drumanagh promontory fort at Rogerstown estuary and extends north as far as Loughshinny

Methodology

Since the 1990s Coastal Zone Assessments have been undertaken in Wales, Scotland and England which follow a broadly similar methodology of:

  • Desk Based Assessment –  To identify the archaeological resource, utilising historic environment records, mapping, aerial photography and other datasets such as LiDAR.
  • Field Survey –  Where a team of archaeologists and in some cases geologists walk the coast recording its geology and geomorphology and assess its erosion status; and locate, verify, identify and record archaeological features and their erosion status. This is a rapid survey using maps, a recording form and photography to provide a visual record and basic level of survey.
  • Reporting – The production of a report outlining the survey area, methodology, results and recommendations with accompanying maps and gazetteer’s. Data relating to archaeological sites and monuments is also often incorporated into the relevant Historic Environment Records.

Examples of Coastal Zone Assessments

Information gathered through coastal zone assessments provide an incredibly valuable baseline dataset on the stability of the coast, the nature and extent of archaeology in the coastal zone, the threats and rates of erosion to that archaeology along with recommendations for the appropriate management of it. One outcome of these assessments has been initiatives such as Arfordir in Wales, SCHARP (Scotland’s Coastal heritage at Risk Project) in Scotland and CITiZAN (the Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network) in England which work with individuals and communities to provide additional data and longer term monitoring of the archaeology in the coastal zone. SCHARP and CITiZAN use an App which allows volunteers to gather and submit information, and a similar App is being developed by CHERISH for Ireland and Wales.

CHERISH is undertaking coastal zone assessments in many of our study areas. For Ireland and the islands of Wales this will provide a baseline dataset, whereas for study areas in mainland Wales it will provide a new epoch of comparative data to that recorded by the Welsh Archaeological Trusts in the coastal zone assessments of 1993 to 1998.

Activities in Ireland

In Ireland, we have been undertaking Coastal Zone Assessment through the analysis of Project UAV data combined with walk-over survey. This approach had allowed the team to familiarise themselves with the survey area, access areas inaccessible by foot and highlight areas of interest. Two coastal areas along Ireland’s east coast and four Islands, have been the subject of Coastal Zone Assessment.
Archaeologist records exposed archaeological layers during Coastal Zone Assessment on the Great Saltee Island, Wexford
Archaeologist records exposed archaeological layers during Coastal Zone Assessment on the Great Saltee Island, Wexford

Activities in Wales

In Wales, we’ve used CHERISH Lidar gathered on 6 islands –Skerries, Puffin, Bardsey, Tudwals and Grassholm as our principal baseline dataset, creating new archaeological maps that are then verified on the ground. During island visits we’re also walking the coastline to record geology and geomorphology, and assess erosion status.

Ground truthing LiDAR data on Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire
Ground truthing LiDAR data on Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire
Assessing erosion during a Coastal Zone Assessment around the coast edge of Bardsey Island, Gwynedd
Assessing erosion during a Coastal Zone Assessment around the coast edge of Bardsey Island, Gwynedd

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