SDO12512 - Visitors Centre, Kingston Maurward Park, Dorset. Desktop Assessment and Archaeological Evaluation

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned to undertake a desktop assessment and archaeological evaluation of a proposed development area at Kingston Maurward Park (centred on SY 71309110). The assessment included a survey of cartographic and published sources, the County Sites and Monuments Record and excavation archives. One L-shaped evaluation trench was excavated by machine along the line of the footings for the proposed visitors' centre west of Kingston Maurward House. The results may be summarised as follows: 1. Previous archaeological work in the surrounding area indicates moderate to high potential for remains of the prehistoric and Roman periods generally. Evidence of prehistoric occupation has come from fieldwalking of arable areas in Stinsford, but there is no information from the immediate area of the site, and none was found during the field evaluation. It is possible that the Mount, a garden feature west of the house, is an enhanced Bronze Age round barrow. 2. One Roman road runs a short distance to the north of the site. Another, postulated to run through the proposal area and examined in 1988, appears to be unlikely. Features located in 1988 could relate either to landscaping or medieval or later remains. 3. The medieval settlement of Stinsford, although only a hamlet around the parish church, may have shrunk, and it is possible that the earthworks in the lower (southern) part of the field where development is to take place represent part of this medieval settlement. 4. The formal gardens at Kingston Maurward are an extension of 1918/20, so it seems unlikely that the visitor centre site, shown as a field on the 1838 Tithe Map was ever part of the gardens. The site which is adjacent to the Parsonage could have had gardens here, but a map of 1759 shows that the Parsonage lands did not include this field. The area proposed for sewage outfall also seems to be outside the garden area. 5. The possible wall trench found in the field evaluation is undated, but more likely to be of post-medieval origin, associated with the development of the house and park.