SDO16319 - Water Meadows, Winterborne Herringston, Dorset

‘Context One Heritage & Archaeology (C1) carried out a survey of water meadows at Winterborne Herringston, Dorset. The project was commissioned by Dorset Wildlife Trust. As part of the water meadow management, a programme of works is being considered including bank profiling and tree planting. In response, Mr Steve Wallis, Senior Archaeologist, Dorset County Council (DCC), advised that an archaeological survey be carried out as there are known earthworks associated with the water meadows. The survey provides an accurate plan of the layout of the Herringston water meadow system, and a record of the various sluices associated with it. The course of the South Winterbourne river was diverted onto higher ground to create a head main, and the associated carriers and drains cover majority of the Site. Furthermore, the form of the layout and the stone construction of the sluices suggests that the water meadow is likely to have been a relatively early establishment, certainly before the mid-18th century, and probably 17th century. Later maintenance of the system using brick indicates its continued use into the later 18th or 19th century, but historic maps suggest that it had ceased to be maintained and was going out of use in the mid-19th century. The survey has also identified that certain areas have historically been sensitive to erosion, with the loss of features associated with the system. The areas of the proposed works, profiling banks and tree planting, may have an impact on historic water meadow features, but also potentially provide protection to them. This will need to be taken into account during the works, along with the potential for there to be further buried features associated with the water meadow system which are no longer identifiable from the surface due to the degree of silting.’