EDO3947 - Land to the West of Poundbury Farm, Dorchester; evaluation

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned to undertake an archaeological evaluation of land to the west of Poundbury Farm, Dorchester, on behalf of the Duchy of Cornwall, which forms part of the proposed Phase II Poundbury development. The site is known to contain three undated linear cropmarks and a postulated post-medieval chalk pit. Twenty-three machine-excavated trenches were investigated, each measuring at least 1.8m x 30m and totalling c. 1296 square metres. Trenches 6, 7 and 19 were positioned to investigate linear cropmarks, and trench 2 was positioned to confirm the existence of a post-medieval chalk pit. The remaining trenches were spaced at regular intervals in order to complete a 2% sample of the proposed development area. Trench 15 was not excavated. All trenches were machined to the top of the archaeology or natural (whichever was encountered first), archaeological features were then hand excavated. The field evaluation identified a range of archaeological features and deposits across the 8 ha site. These comprised a dispersed occupation site, including a possible round-house and pits, probably of Late Bronze Age date, on the high ground in the north of the area and an associated ditched field system, probably extending across the whole of the south-facing slope. A hillwash deposit was identified in a narrow coombe to the north of the Bridport Road and two large isolated features of uncertain date and origin, as well as a post-medieval chalk pit filled with 20th century rubbish, were also located.