EDO620 - Worgret Heath to Wareham Water Main; observations and recording 1954

R A H Farrar conducted an archaeological watching brief in December 1955 and February 1956 during the excavation of trenches for a new 9-inch water distribution main from the pumping station on Worgret Heath to Wareham. The archaeological work was on behalf of the RCHME and at the request of the Ministry of Works. A 6-inch main trench, 3 feet deep ran from North Street (behind the Catholic Church) to the north end of Mill Lane. This exposed black soil above natural gravel which itself lay above natural clay. From Mill Lane to the NW corner of the walls the water main was laid in a trench 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep in the north side of the street behind north walls. This revealed the undisturbed natural gravel behind the walls demonstrating that the inside of the walls had not been quarried for matierial for the ramparts. The water main was then carried over the west wall, just south of the NW corner and across the site of the ditch without exposing any deposits of archaeological interest. There were no remains of the stone wall that had topped the ramparts surviving here. The trench then passed to the north of the former workhouse. Observations were also made on a trench excavated for an electrical cable from the river Frome SW of Castle Close to the sub station at West Walls, north of Cow Lane. No significant archaeological features were observed. The trench cut through the ditch fill of the walls revealeing black soils north of the Worgret Road. [1]