The development area is located within Rufford Abbey Country Park, to the south-east of the house and Abbey remains, within an area of landscaped grounds and the arboretum. Two trenches were excavated as part of groundworks activities. Five archaeological features were identified and recorded in one trench. Four of these comprise red brick and stone culverts/drains associated with post-medieval land use and development of the site. In addition to these features was a length of rough squared sandstone foundation. A lack of diagnostic features or artefacts precluded any accurate dating of this feature, though similar foundations identified during archaeological investigations north of the project area have been dated to the medieval period. Four wall foundations of similar material to that identified in the first trench were recorded in another trench. Again, similarities to those identified elsewhere could tentatively suggest that these walls have their origin in the medieval period. Furthermore, no structures on similar orientation are evident in late post-medieval or modern mapping to indicate these may have a more recent origin. No artefacts were recovered during trench excavations.