DeepScan AR Ltd
In May of 2013 terrestrial subsurface imaging company “Deepscan Advanced Radar ltd” was launched.
Its aim to investigate and evaluate buried structures.
HOLYST0NE CHURCH
– PROPOSAL FOR GROUND PENETRATING RADAR SURVEY
This is an application on behalf of the Holystone History & Archaeology Group for a Section 42 licence to allow us to carry out a ground penetrating radar survey of parts of Holystone Church (scheduled monument number ND
296) in order to try and locate any remains of the original 12th century Priory buildings.
Our group has had similar permission in the past when with the help of Durham University’s Archaeological
Services’ team we carried out geophysical surveys – both geomagnetic and earth resistance types – at the church in November 2007, but no Priory remains were located. More recently some underground stonework has come to light when graves were being dug, and we would like to track these remains found in the graveyard on the north side of the church to see if more sub surface remains are evident. A photograph is attached showing the wall remains.
On this occasion we are proposing carrying out a ground penetrating radar survey which has the dual advantage of not penetrating the ground and it can scan to deeper levels. The additional advantage is that its operator
Andrew Wilson, of Deepscan AR Ltd. lives close by and is a friend of the group so he is offering his services and equipment to us free of charge. His equipment is a 350/500Mhz dual channel GPR which he says should scan up to three metres deep in good conditions. Mr Wilson has carried out a reconnaissance of the church and its grounds, and would propose the following. He would like to scan the interior of the church to see if it’s possible to locate any remaining walls beneath the floor surfaces which can then be tracked outwards. He would also scan a two metre track to the north and south sides of the church which would take in the area where the recent wall was uncovered on the north side. But he would also scan the south side in case his deeper scan reveals something that the geophysical searches could not pick up. A map is attached showing the areas planned for surveying.
The group thinks this is a worthwhile project as to this day no definitive location for the Priory has been identified.
The wall that was uncovered is substantial, is at a depth of about one metre, and it doesn’t have any mortar showing which suggests it’s not modern. The majority of historians and archaeologists have argued that the
Priory remains were likely to be to the south side of the existing church which has garnered most attention as a result. However one historian, P F Ryder has always spoken up in favour of the north side, despite the graveyard’s presence there, and the wall’s existence seems to be proof of some other building in that area at some stage in the past.
On a practical level, the group’s secretary, Jan Frazer, has spoken with the current vicar Rev Michael Boag who is very keen on the project and would support our carry ing out the radar survey, especially as it doesn’t involve any form of ground penetration or disturbance. Clearly we would liaise with him to ascertain an appropriate time to carry it out when no services are planned. Mr Wilson also points out that he has previously been issued with a
Section 42 licence for another project and so he understands the terms under which he would be operating.
We hope you will grant us this licence in the hope that perhaps this time some trace of the Priory can at last be found. Thank you for your help with our project.
Following this proposal on behalf of the Holystone History & Archaeology Group a section 42 licence was granted.
Timed up until the 30 th April 2014 for physical presence on the site we collected GPR data from a number of locations in and around the church. Our Subsurface imaging results are as follows:

View Point.
Grid A. Church West.
Area currently is the existing church entrance
Grid dimensions: 6.3m N-S 2.7 E-W
DeepScan AR Ltd

DeepScan AR Ltd
OBJECT 1 OBJECT 2
Marked with arrows. two features.
Blue arrow: possible wall.

Green arrow: Unidentified Object.
Grid B. Church South.
Currently a grass area.
Grid Dimensions: 25m E-W 2.7 N-S
DeepScan AR Ltd

OBJECT 3
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OBJECT 4

DeepScan AR Ltd
OBJECT 5
The purple arrow indicates a linear wall feature.
The orange arrows indicate a possible cobble feature.
The black arrows indicate possible pillar foundations.
Grid C North Side.
Grave yard.
Grid Dimensions: 6.25m N-S 2.5m E-W

DeepScan AR Ltd

DeepScan AR Ltd
OBJECT 6

Red arrow indicates possible end wall feature.
Grid D inside church, Adjacent Baptismal Font.
Church entrance.
Grid size: 2.75m N-S 1.6m E-W
DeepScan AR Ltd
OBJECT 7

Sandstone oval, position of Baptismal Font
The blue arrow indicates possible burial.
Grid E Church Aisle.
Church Aisle
Grid Dimensions: 9m E-W 1.15m N-S
DeepScan AR Ltd
OBJECT 8

DeepScan AR Ltd
Object 8

Blue arrows. Possible buried feature.
Grid F Pre Altar
Pre Altar
Grid Dimensions: 3.25m E-W 1.2m N-S
DeepScan AR Ltd

DeepScan AR Ltd
Pre alter, inconclusive.
Dimensions:
Survey Summary.
While conducting this survey issues highlighting data collection were as follows.

Due to the time of year, weather did play a large factor in the resolution of our data, with a high water content in the ground due to seasonal rain fall.

Wood structural beams under the floor caused periodic variations in reflected signal amplitude which were difficult to remove using the standard background removal algorithm.
Normally a secondary stage survey would follow with additional, more specialist radar methods adopted specifically matched to overcome the challenges found in our preliminary
Survey. We are confident that with a second stage survey possible features found in phase one could be confirmed or eliminated. Increased boundaries following particular features found in phase one will enable structures to be mapped from source point in phase one.
We would request the use of both lower and higher frequency radar for enhanced resolution of objects and more depth especially toward the North side of the church.
All image s copyright of Deepscan A R Ltd ©