SDO11540 - An Archaeological Evaluation on Land Adjacent to Parsons Pool House, Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, Dorset

An archaeological evaluation on land adjacent to Parsons Pool House, Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, Dorset (ST86282316), was carried out by AC archaeology during September 2003. The site is located in the former parish of St Laurence, in an area of the town that is believed to have been populated from the 13th century onwards. The evaluation comprised the machine-excavation of two trenches totalling 26.4m2, which defined three phases of archaeological activity. The earliest was evidence for medieval settlement (Phase 1) towards the Parsons Pool street frontage, which was sealed by a tile and brick floor of probable 18th century date (Phase 2). Towards the centre and rear of the site 19th century and later deposits were present (Phase 3), including structual evidence for a former timber yard and a stone-slab floor sealed by modern infilling or levelling deposits. The timber yard is recorded as being destroyed by fire in 1893.