EDO6552 - Castle Close, Wareham Town; evaluation 2005

A field evaluation carried out in 1999 established that the top of the keep wall, if it still existed, would be at a depth of at least 1.5 below ground level. To mitigate effects of possible disturbance trenches for a new garage were dug by hand to a depth of 0.85 to 1m below ground level. After digging of three trenches by hand it was agreed that remaining excavation could be carried out by mechanical mini-digger. A stratified Roman sherd was recovered, but no direct evidence of the castle keep was found during this excavation although a wall (context 14 in Trench 1B) may be part of the post 12th century rebuild noted by Mr Clark in 1950, and the large quantities on Early Mediaeval pottery, animal bones and other finds (mainly from context 8) almost certainly derives from the time when the keep was demolished, in the late 12th century, although whether this material is a primary deposit or has been redeposited at a later date is not clear. There has been substantial ground disturbance by modern building activity.