SDO11516 - Proposed Car Park Extension to Westminster Memorial Hospital, Shaftesbury, Dorset. Stage 2 Archaeological Evaluation: Machine Trenching

In November 1994 Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Salisbury Health Care to formulate a design for, and to undertake, an archaeological evaluation of the site of a proposed car park extension for the Westminster Memorial Hospital, Shaftesbury, Dorset. The first stage of the evaluation, an auger survey, was undertaken in late January 1995. The results of this work, allied with those obtained by a radar survey undertaken by Emrad Limited, showed that there exists a consistent 1.20m to 1.35m of overburden over natural deposits across the site, except along the Magdalene Lane frontage where up to 1.80m of overburden are present. These results suggested the presence of a linear depression along the Magdalene Street frontage, possibly representing either a former line or edge of the road which has been subsequently backfilled and levelled during the use of the garden, or the former line of a defensive ditch, perhaps relating to the Saxon burh. Stage 2 of the project comprised machine trenching to investigate the observed linear depression, two areas of radar-detected geophysical anomaly and the general character of other areas of the site. A total of four trenches was excavated, revealing a range of archaeological deposits dated from the 12th-13th century to the present day. These deposits included the footings of a substantial stone structure, probably a building, along with broadly contemporary features including a crude yard surface, a small ditch, a well and a buried ground surface. A small assemblage of pottery contemporary with these features was recovered, as well as residual prehistoric material and late Saxon pottery. In addition, a small ecofactual assemblage including burnt grain was recovered, indicating a high potential for the survival of environmental data. The recorded deposits lie within the Abbey precinct, in an area known to contain the Abbey gardens, and, possibly, conventual buildings of the Abbey. The latter may be represented by the stone wall footings recorded towards the north-west of the site. No evidence of the Saxon burh defences was observed, and it seems likely that they lie further to the east, and that the site lies within the Saxon town. These remains are considered to be of high significance in both their local and regional context. The significance of the site arises from its association with the Abbey and the Saxon burh. The evaluation has demonstrated the presence of archaeological deposits within, and contemporary with the Abbey precinct. There thus exists at the site a potential for the collection of archaeological data regarding the development and dissolution of the Abbey. In addition, the site may lie within the Saxon town. If this is this case, then a potential exists for the collection of data which would further define the origins and development of Shaftesbury, its Saxon burgh and the Abbey.