SWX8495 - Archaeological Evaluation of an area of Proposed Ball Clay Extraction at Hawk Post, East Creech, Dorset. January 1995

'An archaeological evaluation of approximately 2.5 hectares of land to be developed for opencast clay working was carried out in December 1994. The investigation comprised the excavation and recording of a total of c. 620 square metres of mechanically-excavated trenches, or c. 2.5% of the area. In most areas examined there was evidence for archaeological deposits; this included subsoil features of probable Bronze Age date, including a ring ditch (possible ploughed-out barrow), and of the Late Iron Age and Romano-British periods. Finds of the early prehistoric period included fragments of probable Neolithic pottery, although not directly associated contemporaneous features. Much of the site occupies a well-defined bench on the hillside and provides a commanding view of Poole Harbour. The depth of soil present in this upper part of the site, which contains the probable Bronze Age features, has allowed for a relatively good state of preservation and the site in this area has not been extensively affected by ploughing. The lower part of the site, which contains predominantly later Iron Age and Roman evidence is sealed by more shallow soils on damp clay subsoils. The evaluation provides evidence for an extensive multi-phased settlement and further deposits should be anticipated over much of the area. The site is considered to be of high importance by virtue of the date range of its occupation and the rarity of such early prehistoric evidence in areas of former heathland.'