Monument record MWX3370 - Bestwall Quarry Archaeological Project, Post-Medieval linears/field boundaries and rubble dumps

Post medieval linear features excavated during the Bestwall Quarry Archaeological Project. Large amounts of building debris also found.

Field B: Number of dark brown soil marks ran east to west across the field, sections showed that they were shallow and of little definition. Finds from the fill were generally post-medieval (1) Field B/D: Linear feature, 1m wide with a max depth of 0.200mm was visible for 70m and likely to have been the base of a field boundary marked on a tithe map of 1840 and the 1948 O. S. map. A second feature contained glass, pieces of a ceramic mixing bowl, a small stoneware pot, tin cans and umbrella spokes all dating to the late 19th, early 20th century (2) Field C: narrow ditch crossing the field from west to east with finds (fragments of Purbeck stone, brick and Verwood pottery) hinting at a 17th or early 18th century date for the feature. The line of a similar ditch could be traced crossing the northern half of the field (3) Fields F/G: shallow post medieval linear features located within the area of the trackway (from Wareham to Poole Harbour) sited between fields F and G. Finds consisted of large quantities of building material (brick, tile, limestone), 17th century Verwood Pottery and some Donyatt, Westerwald and tin-glazed ware. Major linear ran east-west and traversed the whole length of the excavated area, took the form of a ditch which probably drained the footpath (4) Field H: east-west ditch and associated shallower gullies continued into field H. Upper levels contained 17th century Verwood pottery and discarded building material. A second ditch represents the remains of a field boundary which map evidence suggests was removed between 1823 and 1841. Quantities of 18th and 19th century pottery were removed from the ditch fill (5) Field J: Two ditches, both hedged field boundaries noted on the 1844 tithe map. Two spreads of building material were revealed containing large amounts of Purbeck stone rubble and vitrified bricks. Associated pottery and clay pipes imply an 18th century date (6) Field N: linear feature c.25m long with an average width of 0.8m and depth of 0.25m. The fill was rich in charcoal and contained a substantial number of finds including Verwood types pottery, ironwork and building material with a 17th/18th century date (7)

Record last edited

Jul 10 2017 2:01PM