SDO12504 - Barrow Hill, Corfe Mullen, Dorset. SEB 11kV Mains Replacement. Archaeological Watching Brief

Observations were maintained by Wessex Archaeology on behalf of Southern Electric plc. During cable replacement work at Barrow Hill, Corfe Mullen, Dorset. The project comprised one of a number of archaeological watching briefs in the county, occasioned by works to replace supports for overhead power lines. The area of pole erection subject to the watching brief was located on land known as Barrow Hill (centred on SY 996 976), situated just above the 200m contour on the north-east side of Corfe Mullen. The groundworks were to comprise the machine-excavation of pole-holes and stay-holes, one set of which were adjacent to the southernmost of two tumuli (burial mounds of probable Bronze Age date). The only archaeological deposits observed were in stay-hole 1b, which cut through the ditch around the tumulus. No artefacts were recovered. The archive is currently stored at the offices of Wessex Archaeology at Old Sarum, Salisbury, under the project code 39872, but will be deposited at Dorset County Museum, Dorchester, in due course.