SDO15342 - Rapid Archaeological Assessment of a proposed development at Higher Meerhay Farm, Beaminster, Dorset

This report provides a basic assessment of the impact of the proposed development at High Meerhay Farm, Beaminster, Dorset. The development involves the construction of a menage within a field to the north-west of the farm buildings. The assessment is based mainly on a site visit undertaken on 19th November 2010 and also draws on the architects drawing 1017_GA20_C, information from Dorset Historic Environment Record and a small number of published sources. The proposed development lies within a field containing lynchets which form evidence for medieval practices and represent part of a wider group of such earthworks that are present on the edge of the Wessex Chalklands to the northeast of Beaminster. The assessment notes the presence of earlier (Bronze Age and Romano-British) activity in the wider area. The proposed development will have some impact on part of a lynchet, which is very small compared to others in the field. In addition it is possible that a badger sett may have caused some disturbance to archaeological deposits associated with the lynchet.