Unitof1 Wrote:does it really wax. All that setting up a contract, lieasing with the contractors, standing around to get some utterly pointless going through the motion of recording a glimps of underlying stratigrafy which isnt going anywhere except to burden some archive. Whats the point of this information from the protected site. Lets say its a medieval listed building are you using this fact hopeing to find romans or how deep the foundations are?
Thing is when you are managing an historic property any evidence is useful even negative as it enables you to gradually build up a picture and give you ammunition when someone wants to do something more distructive. It is amazing the levels of impact that are permissible before you even get to having to apply for planning permission. Knowing how deep your foundations are or how they are constructed is actually rather important.
I really hate the fact that listed buildings often get all sorts of work carried out on them with due regard to the standing fabric and no regard to the underlying archaeology. Planning conditions focus on the listed status and forget what might be underneath them. Imagine what might be under the floor level in a Georgian Manor house built on the site of a Mediveal Hall.