Peareth Hall (Usworth House) carriageway

This carriageway was excavated in advance of a proposed housing development. It led east from Peareth Hall (Usworth House, HER 8471), built around 1750, through the grounds of the hall towards Great Usworth village. A 20m length of the carriageway was excavated and recorded. It was oriented ENE-WSW and constructed on a foundation of sandstone fragments with a line of kerb stones along each edge. These appeared to have been angled away from the carriageway surface, possibly to encourage water to run off it. The foundation was overlain by a compacted and worn metalled surface, also of sandstone. In places the carriageway had subsided slightly into former furrows. Repaired wheel ruts indicated a distance of 1.35m (4 foot 3 inches) between the carriage wheels.